Tom's Run Shelters

6/24 ~ Tom's Run Shelters (16.5 miles)

I'm closing in on my first hundred miles, but I'm not really having fun yet. I *did* come out here to have fun, after all. Today wasn't a bad day, in fact some things about it were good. My feet are just thankful I didn't push on to Pine Grove Furnace.

When I woke up this morning, something had bitten the hell out of my ankles and feet. My feet were still swollen to the point of non-wrinkleness. Imagine your own toes with no wrinkles. Looks weird, huh? It's not painful, but walking on them is a bit uncomfortable. In addition, my eyes were swollen half shut (no, my head was not lower than my feet). When I was putting in my contacts, I kept trying to get what I thought was morning eye gunk out. Turns out that was actually swollen flesh. I took a Benedryl thinking that would help. It did help, but I hiked part of the day very slowly and dizzily. I even took a 1/2 hour nap under a tree.

I had originally planned to have a break and some lunch at Quarry Gap Shelters. I got there about 10:30, which was really too early for lunch. The shelters were super nice. After a break, I moved on to Birch Run Shelters, where I had intended to stay the night. I found the shelters to be nasty and the tent sites unexceptional. I ate a cheese sandwich, watered up and moved on (at 3:30pm). The hike between those two shelters had been very pretty -- rhododendron tunnels with some in bloom.

The next section had a treat -- blueberries. I munched on them on and off for six miles to this area which has a babbling brook (very relaxing and good for sleeping, not to mention convenient) and many good tent sites. Let's hope nothing bites my ankles tonight (I've already removed an ant, a spider and an earwhig from my tent. I suspect the spider rode with me all day since it was way in a corner right after I set up my tent. The ankle biter perhaps? Well, it's dead now. No trial for suspected biting insects. I have a zero tolerance policy for bugs who can't stay in their place -- outside., for that I could sleep in the shelter.