Day 33 - May 3rd - Rich Mountain to Little Laurel Shelter - 11.4 miles

We wake up to a heavy downpour, and the tent is flooding under the floor. In the whole 6 months we never solve the water problem - when it rains, the floor is wet. We try numerous waterproofing agents but it is never solved. The tent is great - a Mont tent. Pity about the floor. Digby talks about contacting Mont and telling them about the problem - maybe one day....Now 12 months on,  we are dry,  it's not a matter of life and death anymore. We have other issues crowding into our lives.

Packing up in the rain with a wet tent is quite tricky, and the wet tent is very heavy to carry. The mist on the mountain swirls around us. As we walk along the trail in the mist, the rain eases. It is slow going with heavy packs. At the first shelter we meet two young women hiking, one covered in tattoos wearing a special hiking skirt with a skirt waterproof cover, and the other is our first and only African American that we meet on the trail.

Spring Mountain Shelter

There is a gentle series of climbs and descents through the day. We discover quite a few ladies pink slipper orchids along the trail, and enjoy the forest.

Woodpecker damage - we were excited to see this!
No woodpeckers in Australia.

We reach the shelter at 4.40pm and pitch the tent to dry out, and beg some seam sealer from a section hiker (only walking a section of the trail, not the whole trail). There are three other hikers at the shelter - all with wet tents, all spread out to dry in the afternoon sun.

We meet a hiker with a dog, 'Powder' travelling with Russell (the dog). Russell has no manners, and an owner who does not make him behave. Russell's bad behaviour becomes legendary along the trail, and gives all dogs and dog owners a bad name.