I wake up to my sleeping bag and tent soaking wet from condensation. Noooo

I hate putting a wet sleeping bag into my backpack, but the sun isn’t out yet for awhile and it’s cold. Gotta get moving.

The far corners of my tent are frozen. I hope my water filter survived the night. I didn’t think to put it in my sleeping bag. I wasn’t expecting it to be so chilly. I hike with my rain jacket and gloves on to warm up.

The trail goes through another burn section covering the hills.

The wild flowers create pops of color, I want to take pictures of them all!

My phone cover is definitely scratched on the lens again. I’m sad. The photos are turning out kinda blurry. I consider taking the cover off but I see some ominous clouds in the distance. Better not.

I pass The Professor making his breakfast.

There are a few large stream crossings. I take my shoes off and wade through, the water is up to my mid thighs again! Brrrr!

I hike in my flip flops, but the wet plants on the side of the trail make my feet muddy. I rinse them off and put my regular hiking shoes back on. The trail continues in the shadows of a hillside for a good long while. No good sunny places to dry my gear.

Eventually the trail rounds the hill and the sun is shining. But for how long? I look at the ominous clouds. I better dry my stuff now.

I start laying out all my wet gear. The Professor catches up and does the same. We have a nice lunch near a spring and watch butterflies land on our things.

Finally our stuff is dry. I feel a great sense of relief.

We pack up and the Professor zooms off.

I hike my own pace and listen to some music Doug arranged for me.

The burn section ends and I’m back in the trees. Time to be loud again. I belt out: “Hiker coming through! Don’t want to surprise you!” Around every blind turn and bush.

Thunder rumbles in the distance. I find myself back in a clearing that goes up an exposed hill…. Rut row.

I start to hike fast. Like real fast. Hoping I’ll find a low tree covered area.

A storm is coming.

I pass Professor, hop a stream, put on my rain gear, stash my electronics, check my maps at an intersection and… hold on-

I see a note about a pit toilet… and the intersection I’m at is called… Welcome Creek Cabin Junction? Cabin? There’s a cabin!

But where exactly? It’s not marked on the maps and I can’t tell if the notes are for a North Bound hiker or a South Bound hiker. There are 4 trails crisscrossing each other, “turn left here” doesn’t really help me. I can’t see far in the trees either! The rumbling gets loader. The sky gets darker. I start hiking down each path at the intersection in the hopes of finding the cabin. Nope. Turn back. Nope. Turn back. Professor catches up to me, full rain gear. It starts to sprinkle. I tell him about the potential cabin and he’s game to help look.

We go down another trail option. Ah nothing. It starts pouring rain. Crash! Lightning! The storm is above us. The Professor mentions the Gaia app. I open it up and see a little bathroom icon.

There! I steer us towards it. There’s a river crossing in the way! I see a fallen log across the water. It’s worth a shot! Thankfully it’s not too slippery from the rain yet. We make it across okay and I see the cabin roof through the branches. Yes!!! We made it!

The cabin balcony provides much welcome shelter as the storm lets loose. I’m able to dry my pack by the door and peal my wet coat off.

What a cozy spot. A storm has such a different vibe when you’re watching it from a dry warm place. I paint and Professor makes a hot drink and reads his kindle.

The storm eventually dies down and Professor heads out.

I stay back to finish my painting and enjoy the cabin a bit longer. Also my paints take longer to dry when it’s so humid and rainy out.

They finally dry enough and I pack up. The trail is glistening from the storm.

I can see it hailed a bit in some places!

I pass two other hikers on trail, Parachute and Deadpool. They are soaked and look a little miserable. They ask how I am so dry. I tell them about the lucky cabin!

Thank you Gaia GPS!

The trail is flooded from the downpour and it’s slow picking a path around the marshy bits. There’s another big stream crossing, the water up to my thighs again. I wonder if the rain will make the crossing more difficult soon.

The sun comes out and drys off all the plants.

I take my rain gear off and find Professor resting in a meadow. We hike a little farther to a water source and find some great camp spots.

We set up and start to make dinner. 5 other CDT hikers show up! I’m glad we got our spots! They join us for dinner. It’s nice to meet new people!

I turn in early to write and message Doug.

I’m next to a big stream so hopefully my stuff doesn’t get soaked again! Darn you condensation of the night!

Fingers crossed my gear stays dry.