Day 126 - Shelburne Pass to The Lookout

Woke up with very swollen eyes – coupled with my facial bubbles and chapped lips didn’t make for a very attractive sight. But we had to go down for our “free” breakfast. Good stuff. Storyteller was there, hanging out for a few days before getting off the trail. Guess he has liver damage, which will make it dangerous for him to continue. He seemed in good spirits, though.

Rained a little, which is always good when you’re inside. Packed up a bunch of summer gear to send back home. When I looked in the mirror with my pack on, I couldn’t believe how enormous it was. Almost bigger than me! Will have to do some trimming/reorganizing.
,
Didn’t get rolling til 12:30. I always feel like such a nag. But what’s the point of hanging around when you want to try to do 16 miles? Walked back to the trail and began. Incredibly humid, with some tough terrain. Lots of PUDS (learned this new term -- pointless ups and downs). Decided to push on to The Lookout, which meant hauling water for five miles and going at a good clip so we’d get there before dark.

Not an easy walk. Arrived a little after 8 only to find a big, empty cabin. Wahoo!! Fireplace, roof deck, and front porch. And it was all ours. The owners of Lookout Farm let hikers use the cabin when they’re not around (most of the time).

Ate a big pasta dinner. We decided to sleep up on the roof deck, despite the chance of rain. I reluctantly agreed. It was a bit scary up there. One big roll to either side and you’d be a goner. But that was the least of our worries. Mosquitoes and gnats drove us crazy all night. Even a long-sleeved shirt, gloves, hat, and headnet (and tons of bug spray) didn’t keep them away.

Neither of us slept, but it was awesome to not have to move to see the sunrise. We both felt hungover, and dozed for a few hours after that. Took our time in the morning, then left around 10:15.