LBL Rain Death March

“Friday morning I hooked up with Crazy Mike and Avalanche Al at Golden Pond Visitors Center. We bought permits and took my truck to the North Welcome Station and started walking.
It rained pretty much the whole way but stopped just before we reached camp at Bermingham Ferry Camping area. We covered the 9 miles in about 3 hours and had plenty of time to get wood and set up our nylon houses. I set my tarp up across part of the picnic table for coverage.
About 8:30 it started to rain and everybody decided to turn in. We'd planned on waiting for 2 Scoops, Stikmon, & Ductape to arrive but we figured if they saw the tents they would just pull up and crash out.
Early morning there was some thunder in the distance as if to say, "Yall gonna get rocked today!". I rain let up and we all started packing. No one showed up during the night that we knew of. We had almost a mile road walk back to the trail. On the last stretch we saw 2 Scoops car. He'd showed up but wasn't sure if it was our camp or not so he slept at another place. We collected him and hit the trail. The sky let loose and the rain poured. A few miles in we got to an area called Hatchery Hollow. We had a bite to eat and then prepared for the WET part of the trip.
Last year I'd done the whole North South trail and knew this part had some wickid stream crossings. One in particular I had to leap over a 5 foot section and cling to the wall like spiderman. This year the water was up higher. I found my spot, Got focused, took 5 steps and jumped. I snagged my foot on a rock during takeoff and it cut my leap short. I landed on the other side about waist deep in the stream. Crazy Mike had better luck. He walked across a log to the other side. 2 Scoops and Avalanche Al decided to just do a knee deep ford and be done with it.
On ce across we found that it didn't really get easier. Crazy Mike lost count after about 50 water crossings. One time I jumped over an easy 4 foot creek and uppon landing on the bank I grabbed a rotting tree and it broke. It snapped at the base and I clubbed myself in the head with it. ouch!
For a few more miles we continued to walk through water and get rained on untill after about 15 miles we got to Buzzard Wing spring and shelter Shelter? There was not a shelter there. Don't know what I was thinking. "Oh well, There is another shelter a few miles up."
For another few miles we got rianed on and walked through streams. Sometimes we got to use a slippery bridge.
About 3:30 we arrived at Brush Arbor shelter. Talk about some whooped asses. We were all tired and numb and tired and wet and tired. Dry clothes, hot food, and warm sleeping bags felt Gooood! We were all asleep before dark. About 2:30 A.M. someone said "Hey, there's snow on the ground." Sho nuff, it was snowing! After a quick shivering piss outside the shelter It was back in the bag and asleep again till morning.
Nothing like putting on wet boots on a cool morning. Lucky for us, Golden Pond Visitors Center was only 2.5 miles away.

Deffinatly a memorable trip! One that I'm sure we will all make refrences to when the subject of "wet backpacking trip" comes up.

Crazy Mike and 2 scoops, It was great to have hiked with yall again Maybe we can do a trip soon and not need rain gear.

Avalanche Al, It was great to meet you and look foward to hiking with you again.

BTW, Avalanche Al makes #100 on my list on actual Trail Talk posters I've met!”

“Well put Dude it was a good trip but the rain was the most I have ever seen in my 12 years of backpacking.

My God that is alot of rain I can wait to hit that trail again.

Yo dude tell people that car rides are the best with me.

8)”

“Yo dude tell people that car rides are the best with me.

8)"
Crazy Mike Backpacks
06:28:12 PM
02/24/03



It's like a ride at one of them broke down carnivals.
SKERRRRY!”

“Dude, that sounds like so much fun!”

“What a post! My wife said if I took her on such a trip, I would be dead. Sounds like I missed the fun.”

“It was a ball of cool rain and fun!

8)”

“That's a cool adventure. Thanks for the vivid trip report.

Mike - Gforce has told me all I need to know about driving with you. I think I'll wait for the bus. ;o)”

“wait is he the kind of passenger that you have to keep the windows rolled down with?”

“It was fun cause we all were experienced and in good shape to handle a 20 mile day in those conditions.
It deffinatly was not a trip for a rookie.”

“Mike - Gforce has told me all I need to know about driving with you. I think I'll wait for the bus. ;o)"
Pennsy Hiker
06:35:51 PM
02/24/03


ROTFLMMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Pictures will be posted when I get them back from Wally World.”

“We were all tired and numb and tired and wet and tired.
walkindude
06:24:00 PM
02/24/03



Really thought about you guys this weekend.Hope RRG will be dry.”

“I don't know.
Every time me and Crazy Mike hike together it rains.”

“Being in the car with me is the best thing that anyone can have happen to them!

8)”

“What happened to Stikmon and Ductape?”

“They wussed out!!!!!

By the way I would do the trip again.

Work today sucked so a rain filled trip is better then a day at work.

8)”

“Camping in inclimate weather and still having fun is the sign of a experienced hiker.

Sounds like a good one.”

“Like I said during the trip, "Hey, we like backpacking and this is sometimes part of it sometimes. If we didn't want to be here then we'd sit at home and watch TV."”

“Ya lets go again!

But hey I am watching Family Guy so backpacking is great just as much as family guy!

8)”

“Maybe we should plan a Wet Weather Death March every year!”

“Soundslike a plan to me Dude!

8)”

“With our luck It would prolly be 70 degrees and sunshine. We'd get eaten alive by ticks.”

“That would be cool too!

8)

Ticks eatting our blood YES!!!!

Mdk factor high!”

“LMAO!!!
Your one SMF dude.”

“I know but it feels good!

8)”

“This was one of those trips you can look back and brag about... but I think I'll try a few dry, sunny days for a change.

As for riding with Mike... especially if you let him drive... I found it best to close your eye, hold on tight, and pray alot...”

“My driveing is not that bad as far as I know it can be quite fun.

8)”

“Tell that to G- "white knuckles" Force.”

“Maybe you could call it a Religious experience...

"Please God... if I live through this I promise..."

-- Just kidding CM --”

“GOOOD GOOOD!!!!!!


8)”

“Crazy Mike sounds like a Pyromanic Space Alien.”

“"Tell that to G- "white knuckles" Force."
Pennsy Hiker
07:49:14 PM
02/24/03

LMAO!!!! . . . and "Techno Boy" to boot! Hell I still have nightmares . . . and just as CMB and I are just about to crash, I wake up in the middle of the night . . . and can't get back to sleep with that damned techno beat in my head! lol!”

“that's so amazing!!




Seems as though ole'Walkindude is up to his silly tricks again!”

“Hey Pete - I don't know what is funnier. AmyG walking into your foulest of foulest gas bombs, or WD running at you with 10,000 bees chasing him??

Gforce - pleasant dreams good buddy.”

“Never a dull moment with a buncha nutty TTers!!”

“Everyone needs music like that!

Car rides with me rule!!!!

8)”

“I had gotten back to Missouri on Wednesday, 1 day late and had alot of catch up at work as I was heading to florida on Monday. So I worked all weekend to get caught up and ahead. I had no way of reaching you, so, I thought you would figure it out and realize that I was a WUSS. (which I'm not) so CMB, go play with your bacon ring...LOL...wuss...phhhhttttt.... go read my pa blizzard hike trip report, and then you can call me a wuss...

Sounds like a rough time...I've had my share of rough hikes...I'd rather try and avoid them if I can...but sounds like ya'll had a great time...sorry to have missed out...catch ya another time...

wuss...bite me ya turd...hehehe...I'm gonna go for a swim in the Gulf...later. hahahahahaha”

“You were missed dude!

8)”

“walkindude,
so i guess you are f-in spiderman. Do you want a medal or something? Backpackin is Not a sport, i repeat”

“backpacking. It doesn't care what gear you wear. It doesn't care what company you keep. It doesnt' have a list. You have a list dude. That's why you're addicted. Be free”

“Backpacking makes us all free!!!!

8)”

“What are you talking about? Did I miss something?”

“great report guys. Sounds like fun. Can't wait to see pictures”

“I'll be getting my pictures this afternoon.”

“I will have pictures up soon!

8)”