Day 7, Gravel Springs Hut in Shenandoah Nat'l Park (18.6 mi)

Walking in the rain, setting up camp in the rain, or breaking camp in the rain- these activities are some of the most dismal for any long distance hiker.  In fact, after a few weeks to allow one's body to adjust to the physical exertion of hiking, I would say battling the elements is probably the number one issue for AT hikers.  Certainly, that was the case for me during my 3.5 week trek.  Dealing with wet gear and handling extreme variation in the weather were the two most serious issues for me.  I knew it was going to rain on Sunday, but the timing and extent was somewhat unknown.  I was up very early on Day 7 and out of the shelter by 7.00, which was good.
     I had a very good start on the day, about half of the miles hiked by 10.30, when I stopped in a shelter for a break.  During my breaks, i really like to take off my shoes and socks to let my feet breathe, eat something, and read something.  I had begun the process of gearing back up- putting on my socks and shoes, when I heard the sound of rain drops on the shelter.  Just pitter patter at first, but the rain had begun and did not give any signs of leaving.  Although I didn't take any pictures on Day 7, above is a picture from Day 8.  The frontal boundary completely stalled over the mountain, and the weather looked pretty much the same for Days 7-9.  The rain could have been much worse, but I was wet and the air temperature was quite cold.
     By the time I made it to the shelter, I had been walking in the rain for almost 3.5 hours.  I had barely stopped because there were no shelters (or any covering) during that time, and I was extremely cold.  Another issue with long distance hiking that people often overlook is logical thinking.  In this case, how one unpacks their gear when they arrive in the shelter is important, as I want to make sure the things that are dry stay dry as they come out of my pack.  It takes some concentration to keep these things dry and separate from the wet things.  I spent a couple of hours that afternoon in my sleeping bag just trying to warm up.