4/7

The storm hit with a force that shook me from my sleep. The metal roof of the shelter rattled with the pangs of heavy rain while the wind outside shook the trees surrounding our shelter. I don't know how the ret of hue he group slept, but I had very serious trouble. I could tell I fell back asleep only once but it seemed as though the rain invaded my dreams as well. The sun came and the rain continued. I took all had to pull myself from my bag and begin to pack. The shelter, although covered with tarp on the front, seemed to allowed just enough wind through gaps to make the inside of our meager accommodations freeing. Like a daily step program I ate my cold breakfast, packed, and dad and I hit the trail. Dad and I had only taken maybe 10 steps out of the shelter when the rain came to halt.other than the trail magic I have been bestowed with along the way, this might have been the best stroke of luck I have yet to encounter. Since space in shelters is limited and dad had a reservation, I pulled away quickly and didn't stop for lunch. I wanted to make sure that I got a space in the shelter before anyone got there. Rain didn't fall while I was hiking again, only occasionally would a drop fall from a tree and fall cold onto my neck. The scenery was very similar to the 2 days of fog and rain I endured the week before. The addition of more wind made it seem like I was lake king through clouds rushing past me. Walking along some high spines was interesting at times. The cross breeze was so violent and forceful it was as if a unseen force was pushing me to walk off trail. The hike was short today as dad could only get a reservation for a shelter not too far down the way. I arrived to an empty shelter and had my pick of the bunks. I always tend to pick a spot with a wall next to it so I don't feel like I am kicking 2 people during the night. Dad arrived quickly after me and the remainder of the afternoon was spent attempting to catch up on sleep from the night before and reading. I have successfully finished 5 books on this trip in addition to my writing and making friends. The limitations of my iPad and it's battery life is the only thing keeping me from putting more time into all of my posts. Perhaps I will find a way to remedy that in future. Tomorrow I will cross over the highest point in huge trail clingman's dome, then it's all down hill from there. Yea I know an elevation joke is terrible but I have been in the woods for almost 2 weeks.