Samwise Hikes the Appalachian Trail! - Trail Journal -
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June 25, Jim & Molly Denton Shelter - mile 954.9

They call this shelter the "Hiker's Hilton" & I must agree that it's a very nice shelter, with it's patio, benches, separate cooking partition & a solar shower, which is currently disconnected. We're all very disappointed about that fact, but other wise happy to be here. I'm ever planning to stay in the shelter tonight for a change.

Well, I left the park this morning at 9:39A.M., exactly one week & 30 minutes after I entered it! It was a sad feeling to be leaving familiar territory and the Shenandoahs which I love so much, but yet I was also excited to be crossing another milestone & getting that much closer to my next state! Before I actually crossed the park's border, I saw 9 deer, which is a new record for one day. At least one was a buck, & I thought I saw another but he kept his distance too much for me to be certain. That particular one was with a doe & a tiny fawn & they looked like the perfect little "deer family".

The only other excitement of the day was learning of another hiker who got hit by lightning a couple nights ago while camped near Mary's Rock. Apparently he was not seriously injured, but he's decided to quit his hike any way & spend the rest of the summer with family & friends. I actually hadn't yet met him but I've been following him in the registers & you always feel like you know people you've been following. So I was sad to hear about the lightning & I said a little prayer for his health when I read about it.