Columbine, June 8
J: Rained early this morning - cleared up for the mid-afternoon enough to dry out the gear with a warm and muggy lunch stop at Seeley-Woodworth S. Saw a turkey hen and her chicks this afternoon. Took the day pretty easy - only made 15.6, but that's higher than my current running average of 12.3. Just me and DelDoc in tonight here at the Priest, with two weekend southbounders. Misty mountains. DelDoc is a retired research MD from Delaware. He has a unique speech cadence, and likes to try to finish sentences or thoughts -- punctuated with 'Exactly!' when he wants to make a point. He's also rather particular about his gear -- lectured a young hiker down south who had gotten too close to DelDoc's stuff one too many times. He'll arrange all of his gear with precision - pack lined up, breakfast cookware just so, boots pointed out from the wall, with socks folded neatly nearby. No one can go near his things with him getting uncomfortable and fidgety. Tonight after he's fallen asleep, I'll reverse his boots.