Tom Floyd Wayside
Reached the shelter just before the boomers hit. Tom Floyd was a NICE shelter - great hangout. After an hour, the boomer abated and the sun broke through under the clouds (photo, with the craptastic camera). Went to get my camera out of the top pouch - unzippered and out jumps a shelter mouse. Half of my T.P. was shredded, but nothing else. Bloody mouse had hitched a ride from Gravel Springs. Grrrrr.
We hang or lean our packs in shelters with the pocket zippers partially undone overnight. This way, if a mouse gets a whiff of something interesting, it'll usually just climb in for a quick look-see, then leave. A pouch fully sealed requires teeth to get into -- and usually there's nothing worthy for the muscine marauders to pilfer. You, on the other hand, end up with a holy pack. They will not be denied, so capitulate and adapt. It's adventageous to leave easy egress and keep the gear intact.
6/20: Hiked out with Big John up to US 522 for a hitch into Front Royal. Mail drop there - found Packrat, Lit'l John, Jack in the Green and his section hiker friends Knopfler and Achilles. Picked up the drop at the post office, found the motel everyone was staying at, and played Marco Polo in the pool while we drank beers and kicked back in the heat. Nice to have a low-mileage day. Jack and his friends had one room, so the four of the rest of us played hearts to see who'd win the bed for the night. Me!