Superior Hiking Trail – Day 6
Thursday September 28, 2017
Starting Point: White Pines Campsite
Ending Point: Fox Farm Pond Campsite
Trail Miles Hiked: 16.1
Tuna is up before me this morning and comes over to sniff my tent and make sure I’m OK after the night. We get up eat breakfast, refill water bottles, and head off down the trail before 8 am. Kim and Tuna are a little faster than me and soon begin to widen the gap between us. About 10:30 I catch up them as they are taking a break and trying to dry Kim’s socks out. I keep moving on. I have a 16 mile day planned and don’t want to stop for a break until I am about half way there. I find my stopping place just past Normanna Road where the SHT trail crosses the North Shore State Trail. I found a bright sunny spot to sit down, eat lunch, and take my shoes off to let me feet dry out a bit. After lunch I was back on the trail and heading toward Fox Farm Pond campsite as destination for the night.
When I checked the weather at camp this morning, there was only a 10% chance of rain today, but as I neared Heron Pond campground I noticed some dark clouds moving in from the south-west. I checked the weather again and now the chance of rain had increased to 40%. Well 40% chance of rain means a 60% chance that it won’t rain – right? Not today. About another 1/2 mile and it began to sprinkle and became a full-out downpour as I struggled to get my rain gear on. I hiked in the rain for much of the rest of the afternoon only clearing off right before i made it to my planned camp for the night – Fox Farm Pond.
This campsite sits next to a beaver pond and had a fantastic view across the pond. The water from the pond wasn’t the best i had tasted, but worked for dinner and to replenish my water bottles. I had a little time and the weather began to clear, so I hung a clothesline and hung my clothes and socks out to dry for the evening. With everything wet, I didn’t try to start a fire tonight and retired to the tent shortly after dark. As I began to doze off to sleep suddenly it began to rain again, and I rushed outside to get my clothes and gear inside for the night. So much for trying to get things dried out tonight.