(Daily Mi: 17.7) All I have to say is it was a hell of hike. Endless (13 mi x 3000') ascent over many an intermediate knob up over Apple Orchard Mtn. Saw a passle of lost 'bear dogs' out on the Trail early. These are hounds trained for bear tracking and equipped with radio collars. Their owners let them loose in the woods and then follow a tracking signal in hopes the hounds will eventually tree a bear. It's out of season but apparently the main feature of the sport is training and running the dogs. At any rate these hounds, as will happen, had outrun their transmitter range and become lost overnight. They look lean, sad and hungry.

Would have stopped at the shelter near the summit of Apple Orchard but the spring was dry as a bone and so was I. Brother caught up to me on my final break there but didn't make it to the next shelter. Spent the night with a passel of college aged Southounders who were reporting very big miles (regular 30 mile days). Funny because I feel like I am getting slower.<br />