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Pinhoti Trail
Blue Mountain Shelter Log Book
2018 - 2019

External Text: Blue Mountain Shelter Log Book Introductory Internal Paragraphs 12 May 2018 Log Book Complements of John & Elizabeth Calhoun "Mother Nature's Son" www.trailjournals.com/mothernaturesson I borrowed this log book from John Calhoun. This 8½" x 11" wirebound book has a green front and unbleached cardboard back covers. There are no loose pages and some illegible writing due to water damage.

12	May	2018	1 Hiker	Eliz & Tish 🐾	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
18	May	2018	? Hikers	~~~ Anabelle T	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
20	May	2018	? Hikers	Charlie	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
22	May	2018	1 Hiker	Left Eye	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
24	May	2018	1 Hiker	Fine Line	-	Day	Eastern Continental Trail
Having a blast on the Pinhoti Trail! I can't believe I'll be on the AT in a few weeks. The views from Cheaha were outstanding. I'm excited for the rest of Alabama. ☺ ECT 2018 Key West → Katahdin
2	June	2018	1 Hiker	F: Jason, Nathan, & Andrew P	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Good 1st night on the trail. On a 4 night trip starting at Cheaha & ending at Shaol Creek Ranger Station. Epic trip for me & my 2 sons. Looking forward to the time with them. Great shelter, slept well. Thought big storm was coming through last night but never did. Hoping rain holds out today.
28	July	2018	2 Hikers	Hollie & Richard M	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
A great destination for the unaccomplished hiker. ☺
29	July	2018	1 Hiker	Cheyenne N	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
29	July	2018	1 Hiker	Karen N	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
29	July	2018	1 Hiker	Sharon B	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
It was really fun walking here!
11	August	2018	1 Hiker	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
1	September	2018	1 Hiker	Bruce Family Trip	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
This is a great place. Happy Birthday S.
5	September	2018	1 Hiker	Rick C	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Day hiking Cheaha Parking - CCC Road & Return. Foggy Day
12	September	2018	1 Hiker	Markus K	Wellington, South Africa	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
12	September	2018	? Hikers	Troop 2193: Jessie, Zachariah, J, Cele, Freddy G, Creaighton, Ben M, Josiah J, Will P, Stephen, Seth B, ?, +?	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
17	October	2018	1 Hiker	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
-	-	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Several entries.
-	-	2018	2 Hikers	Amy & Reid, Maple dog	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
23	October	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Day hiking from Bald Rock...
25	October	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Hiked Cheaha Trailhead to Bald Rock ~~~~ Really cool shelter ~~~
24	October	2018	? Hikers	Jasen N	Philadelphia, Pa	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
25	October	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Spent the night last night. ~~~~
26	October	2018	? Hikers	Pepperpot, Wide Tank, Jax	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Thru hiking the Pinhoti ~~~~~ AT NOBO 2018
-	October	2018	? Hikers	Jeff, Steve	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
28	October	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Completing all the Cheaha Trails around the park ~~~ Pinhoti, Odum, ~~ Cave Creek 42 miles ~~~~~
3	November	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Spent chilly night ~~~~~62 year old ~~~~ have not been here in 50 years ~~~
4	November	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Day Hikers~~~
4	November	2018	? Hikers	Andrea, Jeremy, Jason, & Noah C, Jonathan M	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
-	November	2018	? Hikers	Feldman	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
-	November	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Eastern Continental Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew ECT - Florida
16	November	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
17	November	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Spent the night.
17	November	2018	? Hikers	Powerlide	-	Overnight	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Good night, nice shelter, ~~ Nice 15 mile hike~~
17	November	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Great sunset @ Bald Rock. Sunrise fromthe shelter just as good. Fire in pit highly ~~~ Mazel Tov
21	November	2018	2 Hikers	Chris & Terra	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Had a great couple of days hiking the Pinhoti! Stopped in for the night! Great shelter!
1	December	2018	? Hikers	Bo O, Bubba M	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
3	December	2018	? Hikers	L, Leah	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew ~~~thru hiking the Pinhoti southbound ~~~ Trammel Trailhead in 5 or 6 days
23	December	2018	? Hikers	P Smurf, Butters, Just Eric	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
24	December	2018	? Hikers	Kelly, Cary	South Carolina, Indiana	Day	Pinhoti Trail
We got a late start yesterday afternoon. Didn't get to Cheaha Trailhead 'til around 4:00pm. Not realizing this shelter was this far out. Got caught in a gnarly storm in the dark. Got lost. Found the shelter finally around 9pm. Slept great!!! We will definatly be back, with an ink pen!!!
26	December	2018	? Hikers	Pan, Sel	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew Just doing some recon on the Pinhoti. First time hiking on this section. What a nice spot!
27	December	2018	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
27	December	2018	7 Hikers	Troop 275: Paul, Jason, Etahn, Jeffery, Bryan, Luke, Samuel	Moody, Al	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
26	January	2019	1 Hiker	Davy H / Staff	-	Many	Pinhoti Trail
Disappointed in Cheaha SP. Restaurant only open F, S, Sun. Store has no real backpacking supplies, not even fuel. Loving the trail. [Disappointed in your ungrateful comment! We loved stopping into the store for warmth and snacks. Thanks for being open everyday and very friendly. Great shelter! Happy thru hikers NOBO on a nero fay hiding in here from the rain! The Teenage Runaways: Shelley & Leah 🌞 🌦]
2	February	2019	1 Hiker	Mountain Man Ron	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Been here several times over the years and am always proud of the community. Good job keeping it clean. Stopped in for a mid hike break and some breakfast, so relaxing.
12	February	2019	1 Hiker	Dreamliner	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
This shelter is awesome! I love the extended cooking benches in the front. Perfect place to camp on a cold, rainy day.
12	February	2019	1 Hiker	Caleb	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Sweet Shelter!
12	February	2019	1 Hiker	Woodchuck	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Perfect place to crash after a long day in the rain. Thanks to whoever built this!
13	February	2019	? Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Great break from life! We don't do this enough. Left that Cliff Bar, it's still sealed. You must need it more than me. ☺ God Bless.
24	February	2019	2 Hikers	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Out on first hiking date. I don't know how much more I can take her babbling. The only thing that distracts me from losing my mind is the way her buns jiggle on the trail.
2	March	2019	1 Hiker	Stan S / Uno	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Very peaceful here today! Enjoying the trail, love the Pinhoti.
8	March	2019	? Hikers		-	4 Days	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew On a 70 mile SOBO section for 4 days. ~~~~~ Dowhatchadodowail poi
13	March	2019	1 Hiker	Super English	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew
17	March	2019	1 Hiker	Ian K	-	Overnight	Pinhoti Trail
Spent the night. Heading north. No mice!! Nice!! [Happy Trails Semi-Colon]
18	March	2019	1 Hiker	Gopher	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Shakedown hike for 2020 Flagg Mountain → Mt Katahdin 2605 miles! Headed to I20 & back this trip. Happy Trails!
21	March	2019	3 Hikers	Huntress, Shade, Venus	-	Many	Pinhoti Trail
Day 10 of our thru hike! Started at Flagg Mountain. Breaking for lunch at this shelter. Very nice! Stayed the night at Cheaha Campground last night and got a late start this morning. Going to try to get another 8 miles in today!
23	March	2019	1 Hiker	Bird	-	2.5 Days	Pinhoti Trail
Just out for 2.5 days. Headed NOBO. Shakedown hike in preparation for thru hikes of both the Pinhoti and PCT later this year. Can't wait to be back in June! ☺
24	March	2019	4 Hikers	Ryan, Tyler, Ann, & Dixie G	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Illegible due to ink bleeding and mildew ~~~~ Bald Rock ~~~
27	March	2019	? Hikers	John C	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
This is my first ever hike.
30	March	2019	1 Hiker	♡ Aunt G	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
1.8 more miles and this adventure is finished. I started with Soapy Dog and ended alone. It's been hard. It's been rewarding. 73.8 miles in one week. For some that's a breeze. For me, considering that I couldn't walk more than a shuffle in October, well, 73.8 miles is not too shabby. Slow down, look around, take nothing for granted. Even the pain.
8	April	2019	2 Hikers	Kelly & Cory	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Back again. Love this shelter. Thank you for taking care of it.
10	April	2019	1 Hiker	Hubble, Mayday, Grizz	-	Many	Pinhoti Trail
Sunny & hot. Thanks for the peanut butter & jelly. (Whole jar of each left.) P→B→A→B→V→A→T→A
10	April	2019	1 Hiker	Redbeard	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Barely legible due to ink bleeding and mildew Redbeard just visiting. Amazing shelter. Nice construction, Y'all! ~~ on this sunny day. Probably visit Heflin. Love to all. Redbeard. ECT 2019 (Ga→Me '87?)
16	April	2019	1 Hiker	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
What a beautiful shelter! I love this place. I'm taking a nero day and hanging here. Please place many more gems like this along the trail! I think I shall erect a stone formation myself!!! The geckos love it here and keep doing pushups for my entertainment.
18	April	2019	1 Hiker	Squidley	-	Overnight	Pinhoti Trail
Spent last night here. Came in late after dark and slept on the bottom floor. I was visited by one mouse and maybe a bear... Oops no! That was me snoring.
25	April	2019	1 Hiker	SDB & Willie Nelson puppy dog	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
NOBO from Flagg. What an amazing trail experience. The Alabama section of this trail has not disappointed one bit so far! Taking a nero here at this great shelter and doing a day hike to Bald Rock. Tread easy. PS Love the timber framing (Real Craftsmanship)!
15	May	2019	1 Hiker	Russel R, Belle dog	-	2 Days	Pinhoti Trail
Hiking north from Porter Gap. Day 2. Stay here tonight. Try to make 431 tomorrow. Should be easy downhill. Lost the trail back a ways. Where's the blue blaze when I need it. Having cold meal tonight. Tuna on wrap with mayo. PS Shelter has rats!!
16	May	2019	1 Hiker	RKD	-	Overnight	Pinhoti Trail
Awaking to rat running all over my head. Someone please bush the rats. They aren't cute. I nailed 2. Still more. Pack was chewed on. Good luck. May the force be with you.
21	May	2019	1 Hiker	Norley4	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Cheaha Trailhead - CR24. Short stop on the way. Rats gone to bed.
24	May	2019	1 Hiker	Buena Ben!	-	Many	Pinhoti Trail
After a great nero at Cheaha, I'm going to do another here. I'm slow but sure. Great hike so far. Shelter is nice but I'm going to camp on one of the pads. It's hot inside there to me. Going to dry out clothes, reconfigure some equipment. Head out tomorrow to Heflin. Thanks to Kay and all at Cheaha State Park. An amazing experience! ?? those girls and guys. Took such great care of me. By the way, I'm still looking for this Swedish Bikini Team & some Old Milwaukee! Thanks.
29	May	2019	2 Hikers	Helen / Trip, Mike / Slowpoke	-	Many	Pinhoti Trail
→ We had to skip a few sections due to the heat / water shortage. I / Helen will be going off trail in a few days due to me forgetting I had school assignments due. Mike will be going for a few more days. So ⇒ Have a good hike! I will come back to finish this one day! Here is a drawing to inspire, I guess.
29	May	2019	1 Hiker	Bird	-	Many	Eastern Continental Trail
I'm back! What a good feeling I have been riding on these past few days. Body feels good despite having to do bigger days than anticipated. Flagg → Springer
31	May	2019	4 Hikers	Mitch, Tim, Max, David	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Just passin' thru. Nice spot to catch a sopt of lunch. Cool breezes. On to Zulu Canyon.
3	July	2019	1 Hiker	Ray	Decatur, Al	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Hiked the 2 miles from the Cheaha Trailhead. What amazing terrain. Planning on getting the Pinhoti Trail Spring 2020.
5	July	2019	2 Hikers	Cliff & Jane	-	M'Bono, Tn	Pinhoti Trail
Hiked 2 miles from Cheaha. Love the Pinhoti! Headed to Burns.
6	July	2019	2 Hikers	Aimee G, Adam M	Sylacauga	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Trying to section hike the Pinhoti. Have done both ends of the Bull Gap Trailhead, yet to reach Horn Mountain in the middle. ☺ Scott's Lake is beautiful. Also a great and beautiful hike here. Safe journeys to everyone! ☺ ☮ ♡
21	July	2019	1 Maintainer	Hayward W	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Hot! Hiking from Cheaha Trailhead to Bald Rock out and back. Doing light trail maintenance and scouting condition for upcoming fall work. Trail is in decent shape for this time of year, except for the short overgrowth stretch just north of Highway 281. Hope to clear it on the way back out.
19	August	2019	2 Hikers	Grym, Protein	-	10 Days	Pinhoti Trail
Back for our third section. Took off a week and ½. Protein and I sure are glad to be back under the canopy... at any temperature. G
27	August	2019	1 Hiker	Garyhog	-	Overnight	Pinhoti Trail
Hiked the 2 miles from Cheaha Trailhead & stopped for the night. Thankful that I did because a big thunderstorm came up just before dark. I took shelter in the shelter until it was over. Had my tarp and hammock strug up outside and crashed for the night when the storm ended. Original plan was to go to 431 and turn back, but lackof water in the streams that were said to be reliable on Guthook had me change plans. Going to Bald Rock and into park for the day and overnight. I cleaned up the trash that was left behind. Please pack it out! Leave no Trace!
1	September	2019	2 Hikers	Stephen & Linda	Tallahassee, Fl	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Absolutely gorgeous. Overcast all morning, but at 1 more mile to the top, it's getting very hot. No trash left behind by the last visitor, and we're leaving it clean as well. Enjoy!
2	September	2019	3 Hikers	Ronnie, Joy, Abigail M	Greenville, Al	Day	Pinhoti Trail
11:50am. Beautiful, will return one day. No trash left behind!! Thanks to everyone!!
19	September	2019	1 Hiker	-	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
I'm sad. Trying to walk and reflect on my life. I'll be okay.
21	September	2019	1 Hiker	Joseph L	HSU, Al	Day	Pinhoti Trail
1:46pm. Surrends the Mountains 2019. Clean date 20 April 2019.
16	October	2019	1 Hiker	Lost Boy	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Nice weather. Wish there were more people out here!
18	October	2019	1 Hiker	Gopher	-	Overnight	Pinhoti Trail
10:30pm. Hiked in. Beat the weather. Rainy day tomorrow. Another shakedown.
18	October	2019	1 Hiker	Caboose	-	Overnight	Pinhoti Trail
10:30pm. 50° & 30 knot winds. Glad for this shelter tonight. One more day in dry clothes.
20	October	2019	1 Hiker	Leonard	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
The rain decribed above is over! Gorgeous, sunny weather! "Being free like a bird doesn't come with flying free It's about the direction you are heading to."
22	October	2019	1 Maintainer	Fashionplate Dan	-	Day	Pinhoti Trail
Fashionplate Dan replacing register. Met two overnighters hiking out. Split wood shingles mossy, structure starting to blacken. Should replace the roof in the coming few years.
On a torn off paperback book cover tucked into the logbook: To anyone mortified that there is only pages of a Harry Potter book... 1.) Get over it. 2.) This book was bought to be discarded after I read it. I've read it. 3.) I'm hiking the Pinhoti in part to read some of these books that I can never seem to put my phone down long enough to read. 4.) I'm now reading Chamber of Secrets. 5.) I'm not carrying the extra weight. So see # 1. 6.) Remember Reduce, Reuse Recycle. The second word here is reuse so use this as a fire starter on a cold night. And pretend that the flames are magical. 7.) Talk to people enjoying that fire about Harry Potter... Or really anything. Any subject that doesn't need a phone.
My / Dan Bedore's reply to the above entry and Other Litter Bugs: Why did you not include an eighth point explaining why you thought it was acceptable to leave your garbage in the woods? Why did you not leave $50 for the person who had to clean up after you littered? Why did I have to haul your garbage out? Would you want to visit a shelter filled with garbage? Would you sit around reading in a garbage pile? Why not leave the woods in a condition that you yourself would enjoy? As a 30,000+ mile hiker with hundreds of days of volunteer trail maintenance, I think clearing trails of overgrowing bushes and fallen trees is a reasonable favor to society and can be a pleasant way to spend time in nature. But cleaning up after pigs like you is never pleasant. And if you would simply haul back out what you hauled in, no one would have to clean up after you. To Decent People: Sorry for the lecture you didn't deserve. When you hike, please pack out your own refuse and perhaps a few extra bits of litter. I know a single hiker with her/his own ambitious plan cannot clean up the huge messes that show up occasionally in Pinhoti Shelters, but if half the hikers would haul out a few bits of trash, even a big mess would melt away. Please leave nothing in shelters. I know it seems helpful to some future person to leave a candle, or a pot, or matches, etcetera. But an accumulation of such stuff makes a shelter look junky and uncared for. Which in turn encourages the leaving of useless junk and garbage. And especially, don't leave food, whether in a new, wrapped state or as half eaten garbage. Rodents and bugs discover it quickly, and move into the shelter. All of the comments in the various shelter logs about mice and rats in shelters have their root in food left in the shelter. Rodents carry fleas, ticks, etcetera, which carry disease to people. It's not really scary that rats ran over a sleeping hiker. What's scary is that the rodent or fleas may bite that sleeping hiker, transmitting disease. Or that the snakes who want to eat those rodents might bite a hiker while following rodent scent trails into the shelters and over sleeping hikers. If you cook or eat in a shelter, please sweep out all the food debris. I want you all safe. How about if the trace we leave is a pleasant experience for the next hikers through?

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