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Leatherwood Wilderness Area
Leatherwood Wilderness Area, rainy overnight backpack above Leatherwood Creek8/23/18
It was August. This month is known for heat. On this Thursday afternoon I entered the Leatherwood Wilderness Area with a temp of 76°. The skies were mostly cloudy. About an hour in it began to lightly rain with some intermittence. My bluff line was hit near 4:00 p.m. The view across the valley promised more rain. I quickly erected tarp and hammock with time to spare as the rain began. It was a steady rain but the intensity was not hard. Sitting on the ground with protection overhead on this rainy afternoon above a beautiful valley was a very pleasant experience. I wished for a cup of coffee, but had brought none. The precipitation paused after about an hour, but soon, another wave came from the west and this time slightly heavier. My hopes for a fire were gone. This wetness continued until around 9:00. I was content under the tarp and thoroughly enjoyed the situation. As darkness came, so did the mosquitos. It was time to get into the hammock and continue relaxing there. The moon became evident near 9:00 p.m. and I was surprised by the near fullness of it. I was well awake by 4:30. The low temp was 64°. The skies had cleared. By 5:10 a.m. my gear was packed and I was on my way back to the entry point. In no time the Huddle House in Clinton welcomed my ass inside. It was there that I partook of a manly meal. Soon after it was home to my house...where I live. Round trip mileage was 7.3 of those mileage thingies.
