5/15/21 Overnight things went well but cold in the morning and hard to get going. I actually beat the hurricane leaving the shelter. Climbed up to the ridge in the usual Ridgewalk which was quite rocky. Came out on a road and there was a Trail angel giving out just sodas so I had a Mountain Dew which I haven’t had for as long as I can remember and it tasted good, right around the corner was wind rock which had beautiful views and the Wolfpack was there and two other dogs so with piper they were six dogs there. She was a little bit nervous. I didn’t realize that the owner of two of the dogs was the brother of the owner of the three dogs. Gradual but easy climb down and passed the War Spur Sheltet which was in a rhododendron field. I think I just saw my first bloom of a rhododendron. Continued on hoping to get to the Laurel Creek Shelter but it was a hard climb at the end of the day and there was an unofficial campsite near the top of the mound and I had water so camped there