The Rain in Spain....

..stays mainly in the plain. The rain in Virginia, apparently does not. I spent four long days in the rain. I have had some very rainy days prior to these on the trail with the same consecutive days of rain, but this was different. The weather is warmer and this creates a situation of humidity that was not evident in the colder weather. The warmer weather also creates added problems with rain gear. It's too warm to wear the stuff. It's the old hiker problem: wear gear to stay dry and sweat or keep the gear off and get wet. I chose the latter and got everything wet. This is rather chilling when you get to camp/shelter, so you change into other clothes when you get there and yet they feel wet too....
The damp also infuses everything else you carry no matter how it is packed. You sleep in a damp sleeping bag, your change of clothes is damp, even the bag that holds your stove is damp. It's warm enough that you are hot in your sleeping bag yet you get a chill from "the damp" It is tiresome to be that way for so long. In conclusion: it was a really tough four days. I never thought I would let the weather get to me so much on the trail, but after four days of putting on wet boots and a cold wet shirt in the morning I was sick of it. Luckily I was hitching in to town for a maildrop when the skies cleared for the day. The sun managed to stay out for 36 hours before....more rain.