Day 33 - Overmountain Shelter to Campsite #1

Left the shelter and immediately started climbing. I thought it would get easier after Roan! Climbed to the top of a beautiful bald, then another one.

In the distance, I could see cows but wasn’t sure if the trail went right past there. It did! 

It was a cloudy, sort of misty day – perfect weather for that location. Longhorn cattle were sprawled out right next to the trail. No fences or anything! That made my day.

Threat of rain, but nothing materialized for a while. Finally got to the road, from which there was access to civilization, if desired. Dave wanted to walk the .5 miles to a convenience store. Chops and I went along. Walked a half-mile before realizing we’d gone the wrong direction.

Back on the trail for another eight hard miles. The sun was beating down on us as we climbed these steep ascents. Walked through some farmland and pastures at the top of one of the hills (as the guidebook called them).

More cows. Started to rain at 5, and we weren’t done yet. Some kick-ass climbs that weren’t listed in any of the books or on the profile maps.

Finally found a campsite at 6 near water. Dave scouted out a great spot under a pine tree with a flat spot for our tent and Tim’s. Also offered some protection for cooking. Rain let up around 9. Good night’s sleep.

Day 32 - Greasy Creek Gap to Overmountain Shelter

Slept great last night, but awoke with a feeling of semi-dread about the climb up and over Roan Mountain. After Steve told us to give that mountain a kick for him (or words to that effect), I was a bit nervous. He’s the fastest hiker I’ve seen.

Left after Tim but before Dave, Beano, and Stretch (Phil) to get a jump on the day. Did quite a bit of climbing over peaks, which seemed odd since Roan was just ahead. I guess each hiking club gets to route its own section of the trail. Was expecting a sign, but didn’t see one – so I actually started climbing Roan without knowing what it was. Maybe that was a good thing.

Tim, aka Chops

About half-way up, I heard a man screaming something about “1,000 feet” and “this f----in pack”. I really thought it was Tim and that he was about to go (or had already gone) over the edge. Started walking after a minute and caught up to a man I hadn’t seen before. It didn’t dawn on me immediately that he’s the one I had heard. Saw Tim and took a break. I left ahead of him and quickly passed Tumbling Tom, who explained that he thought we were a lot higher up the mountain than we actually were.

Parts were pretty vertical, but it was more interesting to climb over rocks and roots than just back and forth switchbacks. Anyway, made it 7 ½ miles to the top of Roan in about four hours – pretty good time. Took a blue-blaze to the highest shelter on the AT – a former fire warden’s cabin. Was expecting a great view – as the woman had promised us the day before – but there was none. The top of the mountain is covered in pine trees. Waited for Dave for a while. Matt came up and said Dave must have missed the blue blaze, so I kept going. Soon came to another series of balds – quite beautiful and reminiscent of Ireland.

Overmountain Shelter from afar

We planned to stay at the shelter that is a converted barn and was used in the filming of “Winter People,” starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. What a spot! Nicest place we’ve stayed yet! The view was just amazing – hopefully the pictures will do it justice. A bunch of us (eight or so) stayed in the loft, while the others were down below or tenting. Lots of people we hadn’t met before were there – Mountain Dew’d, Derby, Bear, Alias and Morning Dove (from Somerville), Chef… also the Outlaws – Sasquatch (16), Torch (14), and Boo (12).

 

I guess they got on the trail at Newfound Gap and were hiking with Breaking Wind for a while. They are home-schooled, and Sas said it took six months to convince their parents to let them go. (Real names are Glory Be to God [both girls] and Ezekiel…). Quite mature kids. Would make a great story if they finish. I guess “the law” is out looking for them; hence the name Outlaws.

Beano, Longshanks, and Chops

Day 31 - Curley Maple Gap to Greasy Creek Gap

Got up and hit the trail late (8:30), which isn’t encouraging when you have a 20-mile day ahead of you. Took a break on a nice bald.

 
Dave kept talking about how great he felt – what am I doing wrong? Maybe it’s the heat, maybe it’s the extra weight in my pack. Dave said having a big breakfast helped him a lot. Anyway, I explained how I struggle on every climb and am having a tough time keeping up with a group of men. He seemed to understand and did slow down for me.

We made the mistake (I think) of stopping for lunch at the 11-mile mark. Took a long break, then had to stop at the next shelter for water.

Oh, met a couple who thru-hiked in ’95. She was saying how few female hikers there were then – didn’t see a single other woman in the Smokies. That’s kind of how I’ve been feeling lately – lone female in a male tribe.

Day 30 - Nolichucky River to Curley Maple Gap

Got up around 8 (late!). Everyone decided to go out to breakfast, and I enjoyed my meal. But then I sort of freaked out -- this not working and spending money and paying the mortgage and the bills thing is pretty stressful -- even if I do still have money in the bank. It’s an issue I’m going to have to work though, I think.

It’s 3:35, and we’re trying to decide whether to stay another night and slackpack 19 miles tomorrow. I’d like to do it -- maybe because I’m afraid of how tough the hiking will be in the heat with my extra heavy backpack. Well, the decision was made to not slackpack and push on. I was not a happy camper.

Oh, in the morning we hitched a ride into town from a man who said he’d come back and check on us in a while. After breakfast, he came back and drove us to the local dollar store (great deals on food -- too bad we’d already loaded up) and an outfitter before taking us back to the hostel.

Then we went to the library. Sent a lengthy email out to everyone. Walked through Erwin for a bit -- nice houses with big porches and beautiful lawns and gardens; friendly people. 

Hitched back to the hostel… decided to push on. Really tough to get motivated. Didn’t leave until 6 because people were waiting to get their fuel from Johnny and check out. I guess he is a bit sleazy, sort of like a used car salesman. Some call him “Johhny Cash,” which is fitting. But it was a nice, clean place; convenient to town; and I’m glad we stayed there. 

Headed out on the trail and came across a campground. Turns out there is an outfitter there (Johnny would have charged $25 for a ride to a different outfitter).

Pushed on with our heavy packs. Hopefully I’ve learned another lesson. Made it to the shelter around 8 and just decided to stay there. The floor slanted down, which makes sleeping difficult when your head is at the bottom.

Day 29 - Spivey Gap to Nolichucky River

Didn’t want to camp by the road at Spivey Gap, so we stopped a bit before and set up on a nice section of trail where the pine needles were about six inches deep. Had precious little food left to get us to lunch the next day. But luckily, there are better prepared people hiking with us who were willing to share.

Phil gave us a bag of pasta, and Matt handed over one of his blueberry/coconut/pecan pancakes hot off the griddle. Will have to try those at home! Didn’t head out the next morning til 8:30. Pretty easy walking most of the way, which was nice.



Made it to Erwin a little after 12:30. Uncle Johnny’s is right off the trail, the first thing you see. We had been warned us about this place -- how Johnny would try to get money from you in any way possible -- putting a cup of coffee in your hand and then asking for $1, for example. But it hasn't been like that at all.

First deer!

It’s a really nice place with a huge front deck, stereo playing all the time, big clean bathrooms, level ground for tents. I like it a lot.

Got our first maildrop package here -- jacket, contact lenses, toiletries, postcards, some food. After everyone got settled, we got a ride into town. First we did laundry, then food shopping (always dangerous on an empty stomach -- especially so if you’re a hiker).

Dave and I got separate baskets and loaded up for the next three days -- total came to $75! Obviously, we got more than three days’ worth -- but we’re going to have to carry it nevertheless.

Then we all went to La Hacienda for some cheap Mexican food, followed by a movie (O Brother, Where Art Thou?). Hit the sack around midnight.

Day 28 - Hogback Ridge to Spivey Gap

Tough sleeping on slanted ground last night. Today, the terrain was more difficult than I had been expecting. I really drag on the ups. Is it my diet? Trying too hard to catch up to others? I think I shouldn’t look up as much. Too discouraging.

Made it to Big Bald for lunch. Another beautiful spot to chill out for a while. I fell asleep again (not sure for how long). Did maybe eight more miles to get to a camping area -- arrived at 6.

 
Dave and I are very close to running out of food, which isn’t a good feeling. We each have a pop tart, Carnation instant breakfast, and handful of cereal to get us the 11-plus miles into Erwin. Have decided to try buying separate breakfasts and lunches.

 
P.S. -- Parts of the walk yesterday afternoon were quite beautiful. It was like an enchanted forest, with greenery and white spring beauties covering nearly every inch of the ground. Quite magical. (Lots of twisted, gnarled roots, too).

Also, haven’t really had a chance to write about how I’ve changed over the course of the past month. Who would have thought that I’d be able to sleep in a shelter with as many as 18 other people (as well as a handful of mice)…that I’d wear my watch to bed…that I’d eat just about anything put in front of me (dirt particles, floating leaves, pieces of bark and all). I don’t miss my bed nearly as much as I thought I would. And as long as I’m able to change my clothes and wash my hair at night, I feel like a human being again.

Day 27 - Little Laurel to Hogback Ridge

Today was a long day, although only a mile or so more than yesterday. Just tougher terrain, I guess, and it seemed to go on forever.

We made a lot of little stops, which really add up. I think we only had 8.7 miles to do after 2 p.m., but they were real tough ones. I was on the verge of tears for the last miles, wondering if we were ever going to get to the shelter. Finally arrived at 6.

Murph was there, along with Chops. Charlie had pushed on ahead. A lot of new faces (mostly people who started a week or so before us). If they stay at that pace, we probably won’t see much of them. Others we know are skipping sections of the trail -- Toad, Liverwurst, Nighthawk. I don’t feel the need to do that yet.

Between getting and filtering water, cooking and eating, and setting up the tent, there weren’t many hours of daylight left. I was already dreading another 20-plus mile day. When Murph said she was only going 13 or 15, we jumped at the idea.

Day 26 - Hot Springs to Little Laurel

Also yesterday, I had seen a card at Elmer’s with the name and number of a woman who cuts hair. I called (she sounded pretty old) and made an appointment for 3 p.m. Dave and I walked over to Hazel’s Beauty Shop, since he wanted her to shave his head. 

No one was home, so we sat on the steps and waited for about half an hour. Then an elderly woman with white pantyhose and shoes and a blue umbrella came walking down the street (in the 90 degree heat).

“Here she is,” Dave said, and I knew he was right. I was a bit nervous. Hazel was definitely not hip to the latest styles. She wet my head, and before I had a chance to decide how much to take off, she made the first snip. It was a lot of hair, but exactly how much was difficult to determine since there was no mirror and she immediately put the snipped locks into an empty margarine container.

Hazel apologized for being late -- she was just checking on her brother down the street. She said Hot Springs used to be quite a bustling community, with a commuter rail stopping in town four times a day, but has been dwindling as of late. So she kept cutting and cutting, and I was scared that I’d look like a boy when she finished. It wasn’t until she had completed her work that I was allowed to see it. I couldn’t tell from Dave’s face whether it was good or bad. It’s definitely short -- no more than three inches all around. I think it’s OK -- and maybe it’s the type of cut that will look better in a couple of days.

Then it was Dave’s turn. He wanted his head shaved with a number one blade (had to pick it out for her, since she couldn’t read the numbers). Her hand was shaking quite a bit. From where I sat, I could see a number of spots she’d missed. And she took off his sideburns completely, along with a two-inch patch around his ears. The total -- six dollars. Now that’s a small-town experience.

After a few guys gave him shit, Dave bought a razor to do some repair work. That actually made things worse, so he decided to go completely bald. Beano (formerly Matt) did the duty this time. Wow -- scalp that has never seen the light of day sure is white!! I’m sure it will be darker with stubble shortly.

Found a spot at the campground and got settled. Hung out with Beano, Duracell (formerly Phil), and Liverwurst for a while. Passed out the Oreo's and went to bed. Woke up around 1 and had a tough time falling back to sleep.

Have two more 20-plus mile days to get to Erwin on Friday morning. It is cold right now. Had to get in my sleeping bag 'cause I have no other clothes to put on. Good day today. It rained (of course -- we sent our rain gear home yesterday). Used our 99 cent ponchos and hiked fast to get warm. Starting to feel stronger physically.

Day 25 - Hot Springs

The atmosphere at the inn wasn’t overly friendly, and the house is in need of some repair (and cleaning). But it was definitely a unique place to stay. Lots of creaks and shudders in this old place. The bed, though, was extremely comfortable. Couldn’t even move in the morning, and would have slept late if that was an option.

We opted not to eat a “family style” breakfast with the gang and put our stuff on the porch. Within a minute, Elmer and one of his staffers jumped up to make sure we were going to pay. 

Found an entire one pound, four ounce package of Oreos in the hiker box. Score! We also scoffed a roll of TP, an empty Nalgene container, Swiss army-type knife, and lots of macaroni.

Then it was off to breakfast at the local diner. I got pancakes and of course ate every bite. Oh, Elmer has a scale at his house. According to it, I’ve lost about 11 pounds, minus what my boots, socks, jacket, and shirt weigh. So maybe it’s only seven or eight. 

Dave, on the other hand, has lost 15 pounds! He doesn’t look that skinny to me, but I know he should be eating more. Food is heavy to carry, though, so it’s hard for him to get enough.

We have had a really tough time today deciding whether to stay for another night. Last night we hung out at Ian’s cabin with Charlie, Murph, and Tim. It was a great place, with three beds and a porch, right on the river -- and cost exactly the same as Elmer’s. Oh well. Dave was pretty bummed, and I must admit I was, too. 

Today has been spent doing the usual errands -- resupply, etc. Also sent a bunch of heavy winter gear home. Dave bought a lightweight sleeping bag and some Tevas, also a small light for reading. It’s very easy to spend money on lighter gear in the hopes of freeing up the pack some.

Yesterday at the campground where Ian was staying Murph and I ran into Wingfoot (author of The Thru-Hiker's Handbook) -- or Wingnut, as Charlie calls him. I liked him a lot. He seems very smart and genuinely interested in the hikers he meets. He talked a bit about how there is still a stigma attached to young female hikers who thru-hike.

Also, he stressed how Dave and I really need to work something out so that our different paces don’t drive us apart. He suggested maybe I should start earlier or something like that. Yesterday the backs of my thighs were really hurting when I stopped hiking -- maybe I am pushing too hard.

Day 24 - Roaring Fork to Hot Springs

Good night at the shelter. Dave and I are really starting to get our “hiker appetites.” We each had a fudge pop tart as an appetizer, followed by a huge pot of macaroni and cheese. Then Dave cooked our last two Ramen noodle packets, and we ate them, too! I was considering eating something else when a former thru-hiker (’80) and his son, who were staying at the shelter, offered up a package of hot dogs. Well, alright -- as Chops would say.

Trillium in bloom

N.C. Jed had lots of encouraging words, including news that there will be no major ups or downs from Damascus, Virginia to Mt. Everett in Mass. That’s about 1,000 miles, he said. If it’s true (and I hope it is), why haven’t I heard this before? It seems a little fishy.

Murph, Dave, and Kerri on the way to Hot Springs

Like Charlie, though, he said pretty soon we won’t even think about the hiking -- it’ll just happen. We slept in the shelter, and I didn’t have a bad night. Too hot, though. I guess mice were running all over the place, but I didn’t hear them. I did, however, hear Dartman's really strange growl/snore.

Got up and out by 7:30, and we did over 11 miles before noon. The thought of a hot shower kept my motivation level up. Got to Hot Springs, North Carolina by 2. It’s hot down here -- in the 80’s, I’d say. Dave and I headed straight for Elmer’s Sunnybank Inn, which came highly recommended as “an unforgettable trail experience.” 

The first impression wasn’t a great one, but we were kind of stuck. It’s a huge old Victorian house with lots of rooms, including a music room and a reading room, and many porches. We don’t have our own bathroom, and there’s only one shower in the whole house.

Day 23 - Painter Branch to Roaring Fork

It was a good night, but for some reason I didn’t sleep well. I think I was too hot in my zero degree bag. Everything felt clammy.

Got up and did lots of up and down miles in the morning. Stopped for lunch before a 3 ½ mile climb up to Max Patch. (Side note: In the morning, all the guys were standing around stretching and eyeing each other. It was almost like we were about to start running a race and people were forming strategies to get into a good position).

It was worth the climb to the bald -- something totally different than we’ve seen before, which was nice. We all took off our packs and boots and socks and did some sunbathing. I actually fell asleep for a bit leaning against my pack.

Charlie videotapes Tim

Longshanks relaxes in the sun

Finally got motivated close to 3 to do the last five miles. They were joyfully flat, so we made good time to the shelter. Level ground for tenting was scarce, and since I had a bad night last night, decided to sleep inside.

P. S. -- Yesterday, on the way out of Gatlinburg, Matt, Phil, Achilles, and Sweetwater saw a huge bear cross the street (stopping traffic in the process). Guess we should have stayed in town to see a bear!

Day 22 - Tri-Corner Knob to Painter Branch

Got up around 6:45 and actually started walking by 7:30 -- our earliest departure yet. Made 10 ½ miles by noon, so we kept plugging to get to Mountain Moma’s.

Had to walk 1.3 miles off the trail to get there, and it was quite a disappointment. Very dumpy -- similar to the Rainbow Springs campground. And their prices are higher than what’s quoted in the book. No sense paying $15 for a campsite when you can camp in the woods for free.

We resupplied, then had to order a famous, huge cheeseburger. It was good, I must admit, followed by a Smoky Mt. Fudge ice cream cone to celebrate being done with the Smokies. Moma’s décor included signs that said “Waitress can except tips” on every booth. Ugh.

Murph

We were hanging around outside, dreading the prospect of more hiking, until a guy in a pickup truck offered to drive seven of us back to the trail. Cool! It was so much warmer in Davenport than the Smokies. The bugs were back in full force, which says a lot about the temperature.

Wasn’t psyched about going uphill for three miles, after having already done 17, but it went by pretty fast. Found a great big level camping area and parked it here around 7. No need to cook dinner, which is nice for a change.

P.S. -- Actually, did a total of 21.7 miles.

Day 21 - Newfound Gap to Tri-Corner Knob

Ten of us piled into the motel room Wednesday night. Dave and I got a bed, with Phil and Jason on the floor in our room. Watched some TV for a while, including part of Boot Camp (c’mon now, that doesn’t look so tough after all), South Park, and the Simpson’s.

Tim’s sister Mary is on a road trip and happened to be in Tennessee, so they hooked up. Pretty cool. Got up and out of the motel by 8. A hiker picked us up and was only going to take us ¾ of the way but ended up bringing us all the way to Newfound Gap. It was cold up there. Some Texas women asked me to take their picture in front of snow.

It was a beautiful clear day with lots of great views. A thru-hiker had told us that the second half of the Smokies are some of the easiest miles on the AT down south, and he seemed to be right. Took a bunch of pictures and made really good time.

Got to the shelter around 4 (started at 9). It was already starting to get crowded, so we quickly threw down our sleeping bags. I believe 19 people jammed themselves in. I was between Dave and Tim. It was so cold that I put on two pairs of long underwear, shorts, sleeveless shirt, two long-sleeved shirts, fleece, thick hat, two pairs of Smartwool socks, and was still cold. Nothing to do but snuggle into my zero degree sleeping bag. And with no light, nothing to do but sleep. I try not to look at the time, but it couldn’t have been 8:30.

I am always worried about the “pee factor” and try not to drink anything at night. Around 9 I woke up and thought I had to pee but couldn’t bear (no pun intended) the thought of getting out of my sleeping bag, finding my shoes, feeling my way to the cage door, and hoping that I didn’t encounter a bear on my evening excursion. So I held it -- for 91/2 hours!

Day 20 - Gatlinburg

Charlie

Starting to lose track of my days. I hope I’m right about day 20. Yesterday we walked around Gatlinburg, which I guess is the third most popular tourist destination in the U.S.

Lots of fast food places, hotels/motels, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, old tyme photo shops, walk-in wedding centers. Kind of a bizarre mix. Dave and Charlie were drinking beer in the room -- really the first opportunity for alcohol we’ve had thusfar. We heard that hikers often head to the Smoky Mt. Brewery, so that’s where we went. Lots of people already there, including Hipbone and Mountain Goat, Matt (Beano), Phil (Duracell), Lawyer Dan, Sweetwater, the Honeymooners… Stayed out til about midnight.

I’m getting quite attached to my earplugs. They help a lot. Decided at night that due to the snow and cold we were going to take another zero day. Guess it was a good decision, since some people who headed out in the morning ended up coming back. No plans for the day. Checked email at the library.

Then a guy offered us one of those timeshare demo things -- sit for 90 minutes and earn $75. Sounded good to us! The sales pitch was long, followed by a bus trip to the resort. Then the bottom line came -- and “no” wasn’t readily accepted as an answer until we explained how we were currently hiking the AT for the next six months. Oops. The whole deal actually lasted three hours, and thank God we got our check.

Turns out Matt, Phil, Achilles, and Sweetwater had taken us up on our offer to share our suite. And Tim’s sister is in town, too, so she’ll be staying with us. Looking forward to getting back on the trail and working off some of this food I’ve been sucking down. Should I buy a Walkman? I think it would definitely help. Everyone is getting antsy here. Hopefully we’ll get a fairly early start, and the conditions will enable us to get in 15 miles tomorrow.

Day 19 - Silers Bald Shelter to Newfound Gap

The night was long and cold. I think it was 6:30 when Dave crawled into his sleeping bag. It was just so cold that there was really nothing else to do. I waited until 8 so I could pee one last time.

The wind started to howl, slamming the poly against the chain-link fence again and again. It just never stopped. I must have fallen asleep OK, but woke up every hour from midnight on expecting morning to be just around the corner. And one of my earplugs wasn’t working, which had a major impact on my quality of sleep. 

The day finally dawned, grey and cold. Nothing to do but get moving -- quickly. First stop -- Clingman’s Dome, the highest point on the AT. On the way we encountered wintery, blustery conditions. 

Branches and stems had a coating of ice on them, and when the wind blew it sent small white squares tumbling to the ground. Murph said they looked like pieces of ribbon candy.

Finally we came to the dome -- a bizarre concrete structure with a long ramp and a dome resembling a UFO. Conditions were nearly whiteout, so we didn’t linger. Still had about eight miles to do to get to Newfound Gap. The trail was extremely muddy, but it was easier knowing we had a Mexican dinner and a warm house awaiting us.

The weather actually started improving, and we walked through a nice section of evergreen forest. Got to Newfound Gap around 2:30. I was in charge of getting us a ride, which made me kind of nervous. But I stuck out my thumb, and it was only a few minutes before “Old Timer” pulled over. He had just gotten off the trail himself. Dropped us off at stop light #10, and a little bit of culture shock set in.

Murph and Trail Dancer atop Clingman's Dome

Hotels, motels, fast food, tourist attractions galore. We had a few hours to kill before Murph’s friend was going to pick us up. Took a trolley to the library, where we checked email for the first time. Twenty-five messages?! Changed my clothes and tried to clean up a bit in the library restroom. Walked around Gatlinburg, serving as a freak show for the locals. Then we hung out and waited for Mike.

Lots of people stopped us to ask what we were doing; some were/are hikers themselves. Mike showed up at 7 to drive us to his house in Maryville. He’s a pediatrician, too; married and with two kids. Drove through Dollywood on the way so we could see the “sights.”

Got to a Mexican restaurant around 8 and chowed on chips, salsa, a burrito, and a tostado. Ate every bite. Then Mike took us to his house. Took a shower and hung out. Tim was psyched to get the sports updates. We all crashed on the livingroom floor. I did OK, thanks to an aquarium bubbling and my earplugs.

Kerri, Murph, Mike, Charlie, and Dave

The whole family was up early in the kitchen, which made sleeping difficult. Had a few hours to ourselves before Mike came back to drive us to Gatlinburg. With snow and low temperatures forecast for the Smokies, we decided to get a hotel room and take our first zero day. On the way in, we saw that the access road to the trail had been closed due to the weather. Guess we didn’t have a choice after all!

Got a room for five with three beds, a kitchenette, and two bedrooms -- all for $11 each! Walked around town for a bit. ESPN was at the Happy Hiker interviewing thru-hikers. I declined, but Dave and Charlie consented. Wonder when it will air. Oh, I guess I’m trying the name Pack-On on for size. We’ll see if it fits.

Day 18 - Russell Field Shelter to Silers Bald Shelter

Food bags hung out of reach of bears

Let's see… I forgot to mention that along the way yesterday, all of a sudden we turned a corner and the ground was covered with little white flowers. It almost looked like snowflakes dotting the green grass. I didn’t take a picture because I expected to see millions of them in the Smoky Mountains (turns out they are called spring beauties). Anyway, it was too cold and wet today for the beauties to show their sweet faces.

Russell Field Shelter

Back to last night. I was a bit concerned being in a crowded shelter, but at least we were on the top bunk. And there are fireplaces in these stone shelters, which is nice. 

A guy staying here said it was too early for him to go to sleep when it got dark, so he tended the fire for a while. I did OK once I put my earplugs in. But there was a man whose snore sounded just like a bear growling, so I immediately looked outside, expecting to see a large animal on the other side of the cage. Nothing.

I guess it poured in the morning, but I didn’t hear a thing. Had a squabble with Dave. Then my pack cover broke. And as we began to walk, it started to pour. Lovely.

We had a 15-mile day ahead of us. I just wasn’t into it. Fell all the way down into the mud, and that was my breaking point. Was by myself, so I started to cry. Wondering what I’d gotten myself into and whether I could really last 5 ½ more months. Dave stopped to wait for me, and he was upset that I hadn’t said anything to him sooner. I was cold and wet and miserable and really having trouble moving one foot in front of the other. Sometimes the days just seem so long, and the miles come so slowly.

I’ve read that it takes six to eight weeks to get into “trail shape,” so I guess I’ve got a ways to go. We kept walking and soon enough came to a shelter -- 9 ½ miles down, 5 ½ to go. Ate some lunch but was so cold and wet I just had to start moving.

The miles were pretty easy ones, which helped us make good time to the shelter. And the rain had stopped! Took the opportunity to clean my muddy self off at the river and change into some dry clothes. Much better! This shelter looks the same as the last one and is just as crowded.

P.S. -- Found out from Breaking Wind that Pacman is a professional tennis player. Pretty cool!