Day 23
Mileage 14.8
We left Hot Springs and began our ascent after a great omelet and a phenomenal cinnamon bun at the diner.
After a 0 day it's really interesting how quickly my legs forgot what they were doing.
They hurt. They are tight and its uphill all day.
Everyone took their time today. We stopped for like 2 hours for lunch.
It's crazy that 15 miles is a small day now.
Day 24
Mileage 18.8
I don't have much to talk about today.
So I'll talk about food. I packed out fucking pesto. I also packed out Cabbot cheddar cheese and quinoa pasta. Pesto mac and cheese has changed my life.
Out here food is everything. We talk about what we are going to eat in town days before we arrive. We all have lists with must have items.
The sky seems to always open up in the afternoon to enjoy some good views. I still enjoy the silence of the woods. There is still an exhilarating feeling after every big climb and the 10 seconds following it. Those few seconds as your breath becomes normal and your heart calms down never gets old.
Day 25
Mileage 14.8
Hiked all morning in the fog and a drizzly rain. We are doing 15 mile days until we get to Erwin, TN.
I've been really enjoying the "balds" we hike. Otherwise the woods are barren. The balds at least give us a change in scenery.
Once again the sky opened up in the afternoon.
My lunch was two tortillas with honey, nutella, peanut butter and trail mix. Really hoping I don't get sick of it. Minus the nutella, that shit is too sweet.
Day 26
Mileage 15 ish
Gorgeous day. Blue skies and warm! Yet we hike in the forest all day and only get this one view.
I hiked alone all day. The quiet was great. Days like today make me feel like I still am enjoying this enough to finish.
Day 27
Mileage 10 ish
The rush to Erwin is real. 5.5 miles into Uncle Johnny's. I immediately shower. We then get a hitch into town by two teachers who are fishing for spring break.
We go straight to a chinese food place and go hard on some food.
We then go to a laundromat and wash our clothes. Then take turns going to the grocery store to resupply.
Everyone goes overboard. We haven't had a real grocery store for a while. I got stuff to make chikpea curry. Honey Badger and Wet Wipes got a 12 pack. Glim Glom brings a box of wine. Our packs have not been heavier. Literally everyone's bags weigh minimum 35 lbs. With the heaviest at 51!
We have 4.5 miles to get to the first shelter outside of Erwin. It's straight up the whole way. This is hell.
Ok fast forward. We have ate and drank errythang. We all get to sleep. Loudest snoring ever. That coupled with the giant storm, none of us slept very much...
Day 28
Mileage 22
Start hiking and in 10 minutes the rain starts. I just got my rain jacket and fly on before it pours.
Today is one of those days where I didn't look up much. With my rain hood on its hard to see anything but the path right in front of me.
Let's talk more about food. This chikpea curry is fucking bomb. I packed out: 2 red bell peppers, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, chikpeas, quinoa, garlic paste, and vidalia onions. It uses a bit of fuel and weighs a bunch, but fuck it was good!
Also of note, today is the first day I listened to music while hiking. If you get the right music, the uphills get crushed.
Day 29
Mileage 18
I haven't talked much about my mental state, but the last few days had been taxing. Not many views and a very barren and drizzly trail.
Well today makes it all awesome! 9 miles in the morning with some exquisite views. Which start with Roan mountain and a spruce and fir forest and ends with walking along the top of 3 balds.
Then we go eat way too much food at Bob's dairyland. I got a great veggie burger with tots and onion rings and a fucking milkshake.
I hike another 9 miles. The beginning is brutal for everyone. It's all uphill and we are all super full and many grunts and guttural noises are to be heard.
We arrive at a side trail that has a waterfall. What do a bunch of hikers do when they see a giant waterfall? We immediately climb it and get in the water.
Day 30
Mileage 16.7
Fucking. Rained. All. Day.
It was great!
Now I'm at the weirdest hostel with cats everywhere.
The "beds" are a small amount of foam. One has cat shit on it and one has cat piss. I chose one without either and not next to the giant spider.
That being said, Bob Peoples does a lot of work on the trail and the experience of going here was worth it.
Went into town to get a resupply for the next 2 and a half days. This store is straight out of cold war with half of the goods expired.
Can't wait until we get to Damascus...
Day 31
Mileage 18 and a half ish
Left the hostel by 8:30 and came up to this roaring waterfall within a mile. My mood immediately changed. Nothing like walking next to a roaring river to lift your head.
Next up we arrive at this lake. We are all going slow today. We chill and take an hourish break at the lake and eat.
We are heading to a vista shelter tonight! We finally get to it at maybe 5. It's crazy to think that we took like 2 hour long breaks today and still did 18 miles no problem.
This day really helped me out mentally. It hasn't been often that I dug into my head, but the last few days I definitely asked myself why the fuck am I doing this.
The answer seems so easy on days like this. After sitting on a cliff outside the shelter watching the sunset, nothing else mattered besides what I could see and the small conversation a group of us was having about the mountains we were looking at.
We realized all the mountains we could see were ones we had hiked in the last few days.
Day 32
Mileage 23.3
We wake up early to watch the sunrise. The perfect start to the day.
Today we are doing a 23 mile day and some are even pushing to do a 30 mile day.
As everyone leaves for the day, the 6 of us are the last ones at camp. Darwin, Legs, Glimglom, Honey Badger and Wet Wipes.
After today our crew has been hiking for 300 miles together. We are all pretty much on the same page and have a great sense of humor together. It has 5sure been a big factor in getting so far. If I was by myself this whole time with no one to hear my shitty jokes or get songs stuck in their heads...
Day 33
Mileage 10
Fuck. I slept like shit. My sleeping pad is broke and my feet are cut to shit.
I guess I hadn't mentioned these things prior. My shoes disintegrated at around mile 400 and the heals were just the plastic part. So my feet have pretty shitty abrasions. New shoes in Damascus! Thanks Mom!
My sleeping pad baffles at the top came apart. So half of it is just giant and my head slips off all night. Heres to hoping the outfitter can hook it up...
Ok let's not talk about that bad stuff. Today is race to Damascus. 10 miles in under 3 hours! Drop my bag off and go straight to the coffee shop!
Then straight to mexican. Burrito and marg let's fucking go!
Ok now I go to b&b and shower. Then we all get dinner and then head to the brewery.
A much needed down day. We all are doing a 0 tomorrow too!
Day 34
Mileage 0!
I'm the only one who is at the b&b, so I eat at the table as much as I can and chat with the owner about the next parts of the trail.
All that I need to do today is go to the outfitter and resupply. Otherwise its all about food and chilling!
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