I've crossed two barriers. 1.) The <2000 mile to get to Maine barrier, and 2.) The 200 miles hiked barrier. It feels great. I'm in Gatlinburg, Tenn (not so great), hanging out with my mom and sister (very great). They are visiting for a day or so and hung out in Newfound Gap waitin' for me in the gusty, cold, foggy day in the clouds - surprise, surprise - greeting various thru-hikers (some of my new hiking friends) with some trail magic - fresh fruit, bagels, soda, water, snickers, etc. It was great. It really was. I wasn't there. I was hiking from the Silers Bald Shelter 12 miles away along the skinny ridgelines with no views and wind gusts strong enough to blow you off the mountain if you weren't careful! It's crazy - roughly 75% of this hike thus far has been in the clouds (not so great).
But I try to look at the good in everything. And the truth of the matter is that I would rather be hiking in soggy wet conditions than 95 degrees with 100% humidity - days that are sure to come in the pretty near future. I've even discovered how to pack my pack and keep everything inside oh so dry.
All the shelters in the Smokies have fireplaces, too. So the last two nights, Pyro-fly and Recess warmed the stone-walled shelters with cozy fires. No one is allowed to camp in the Smokies - unless the shelters are full, so it's gonna be all shelters for the next several days. Lots of mice in some, none in others. Mice = not so great. They've nibbled through Turtle's pack, ate all his CLIF bars (which shouldn't have been there in the first place), and have even made random holes in my nasty socks. Whatever floats your boat, I guess. Glad I'm not a mouse!
No comments:
Post a Comment