May 2021 – The Unpolished Princess

Day Zero

I’m so giddy today I can barely stand it. Like, I literally keep busting out into fits of laughter. At Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. At the very least, it’s helping other travelers to keep their distance from me! Ha

Yesterday was spent with Lauren, at my house, cleaning and packing and working on a blanket.. I crochet (I find it comforting somehow) and I’ve been working on a detailed llama Afghan for Lauren’s birthday (which was back in March 😬 LOL).. I’m so close to being done that my crazy self packed it up this morning, too, to bring with me to Harper’s Ferry.

I’m not set to start until tomorrow, and I’ve already mailed my gas, pepper spray, and lighter to the motel, so besides stopping at a gas station to get some smart water bottles, I really have no “actual” errands to run once I get to Harper’s Ferry, and maybe having this task to complete will make sure I actually wait to start the trail tomorrow instead of hopping right out there today. I get antsy. I like to be moving or doing or something. Sitting and waiting really isn’t my thing. So, now, the plan is to check into my motel, eat some dinner, rest up, stretch and finish Lauren’s blanket. Then, in the morning I’ll walk to the post office in town and send it out before going for breakfast and hitting the trail.

Last night, I went to my last dinner with my mom, Uncle Keith and Aunt Kathy. Then mom and I watched a movie while I crocheted. Then I unpacked and repacked while showing her all the things I’m taking. With food (but not water) I’m sitting at 32 pounds for my pack. While it sounds heavy, it’s actually not as bad as it could be, and now I’m super grateful for the recent practice hikes.

This morning, mom, Uncle Keith, and Aunt Kathy took me to breakfast. We ate at 1911 Biscuits & Burgers in Smyrna. Pretty great little place, next to Chick-fil-A. If you’re nearby, you should definitely try it out. After we said our goodbyes, mom ran me by the thrift store across the street and I bought a garment bag to stuff my pack into so the straps wouldn’t get caught in the conveyer belts when I checked it for the flight. Things to think about when deciding to do a flip flop instead of getting dropped off at the trailhead at Amicalola State Park! Anyway, I paid $11 and shoved that 32 pound baby in.

After hugs and tears, I said goodbye for now to my most favorite person, my mama.. walked inside and checked my pack and the small duffle holding Lauren’s blanket and my “stuff” to work on it with.

As for now, I’m sitting at my gate, full of energy.. waiting to start lining up to board this flight. Thank you to all my friends and family that have reached out yesterday and today. Y’all mean the world to me and I am beyond grateful for your love and prayers.

Y’all. It’s happening. My 5 year dream has literally started. It’s here. And I am SO. DAMN. HAPPY.

Day 1

Start: Harper’s Ferry-ATC (AT mi 1025). Stop: Rocky Run Shelter (AT mi 1041.6)

Today was.. everything id hoped it would be. And then just a little bit more.
As I sit here writing this out, my water is gravity filtering into my smart water bottle, my feet are tired, my tent is up, and my God I am simply elated!

Day one was a success by any measure of the word! I woke up around 6:35am and took my sweet time getting ready, making sure everything I needed was there. Around 8, a friend of mine, Kevin, came and picked me up. I met Kevin a few years ago at a Ragnar Relay Race in Colorado. I joined a random team that was asking for runners in a Facebook group, and I’ve been friends with most of the folks on that team ever since, Kevin being one of them (who says social media doesn’t have its perks?). Kevin and his incredible ultra Marathon crushing wife, Jennie live in West Virginia, very close to my starting point.. and luckily for me, Kevin knows the area AND the AT pretty dang well. We ate an awesome breakfast, ran me by CVS to grab some smart waters (the bottles fit my water filter very well), and then the post office to mail home Lauren’s blanket I finished last night.

Then it was off to the Appalachian Trail Conservatory in downtown Harper’s Ferry to start the trail! Kevin got some pictures of me at an awesome overlook. We went down through town and across the bridge that crosses the Potomac River. Seeing the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers collide together is a seriously stunning view.

Potomac River (left) meeting the Shenandoah River (right)

We meandered 3 miles on a flat path that definitely made me feel more confident than it should have.. because afterwards came my first climb of the day, which was roughly the same as going up Big Kennesaw Mountain 3 times 🤣🥴. That’s when the “oh hell” thoughts started rushing in.. and even in between the ragged breaths and short pauses, I knew this is exactly where I want to be. I have to get rid of all weight I gained carb loading for the last year somehow! Haha

At somewhere before the 7 mile mark and right about noon, we ate lunch (left over pizza from last night for me). After a good 10-15 minutes, while I was still resting my feet, Kevin and I said our goodbyes and he headed back the way we came. I sat there a little longer and then headed north on the trail.

By 2pm I came across the area I was supposed to set up camp. My feet were tired, but I knew if I stopped there for the night I’d end up being bored out of my ever loving mind.. so, I called and chatted up mom while propping my feet up.. then got right back at it. The last 5 miles were definitely slower than earlier in the day. I knew I was getting tired, but a new plan had already been made and I was committed.

As I started to round up the final descent into the area I was hoping and praying to see the shelter I was aiming for, I kept stubbing my shoes on the jagged rocks. I laughed at myself, knowing good and well that if I keep that up, soon the laughing will be cussing.. and it’s too early in the game for cussing.. LOL While I’m entertaining myself with my all over the place thoughts, I remembered Kevin telling me about Jennie trail RUNNING this area! My silly self can barely walk it and stay upright, and she’s out here running it! Damn impressive. Hopefully I’ll get to meet her when I return to WV to go southbound.

I made it to camp. I set up shop close to the stream, hoping the weather forecast is accurate, although it would have to seriously flood to have water reach my tent.. I just couldn’t talk myself in to pitching my tent UPhill when the water was downhill and surrounded by flat perfectly sites. I am a little disappointed that no one else is down this way-yet anyway- because most of the other hikers i saw are staying at/in the shelter, but oh well, at least I know I’ll have one night without hearing some stranger snoring.

The plan for now is to cook & eat dinner (maybe a Mac & Cheese Backpackers pantry meal), hang my food bag on the bear pole, do some stretching, and probably be fast asleep before the sun fully sets!
I wonder what tomorrow will bring? Hopefully more than just the rain..

Day 2

Start: Rocky Run Shelter (AT mi 1041.5). Stop: Annapolis Rock Campground (AT mi 1050.7)
Today’s Mileage: 9.6mi.Total AT Mileage: 25.7 mi

Last night was a little rough.. the sun went down while I was still eating my dinner (I went with instant loaded potato soup, but kept it thick making more filling)so the task of hanging it was more daunting than it should have been. I got frustrated, and when it got stuck onto the slightly lower hook (the one intended for the metal bar you use to put it up there in the first place), I said to hell with it and left it there. In all fairness it was high, and hopefully the skinny metal pole will be too difficult for a bear to climb.. hopefully.
I honestly thought that I was just tired and in the dark last night, but today, I couldn’t get my bag up on top of the bear pole at this campsite either.. I’m just too short to get the bar to reach the top hooks, so I purposefully put it on the lower one again. Let’s all pray my food is there when I get up in the morning!

I didn’t sleep well last night. I don’t know if it was just achy legs or restless excitement, but I kept waking up every 1.5-2 hours. Throughout the entire night. And while it was frustrating, I was thankful that I wasn’t hearing anyone or anything else wandering around in the woods around me. Just the peaceful sound of the creek rushing beside me. As peaceful as it was, I still woke up for the last time around 7:30 irritable as can be. I really love my sleep.

Anyway, after realizing I better get a move on if I wanted to hike out before the rain came, I packed up the entirety of the inside of my tent, then stepped outside will full intentions to pee by the tree up a little ways away from the creek. However, as I go towards the tree, I see two other hikers coming down to get water, and realize that the tree isn’t going to block my butt from their view. So, we said our good mornings, they said they didn’t sleep well either, but that it was more because of the snoring man and the “really stinky guy that hasn’t showered in three weeks..” haha.. I’m officially thrilled with my campsite now lolThey filtered their water, I packed up my tent and went on a longer excursion to pee.Once I was back, they were gone. So much for making new friends. I got my food bag down, easier than I expected.. and then got to making breakfast: brown sugar oatmeal and coffee.I savored every bite and sip, checked my watch and realized I’ve taken waaaaaay too long this morning. It was already 8:45! Annoyed with myself I decided to wrap it up and hit the trail.

My mood perked up somewhere after the first mile and even considerably more when I kept passing people out walking their dogs. They all let me pet them, too. The first mile in anything active is always a little rough. You realize just where all the sore spots on your body are..
I passed 2 very nice bathrooms today. One was just a nice privy, the other was a regular bathhouse at a campground. Naturally, I stopped to use both, because why not. TMI, but I tried to do #2 as well.. while there was a nice toilet seat, running water to wash my hands, and no hole digging required. Also naturally, because I wanted to, my petty bowels decided we should wait. Utterly disrespectful.

Because I came father yesterday than originally intended, I knew my stop today would be too short. It was only like 6 miles total, so I pushed past very slowly, wondering how much I’d regret that. When I got to the next area, a little over 3 miles later, I was trying to decide to stay and set up camp or press on. I looked at the sky that had been spitting small rain drops off and on all day, and it looked about ready to burst. So, I decided to stay. I took the side trail down to Annapolis Rocks Campground. The little sign said there were 2 privies, a stream for water, and 14 campsites to choose from. I started looking around, and realized there was no one else here so I had free pick of the sites. I dropped my pack and walked around, up and down the little paths to the sites, checked out the stream and privies.. and then decided on campsite #9.

I was about to set up camp when the sky fell. Opening my tent now would do nothing but soak the inside, so I waited it out a bit. Around 4:30, I set up my tent and quickly got inside and into my dry clothes. I waited and waited, then at 5:45 I made the mad dash out from cover to do my chores for the night. Cook dinner, get and filter water, actually eat said dinner (chicken and dumplings), and hang that damn food bag. Honestly, I see how people get mauled by bears.. because it’s a pain in the ass to get that thing up there. There’s no branches low enough for me to throw to but that are also high enough to be away from animals. So, I trudged all the way down to where a group site is and hung my bag on the bear pole (in the wrong spot).

Campsite #9 l- (my water filtering to the left)

Now I’m laying on my sleeping pad, in all my warm clothes (still a little cold actually, thanks rain) writing all this out. My plans for the night are to listen to an audiobook until I fall asleep.. much deeper than last night, fingers crossed. It’s supposed to start raining again around 4:30 in the morning, it looks like I’ll be getting to practice getting my tent down in a downpour.. but it should clear out in the afternoon and I’ll be able to dry it out when I set up tomorrow night. At least that’s one of my prayers being said tonight! I’ll play tomorrow by ear, if my body feels wrecked, I’ll stop at 8.8 miles.. If not I might push on to the next shelter with safe water, which would be a 15.6 mile day. We shall see!