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).

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!