Month: May 2021

Start: Raven Rock Shelter (AT mi 1061.1) Stop: Tumbling Run Shelters (AT mi 1075.3) Today’s miles: 14.2 mi. Total AT mileage: 50.3 mi. States completed: Maryland

I COMPLETED ONE STATE TODAY! More on this later, but please know I AM STOKED!

My watch yesterday said I went 12 miles instead of 10 that the trail apps and maps say I did, but then today my watch says 13.1 miles and the app/maps say 14.2.. SO, I’m only claiming what the maps say officially as what I’ve done.

Anyway. Last night was a sleepless night again. I was cold. So cold in fact that when I got up and moving this morning, I called mom and aunt Kathy to tell them happy Mother’s Day, and mentioned how cold I was-now they’ve Hatched a plan to overnight me my sleeping bag along with a few goodies, too. Aunt Kathy will send out my goodie box in the morning so that it’ll arrive on Tuesday morning. I plan to hike to town tomorrow (10 miles I believe) and then sleep in the hostel over night that they’re shipping the stuff to. I’m excited about a shower, bed, and to wash my clothes.. and the potential for restaurant food! I’m actually craving Dr. Pepper, which is weird.

Back to today: it was glorious. I slept awful, when I got up at 7:45 the whole camp was already gone except one dude and his dog, but by the time I packed and ate breakfast (and tried to make use of the privy 🤷‍♀️) they were gone too! I started to have feelings like there’s no way I’ll catch up, I’m starting too late and moving too slow, self doubt, self doubt, self doubt. But once I talked to my favorite ladies and we had a plan for at least warmer nights ahead, I started to get into my hiking grove and push the noise out of my head.

And then.. I passed the Mason-Dixon Line and headed into Pennsylvania! While I technically started in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, I only hiked one mile in WV before crossing into Maryland (when I come back to Harper’s Ferry to hike south, I’ll get to claim the state). I’m completely finished with a whole state! Now, only 13 more to go! LMAO

My original plan was for a 10 mile day to Deer Lick Shelter. I knew regardless I needed to be there before 6, because of impending downpours (it still rained off and on all day, but never for very long). I passed it at 1:45 and knew that it was too early in the day to stop. It would be one thing if it was warm outside, but this 45 degree weather with cloudy skies and occasional short showers makes for really cold hikers when they’re sitting still.

I pressed on. And now the “pressure” was on too, because now I needed to huff it several more miles (my app said 4.2) up and over mountains to make it to Tumbling Run Shelters before the rain came.

Even while “rushing” I still stopped to eat lunch, and two other times for hole digging excursions. I thought I’d be rolling in with the rain and all the tent spots would be gone. Not the case at all! I got here before 5pm and the couple I chatted with from last night, Adam and K, was already here! We’re all three still nameless. The solo lady from yesterday is here, too. Her name is Showtime and she’s section hiking a month at a time. There’s also Zen and No Water, along with some other guys that move too quick for me to catch their names.. surely they started in GA because they FLY down the trail.

I had dinner with Adam and K. I really enjoy them and hope we stay around the same pace for awhile. My dinner was Mac and cheese from backpacker pantry. Soooo good. For any of you wondering, all you do with these freeze dried meals is boil water (I have a jet boil-it’s a little gas stove with a “pot” on top.. put the water in and it boils it super fast), pour it in, stir, and let it sit for 10-20 minutes. WALAA- dinner is served! Uncle Keith and Aunt Kathy got these for me to start the trail with. Once I run out and resupply in towns, those will be hard to come by. So it’ll be things like ramen noodles with a packet of chicken put in, or pasta sides, instant potatoes.. that kinda deal.

I hope this night passes fast because I’m so ready to have a warm, restful night! Regardless of the future weather, tonight is my last overly cold one with this light weight quilt!

Start: Tumbling Run Shelters (1075.3 mi) Stop: Trail of Hope Hostel in Fayetteville, PA (1084.9). Today’s miles: 9.6 miles Total AT mileage: 59.9 miles

I slept decently warm last night, because my bivy was nice and dry before getting in it-BUT I woke up with my sleeping quilt soaking wet from the moisture of the bivy. I knew this would happen, but I also knew at the VERY least, I’d be sleeping in a real bed tonight so the quilt could dry out even if my sleeping bag doesn’t arrive in the morning.

When I got up, instead of packing up like I had been, I hung out the quilt to dry out a little, went to the privy and then to get my food bag. I figured all this packing up crap could happen after breakfast today. Because ladies and gentlemen! THERE WAS ZERO RAIN IN THE FORECAST! Haha
That being said-I actually got up and got moving around 7:20 this morning and wasn’t the last person out of camp! Zen was gone before I got up, but Adam and K where up packing, Showtime was moving around but not out yet, and it looked like No Water was still asleep. We all slowly moved about and headed out.. first showtime, then Adam and K, then me, with NoWater bringing up the rear. After chatting a bit this morning we found out that Showtime, NoWater and I were all headed to the same hostel today. Cool, I’ll have friends soon!

Right out of the gate we had a huge climb. I knew it was a rough one when I realized I’d never catch up with the folks ahead of me. After an hour into the morning, I heard poles clacking behind me and turned, assuming it was NoWater catching up.. it was Grinder instead. He told me she wasn’t far behind me. He and I chit chatted for a few and then we carried on. I had been wondering how long it would take her to catch me, she’s been on trail over a week more than me.

Not long afterwards, she showed up and after stopping to chat for a few we started hiking together. Neither of us asked the other about it, it just happened the way good hiking partners sometimes happen. During the course of the day we changed her name a couple times. And then decided when we get to town we’ll get Showtime to make the final decision. Someone called her NoWater because this man wanted her to go fill up his water bag for him because of the trek it took to get to the water and her being younger than him.. and she politely said “no” bahahaha, personally I think that’s a great story, and pretty funny. But she wasn’t fond of it, we went with KT for a while, because she tapes up her knee.. and then Lizard because she gets hot and cold and when she’s cold she likes to sit out in the sun on whatever rock is nearby to get warm. Showtime says Lizard for the win.

When we were coming up with names for me, we settled on Chipper. We had Chipper, Roley Poley or turtle-bc I was telling her about when I fell the other day I was stuck on my back for like 20 seconds bc of my pack, like a roley poley LMAO, and I think there was another one too, but the 3 of us all like Chipper best, even Grinder agreed when we met up again later down trail-and then he said, “and we can always shorten that to chip! Because you’re chipping away these miles!” Haha

Once we hit the road that takes us to town, we started walking on the pavement.. that was more painful than I thought necessary! We got to the hostel, and it was vacant. I called the number and the preacher who runs the hostel said he’d be back in 10 minutes, just hang out in the grass out back. So, that’s what we did. Lizard saw some chickens and went to investigate, I laid out in the grass. Apparently where I laid down was the area they throw food to the chickens. I got something brown on my arm (literally looked like runny chocolate ice cream). I got up and went to my pack to get a wet wipe, and as I’m wiping off my arm, Showtime and the preacher appeared.. we joked about me getting “cleaned up” before coming inside to get cleaned up.. also joking that it was chicken crap. Then Lizard and I joked that my name should be chipper chicken, or CC.. but it’s still just chipper for now 😉

We hung out, showered and did laundry, and had a shared dinner of pizza and Mac and cheese between the 3 of us. We’re the only 3 in the hostel tonight, which is pretty awesome. My battery pack is charging, my clothes and my body are clean, I’m warm. Life is so good.

In the morning my package is supposed to arrive. Once it does I’ll pack up and then call a shuttle to take me to the post office to send the quilt home. Then I’ll shuttle back to the trail head and meet the other 2 at a shelter we’re all aiming for.

Now, for a good night’s rest. Sweet dreams, y’all.