Day 112: Sidney Tappan Campsite

Start: Stealth Site (AT mi 2100.4). Stop: Sidney Tappan Campsite (AT mi 2116.4). Today’s miles: 16 miles. Total AT mileage: 1091.4 miles


Well, today was definitely better than yesterday.. I didn’t make it to my back up, back up destination, but even still.. I’m still on track to summit on August 29th as long as I push hard tomorrow and get either to my goal or very close to it. If I pull up short, then the following day will have to be a longer to keep on track. So all in all things are looking ok! I want to summit on the 29th for many reasons, but the most important is that bad weather rolls in that afternoon.. so I really want to be able to knock the summit out early morning on the 29th in good weather.. if I take too long, the bad weather will hit me, but also if I wait until the following day-it will still be raining. Ha. Motivation.

Sunrise


So, I was supposed to get up at 5am. I didn’t. I finally got moving at 6 and hit the trail at 6:50. I have got to do better tomorrow morning! It was just so hard, because the sun wasn’t up yet at 5, or at 5:15 either.. lol why should I be awake before the sun?! Either way, I slowly finished hiking down Fourth Chairback Mountain.. and to my complete disgust, 0.2 miles down from where I camped was a PRISTINE (hear me here.. FLAT) tentsite. Seriously? I should have just taken a few more minutes to get down to that spot! But my knee is bruised and swollen and oozy, so I guess I needed the rest.


After the rest of the descent, which in all honesty wasn’t as bad as the parts I had already done, the trail headed up a little no named blip of a mountain. I crossed it before even realizing that I had! Then I headed downhill for a quick bit and back up an ascent that felt long and drawn out, but easier terrain than yesterday, for sure.
I hit the summit of Third Chairback Mountain, with no summit sign or anything. I saw some pretty views and lots of lakes that I was sad I wasn’t swimming in. The heat was back, but the humidity was significantly less. Breezes would come through and some would feel like heat being let out of an oven, and others would be cool as could be.. all within the same few feet.

Ummm.. ok AT.


I went down 3rd Chairback, up Columbus Mountain and down it all without issue. I’m not sure why it’s called Columbus and not 2nd Chairback.. but whatever. It was uneventful. Steep ups with nicely put rock steps, and otherwise pretty pine forests. I didn’t even fall today! (I feel safe saying this since I’m laying in my tent already lol).


The climb up Chairback Mountain wasn’t bad at all, it was actually quite short feeling overall. I was at the top before I knew it. Now, the downhill is a different story. There was a rock slide area that I had to use both hands to maneuver down, but even that wasn’t too difficult to manage. Plus it was beyond short! After that bouldering business, the trail continued downhill pretty steeply but very little hard drops. Mostly it was more rock steps perfectly placed.


After the descent I walked along side a river for awhile. My plan was to get to where I had to cross, put on my camp shoes and cross the stream, and then eat lunch on the other side. I was walking along, fantasizing about Mountain Dew and if I should ask the guy doing my food drop if he’d bring me one and I could Venmo him for it. The things you get hyper focused on out here is a little nuts sometimes. Just as I come up to the water crossing, a sign is on display with an arrow pointing down a side trail, “THRU HIKER TRAIL MAGIC! Burgers, Dogs, Sodas, Snacks.”


OH MY GOD! I was so excited that I dropped my pack right there beside the trail junction, quickly put on my camp shoes, got my phone and high tailed it down that side trail to a parking lot. On the way there, my mind was racing.. if I stay here too long, I’ll never make it to my destination.. when they said Dogs, do they mean hotdogs or actual doggie dogs? Because either one would be awesome.. how far is this side trail? Hmmm..


I made it to the trail magic to be greeted by a big ole fluffernutter named Zee. After giving him all the loves, I found out that this kind gentleman will make me a hotdog, too! It WAS both dogs! And he showed me to the cooler to grab an ice cold.. you guessed it, MOUNTAIN DEW! I was so giddy I could barely stand myself. I sat and chatted with the magic folks, the man making my hotdog on the grill Thru hiked in 2019, and his parents live nearby, so when he comes to visit them, they all 3 plus Zee come do trail magic.


I hung around until a little after 1pm, and then got moving again. I crossed the stream and let my feet dry a minute before stuffing them back into socks and shoes. It was somewhere around this moment that I decided I didn’t want to hike over 4 more mountains today.. OR over 3 to a stealth site, either. Lol All this planning and my mood and feet just keep changing their minds. I can tell I made this itinerary while I was “off trail” and not hiking.. hahaha.


From here, I hiked a slow uphill climb for 5.5 miles to a lean-to and stream. I still had another 2 miles to go from here, but there would be no more water, so I had to carry extra. Water carries always suck, this just made me happy and confirmed my plan to only hike 2 more miles with the water and not 4.8 with it all to that stealth site. The climb to the top of Gulf Hagas Mountain was a mile and steep. It got my heart pumping and my sweat rolling, thanks to the added weight of 3 liters of water.


There was no view at the top, and no sign. Bleh. All that work and not even a sign? What’s up with these last few mountains? And why on earth does the wind have to feel like Satan’s hot breath blowing on me? Even still, the rest of the trail was flat for a bit and wandered through a grassy like area with gorgeous trees. It was in this area that I messaged hthe hostel and changed my food drop time from 10am to 2pm. LMAO. Let’s hope I can make 14 miles by then!


The trail dipped back down a steep little descent and I walked right into the aimed for campsite. There was a couple of SOBO hikers there sitting and resting before carrying on to the shelter I got water at. I dropped my pack and chatted with them awhile, before setting off to find the perfect spot for my tent.

It’s a large camping area, however all of the sites are either slanted or covered with roots. I picked the best one I could find and set to work unpacking and changing clothes. Right after I got changed, Kindle and Upwards appeared! They set up a good bit away from me. We talked about the food drop tomorrow. They are also getting up early, but they’re thinking it’ll take them longer than me to get there. We’ll see.


Before long, a group of hikers appeared. All young women, 5 in total I think. Sunflower is the only name I remember now, so I feel bad about that. They all set up their tents in the areas around me, and they too are getting up early to make their food drop, theirs is technically at the same time as mine, but they’re trying to move it forward an hour. I believe they are definitely faster hikers than I am. Lol


We all ate our dinners and now it’s almost 8:30 and I’m in bed. I’m hoping I hear everyone packing up around me in the morning and it motivates me to get up, too. I set my watch for 5, they apparently will be starting at 5 so up at 4 something.. I don’t foresee me getting up before 5.. but we’ll see. There’s a little bit of panic over making sure I get there on time. I don’t like for people to be left waiting on me.


I’ll have to cover 14 miles to get to the food drop location, and the first 4 miles is up and over 2 mountains and to the top of a 3rd. The rest is steep downhill for 7miles followed by another small mountain before getting to the road crossing. Yikes! The good news is, after that 4th mountain, the terrain is mostly FLAT until I get to the base of Mount Katahdin. Literally 70 miles with hardly a blip on the elevation map. I’m praying it’s as smooth as everyone says it is.. or I might be pushing a day back against my will!


Ok, that’s it for today. I better get some shut eye if I’m ever actually going to get up in the morning! Lol sweet dreams!

Day 113: Stealth Site near JoMary

Start: Sidney Tappan Campsite (AT mi 2116.4). Stop: Stealth Site (AT mi 2136.9). Today’s miles: 20.5 miles. Total AT mileage: 1111.9 miles


I’m not 100% certain, but I’m pretty sure today was my longest mileage day on trail so far! By a whole 1/2 mile.. lol, whatever, it totally counts! Today was also when I crossed my halfway point for the full thruhike! At mile 2121.55 today I had officially walked 1096.55 miles, or half of the Appalachian Trail’s 2193.1 miles. It’s both exhilarating and a little deflating, too. How can I have been through and accomplished SOOO MUCH to only be half way? Well, I’m over half way now, technically, but whatever, you get my point.


I slept like a log, and it was fantastic because I assumed I’d sleep poorly with all the people around. When my watch alarm went off at 5am, I turned it off, but took out my ear plugs. I could here other people stirring, packing, getting ready. I let myself doze back off and woke to a light in my face from across camp. People really are oblivious with their headlamps, and this one was not a red light. Double rude.


I went ahead and got up at 5:25 and started packing. Some mornings I think I’ll be quicker than the previous, but it almost always takes me 40-60 minutes to pack up, eat, brush my teeth and get my shoes on.. not necessarily in that order lol. I was the second to last out of camp, at 6:05am. Lord, food drops really make people push!


I was pretty impressed with myself today. I had to go up and over 4 mountains total, the first 3 right at the start of my day, the 4th just before my food drop. I made it to the top of the first one by 6:35, down and up the second one by 7:20, and down and up the third one by 8:15! That’s a lot to get done in a short time. It was technically 4 miles of work.


The climb up West Peak had an elevation gain of over 700 feet. It was steep of course, but it wasn’t terrible since the trail maintenance folks literally put in rock steps (smallllll, short steps, not big lunge steps) most of the way up! I mean, I was sweating enough by 6:20 to bottle my own perfume (we’ll call it “Mademoiselle Hiker Trash”) so it’s not like it was easy.. but it was enjoyable in some psychotic way. Sadly, either there was no sign at the top or I missed it somehow. That was disappointing.


The descent was maybe 300 feet from West Peak and then immediately up 400+ feet of gain over a mile long to get to the top of Hay Mountain. It was easy going and gentle, mostly just not steep like the others have been. I did finally get a picture at the top! Lol if you’re going to make me climb something, at least let there be a sign if there’s no view to prove it!


It was 200 feet of elevation loss to get to the junction I crazily thought I’d camp at last night. As nice as these mountains are being to me today, I wouldn’t have felt the same way at 8pm last night, toting extra water! Haha I definitely made the right call! Because then, it was up another 700 feet of elevation gain over 1.2 miles. It had steep chunks with nice steps. It had steep chunks without nice steps. And for fun they through in some random flat trail that made me think I was almost at the summit when I wasn’t even half way yet. Lol


The top of White Cap Mountain was gorgeous with a sign AND views! Sadly, it was hazy so I couldn’t quite make out Mount Katahdin in the distance, but apparently on clear days, this is the first place you can! It was 8:15 and I was still on track for getting to my food drop on time, so I sat a minute and caught my breath. I drank my water, soaked in the views, and then put that sweaty pack back on to start making my way downhill.. for 7 miles.


People naturally think downhill is easier, and better.. and yes, it is less taxing on my lungs and breathing ability.. but good God it’s tough! Even though today’s 7 miles of DOWN was well maintained and had nice steps and only a very few hard drops for my joints.. my feet are throbbing like crazy right now.


I made it to the first shelter on the way down and used the privy! I was so proud of myself for being able to wait to use it.. but I really had no choice with the steepness of the trail and no where to step off trail to.. haha. It could have been a disaster! Afterwards I filtered water, chugged one full liter then packed the other one to go. I also ate a protein bar. Then it was back on trail and back downhill.


As I got closer to the bottom, the terrain got smoother and flatter and prettier. I was cruising along and felt great, despite the heat and humidity turning me into a pile of mush. I was almost to the next shelter when I had to detour suddenly to dig a cat hole. Like, so much for being proud of the privy.. it didn’t last long. As I was handling my business, a hiker passes. I realize that I did a shit job of hiding myself in these trees.. but luckily when he spotted my pack he kept his eyes forward. At least there’s that! Less than 15 minutes later, when I passed the shelter, it had a BRAND NEW gorgeous privy. Seriously?! Ughhh. So ridiculous!


I carried on and started my climb up Little Boardman Mountain. Well, it had a hill first, then a sweet flat chunk, then the steep climb up the mountain. Before I could even finish the flat area, I had to stop and eat another protein bar. It was 12:30 and normally I’d have eaten lunch by now, but I didn’t want to sit down and unpack my food bag when I’d be doing that soon enough anyway. So I opted to eat the bar and then eat lunch after I got my drop.


I made it to the top of the mountain by 1:08. I chugged the rest of my water knowing that in less than an hour I’d have a cold PBR in my hands. Which is exactly how that played out. I went down the mountain and got to the road crossing at 1:43, and waiting for me was Mike, from Shaw’s Hostel with my food drop and a cold beer. I flung my stuff down and sat down to drink. I told myself to savor it, but I don’t know how to drink anything slow when I’m so dang hot! The heat going over that mountain was close to unbearable.


I sat and chatted with Mike for a good 30 minutes or so. I packed all my new food and Mike was kind enough to give me a Coke to drink, too. He’s from Kennesaw, right down the road from me, and he comes up here to the hostel to help out over the summer! He’s been doing that ever since the summer after he did his thru hike. The AT is slap full of incredible people, and incredibly kind ones at that.


When I finally left Mike, I walked maybe a quarter mile to a beach on Crawford Pond. The water was completely clear! I got strait in and swam, cleaned my skin as much as possible. My lovely heat rash is back with a vengeance thanks to the last couple days. It’s crazy I can tell now when it’s going to start popping up.. and it was completely cleared up before I came back to Monson. Heartbreak hotel. Itchy hotel, too. Anyway, I didn’t stay in very long, because the rash was burning.. lol.. and storm clouds appeared to be rolling through.


I dried out on the beach sitting on a log eating my lunch and filtering more water. Again, I chugged one and took one with me. The rest of the trail was mostly smooth and flat with gentle ups and downs that you couldn’t even notice. There were a few boggy boardwalk deals, which always equals bugs. But otherwise it was a lovely way to end my day! I walked almost 7 more miles, just before Jo Mary Road to a stealth site that Mike told me about. I managed to make it there by 5:30pm, after crossing 4 mountains, getting a food drop, swimming.. and Im right on the river!


I got to bathe again in the river, and while I dried out I set up camp. My clothes are damp but it’s supposed to rain tonight, AND the temperature is supposed to drop, too. Man, I hope that part of the forecast is accurate. While I was eating dinner, Babbit appeared with his friend! The two of them are camping with me tonight, and they only have to go to this road (a whole 0.2 miles from here) to get their food drop in the morning, at 10am! Lol-im jealous they get to sleep in!


It’ll be another early morning and long day for me. I’m beat after this 20+ mile day, but im going to try to push it to 23-28 miles tomorrow. It sounds crazy to me even typing that out, but the terrain is easier than it’s ever been, if it’s like how this last 7 mile stretch was anyway, and if I can make it there tomorrow then I can still be on track to summit on the morning of the 29th in good weather. That’s the plan anyway!


My feet are still throbbing and im so sticky hot again. Looks like it’s time to attempt to fall asleep anyway. It’ll be morning before I know it! Goodnight y’all!


Ps: I saw 3 snakes today, almost stepping on 2 of them! All during the same 30 minutes on the downhill off of White Cap Mountain. Yes, I screamed and carried on like a toddler. Some things don’t change. Haha

Day 114: Almost a Marathon Day!

Start: Stealth Site (AT mi 2136.9). Stop: Rainbow Stream Lean-To (AT mi 2163). Today’s miles: 26.1 miles. Total AT mileage: 1138 miles.


I got up at 5:35 and was hiking by 6:06am. 10 extra minutes of sleep and only one minute later for leaving.. not too shabby. Because I knew the terrain would at the very least start off “easy” I decided to eat my Probar breakfast while walking, so I wouldn’t disturb Babbit and friend any longer than necessary this morning.


I was doing well, walking and eating.. that’s how you know the trail is actually easy, I didn’t choke myself! However, half way through my probar I got nauseous. That’s weird. I went for another bite and literally gagged. So, I put the rest up and drank some water. I just must not be that hungry. So strange.


The weather was noticeably less hot than yesterday, and it didn’t feel humid at all. It is such a relief! I made great time all morning, like I was set on cruise control. When I felt my stomach starting to complain, I originally went for the rest of the probar, but then my stomach lunged.. so, I ate some sour patch kids candy, instead. The burst of energy from all the sugar seemed to help and it didn’t make me want to retch, so I took it as a win.


I ended up keeping my phone in airplane mode but decided that since today would be my longest day, mileage wise, on trail to date, that I’d listen to an audiobook. I listened to “After You” by Jojo Moyes.. she wrote the book I love “The Giver of Stars” and I hadn’t realized that she’s the writer of the book “Me Before You” which was turned into a movie with Emilia Clarke.. anyway, I loved that movie.. and this audiobook picks up where the movie left off, so as I was walking I was picturing the characters from the movie. It was awesome.


Back to normal stuff, I saw a snake and actually managed to get a picture since he didn’t sneak off quickly with my scream. Actually, he didn’t seem to care much at all about me.. lol it still boggles my mind that people choose to have snakes as pets (I’m talking to you here, Ken). Like, why? You just like nightmares every night?


I stopped for lunch on a fallen log just after 12 noon.. peanut butter and jelly on a tortilla. It’s way easier to eat than the tuna. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stomach another packet of meat. Only 3-4 more months of dealing with trail lunches to go! I sat for close to 35 minutes, slowly eating my tortilla and munching on chips, entranced in my book.

After fueling up I hit the trail, and to my complete shock: I went up another mountain. I wasn’t expecting it, as the elevation map looked flat overall.. but there it was, right smack in front of me. As I started climbing up roots and rock steps, I rechecked the map. I’ll be damned. If you zoom in, there it is: Nesuntabunt Mountain, elevation 1,522 feet. When you ate lunch at under 500 feet of elevation, this comes as a punch to the gut, and even the spirit a little as dramatic as that sounds.


Since I wasn’t expecting it, I had half a liter of water on me. I’ve noticed I tend to chug my water, especially when going uphill. So knowing I *couldnt* just chug when I wanted to, or else I’d be stuck hiking miles with no water.. I was annoyed with myself. Even still, as I turn a curve and walk out on a rock slab with a view.. I realize the mountain i was seeing in front of me across the lake was Mount Katahdin. Oh my God, she’s a beauty.. jutting up out of the ground-standing higher than anything else around me for miles and miles. Just. WOW.


I was grateful for that moment to distract me from the lack of water situation. I continued on and once at the top I drank the rest of what I had and started making my way downhill, looking for the next water source. According to my maps it would be a pond about 2 miles ahead. Ok, I got this. I had already hiked close to 20 miles at this point, it was just after 3pm and I still had 3-8 more miles to go.

The mountain in the background: Mount Katahdin


I was hoping the terrain would have stayed the way it had been earlier in the day, but after the descent of that mountain, the roots came out to play. Even when it was technically flat trail, the roots were everywhere causing my feet to throb with every step. When I made it to the pond I filtered water while sitting in the sun on a big rock slab. My feet were just so achy.. I sat for maybe 15 minutes and had to force myself to get moving again. Each step hurt, and my book finished so I had little to distract me from the pain. I thought about turning on some music, but I didn’t want my battery to drop any lower. Ugh.


I passed up the place I could stop at 23 miles to keep hiking to Rainbow Stream Lean-To. I decided that the only way I could stop to camp before that shelter was if I happened to pass TieDye or Poptart stealth camping.. AND there was a place for my tent, too. It was sad but good that neither of my friends appeared, because at 6:35pm I showed up to the lean-to making this a 26.1 mile day! ALMOST a full marathon! Because I was so close, 0.1 away from a marathon, I almost hiked across the creek to set up camp down trail a little bit, but it was getting dark and there were no spots on the app suggesting anywhere to camp, so I made due being 0.1 short of awesome. Such is life.


I found a flat spot up the hill from the shelter and set up. Then had to force myself to go do the rest of my chores: bathe, filter water, eat dinner.. it all felt like so much more work! But I did it. The water was warmer than expected, but the air temperature was definitely cooling off more. It’ll definitely be a better night of sleep! I ate some ramen and my stomach felt like it wouldn’t tolerate much more. I hadn’t been queasy since probar breakfast, but I wasn’t about to risk it happening again right before bed.


So, thanks to my long day today.. I’m on track to summit Mount Katahdin on the 29th! Tomorrow will either be ~15 miles to Baxter State Park border and camp there to do 20 miles on summit day, OR ~25 miles to Birches inside BSP and only 10 miles on summit day! It’s out of my control to which option I’ll have given to me-I’m praying on the 25 tomorrow and 10 the following day, but either way-I’m summiting that mountain Sunday!!