Start: Davenport Gap Shelter (AT mi 238). Stop: Peck’s Corner Shelter (AT mi 218.2). Today’s miles: 19.8 miles. Total AT mileage: 1974.9 miles.
I’m pretty sure I pissed everyone off this morning when I decided to get up. I wasnt the first one awake, as I woke up to hearing several people toss and turn around 6:45. I decided before they all fell back to sleep, I’d get up, use the bathroom, and then take my stuff outside of the shelter to pack.. an attempt to not be “as loud” packing since there’s really no way to avoid it.
When I got out of my sleeping bag, it was cold. And then I couldn’t easily open the fencing gate that locked us in this shelter and kept the bears out.. so, that endeavor was noisier than expected. Whoops. After all my racket, the others that were awake but trying not to be all decided to pee too, 3 men.. ha. Once I handled my business, I took my pack outside by the fire ring, then swiftly rolled my sleeping bag and mattress in my ground tarp and took it all outside to pack it into my pack with a bit more space. I circled back inside and snagged my water, shoes, and trekking pole, and was thankful I didn’t forget anything and didn’t have to use my headlamp but for one quick sweep of the space I was leaving empty.. just to make sure.
I said bye to the man that was outside making his coffee now, the dad to the little boy still sleeping inside.. and then headed up the hill with my red light on. It was only 7:15! I didn’t eat yet, or brush my teeth. I decided that I was too cold and wanted to keep moving for now, but I did pack some snacks in my hip belt. When I made it to the main trail, I switched my headlamp to a brighter light and after about 10-15 minutes of hiking slowly uphill, I grabbed my first snack and went to town eating while I hiked.
I finished everything I had packed, deciding this was better for today than sitting around freezing while eating my oatmeal. Then, to my surprise I was able to snag my tooth brush and toothpaste from the brain of my pack while walking-so I brushed my teeth while hiking and didn’t even have to take my pack off. Nice! I didn’t have service to figure out the temperature, but I was guessing it to be in the 40s. I never warmed up while hiking uphill-don’t get me wrong, I was sweating like I always do, but it was cold enough outside that the sweat immediately made me cold. So, at some point when I realized I wouldn’t be warming up any time soon, I stopped to put on my rain pants and jacket-and to put away the headlamp. The sun was creeping up in the far off distance, unseen and unfelt thanks to the mountains and trees blocking its warmth-but the sky was light enough to see without the headlamp on.
I didn’t pass anyone on trail until sometime after 9am, when I was coming down Mt Cammerer. And once I passed one person, I must have passed 50. There were SO MANY people out day hiking to the fire tower I had graciously walked right on by. It was 0.6 miles down a side trail, and I didn’t want any part of it. Plus, I had my own gorgeous views from a rock jutting out along the side of the mountain, clearing out the tree coverage where it stood. I climbed up and caught some stunning color popping out of the mountainsides around me. It seemed good enough to not hike an extra mile that wouldn’t get me anywhere closer to my destination.
It was smooth sailing down hill, even while avoiding and pausing for all of the people coming the opposite way. Then, I realized I was on what appeared to be ridgeline, still ascending and descending often, but not for nearly as long as I had climbed this morning. The views were just gorgeous. The tops of the climbs would have moss covering the ground, trees, and rocks. As I’d descent, the moss would disappear, only to reappear when I climbed up again.
I ended up stopping to chat with several different hikers that asked about my journey. One man said he had made his attempt this year and didn’t make it, so he was proud of me for sticking to it and getting it done. I’m close to hitting the two thousand mile mark! And when I do, I’ll officially be considered a thru hiker, not just someone attempting a thru hike. Man, it feels so surreal.
I ate my lunch sitting on a log along the side of the trail during one of my many climbs of the day. I was finally warm enough to take off the rain pants, but the jacket stayed on all day, and the gloves came and went many many times. I was hardly sitting for 15 minutes when I finished eating and was too cold to “relax” there anymore. I was actually grateful that I stopped in the middle of a climb so I’d have something to get my blood pumping again right away.
It continued on like this all day, up and down and little clips of mountains upon mountains through the wooded tree line I was walking along. I finally made it to the shelter I was aiming for at 5pm, shockingly earlier than I thought.. which made me really appreciate the fact that I got up and moving this morning when I did. Because of that success, I’ll be attempting the same thing tomorrow, except I’ll definitely be eating my oatmeal in my tent..
The shelter itself smells like charred wood, so I was happy to find a flat spot up the hill away from the shelter to set up my tent. I unpacked and headed back down to the shelter with my food bag, left it there while I went even farther downhill to collect my water to filter. I didn’t want to, but I did end up eating at the shelter, sitting on one of the little wooden benches. That charred wood smell gets to me sometimes, and it was super strong in there, but I didn’t want to eat any closer to my tent and potentially attract animals.
After water was filtered and dinner eaten (a chicken and dumplings mountain house meal), I hung my food bag on the provided bear cables, made a bathroom run, and then came and got in my tent. It’s almost 7:15 now, the sun is mostly gone although it’s not pitch black yet, and I’ve got my sleeping bag open like a quilt and covering me completely, head and all, so my hands can stay warm while I type this up. It’s pretty cold again tonight, which I knew it would be, and I’m thankful for this 2 pound sleeping bag I complain about carrying. Lol
I might try to read a bit before falling asleep, since it’s so early. I’m hoping I pass out quick so that I won’t be so shocked when my watch vibrates in the morning to wake me up. I wonder how this trip would go if I didn’t use an alarm at all.. I’m pretty sure I’d be sleeping until 10 or 11 everyday-and still be back in Virginia. Hahaha.. ok, that’s enough of that-goodnight y’all.