Start: Trail of Hope Hostel (AT mi 1084.9). Stop: Birch Run Shelter (AT mi 1094.9). Today’s miles: 10 miles. Total AT mileage: 69.9 miles
I slept incredibly well in the little bunk room at the back of the church/hostel. I woke up around 8 fully expecting my new friends to be long gone (because they weren’t waiting on my package to arrive lol), but they were both still there! I sprung out of bed and darted up to the front of the building to check to see if my box came. When it wasn’t there, I checked the tracking and knew it would be sometime before 10am.
We all ate breakfast together (Lizard made us grits with cheese and some extra spices, super yummy), and while they started packing up, I worked on posting my blog from yesterday (it takes a while for the app to upload the pictures and whatnot). Before I even finished, I got an update on my phone that my special delivery was indeed dropped off.
I was like a kid on Christmas opening that thing! My warm sleeping bag, some Marino wool leggings to sleep in, some running mittens, batteries, TP, and some more mountain house meals and probars! Talk about a spoiled princess. I am definitely feeling the love from my family and couldn’t even begin to tell you how thankful I am for them.
I repacked my pack, packed up the box to return. While I was doing all this, Showtime made her exit and headed for the trail. Once I was mostly done, the preacher came to the church and was checking on us, making sure my stuff came and whatnot. I asked if he’d be willing to take me to the post office (if he had said he couldn’t I already had a list of shuttle numbers to try). He said sure and that he’d drop me off at the trailhead too (almost a mile the opposite direction from the hostel). Since he was feeling so generous and I wasn’t expecting to get a lift all the way to the trailhead, I ran to find Lizard to see if she wanted to come with, so she wouldn’t have to trek that road mile for no reason. Naturally, she agreed!
We went by the post office, Lizard ran into family dollar next door, and then preacher took us back by the hostel to grab some ramen for Lizard bc family dollar didn’t sell individual packs. Then he took us up to the trail so we could actually start our day. He was such a nice guy.
It seems like I say this everyday.. but the climb at the start of the day was a beast. I guess that’s one way to warm up your body first thing. It probably felt more difficult bc of the added weight from the food resupply and my new sleeping bag weighing more than my quilt did. That thing felt like a behemoth today. Plus I packed it in a hurry and didn’t Tetris everything in as smoothly as I’d have liked, so it was packed high instead of low and wide. It made for some discomfort with my neck since I couldn’t lean my head back. Whatever, it’ll get better.
We were greeted at the top of the hill by a gorgeous green tunnel. And then not much farther I almost poked my hiking pole into a huge black snake. I saw it just before I put the pole down, and then screamed and jumped so high I startled both the snake and Lizard, too. He was maybe 6 ft long and pretty thick.. those are Lizard’s estimates because he might as well could have been an anaconda in my eyes. Gi-frikin-normous! I scared him with my screaming that by the time I could breathe again and thought about getting a picture, he was long gone. Maybe next time I see one I won’t act like a 4 year old-but I doubt it. Haha
We crossed lots of different terrain, some pretty trail with rocks, some beautiful pines with their cushy needles under our feet, and a strange area that looked like a controlled burn or some other kind of clearing.
We ate lunch at a little cabin.. and then finally made it into camp around 4:30 ish. We met Red here, another flip flopper, and a couple we had been leap frogging with all day was already here, too, along with Showtime. We all hung out and ate dinner together. Some NOBO thru hikers made it into camp maybe 10-15 minutes after we ate. Pizza Cutter, Heater, and Day Hiker. They started the traditional route at the end of February and they’ll be passing the official half way mark tomorrow morning. Seeing how they met along the way makes me a little sad I don’t have the traditional trail family start most do, BUT I wouldn’t change a thing.. and I’m happy I’ve met Lizard along this journey so early. Even if we don’t end up staying together long, I really enjoy her company and she’s made my first week out here that much more enjoyable.
I’m all wrapped up in my toasty sleeping bag and wool leggings. Even with my first night of no service, I’m one happy camper. Also, I really hope I sent the “I’m ok” message out correctly on the Garmin InReach! I guess we’ll find out when I get some service again.
