Appalachian Trail 2021 – Page 58 – The Unpolished Princess

Day 3

Start: Annapolis Rocks Campground (1050.7). Stop: Raven Rock Shelter ( ATmi 1061.1) Today’s AT miles: 10.4 mi Total AT mileage: 36.1 mi

Y’all! I slept SO. GOOD. It started raining again around 5am, and I think I only woke up that one time.. I fell right back to sleep after I realized what the noise was. When I woke up at 7 and checked the radar, I went back to sleep until 8:30! Hahaha The radar showed 100% rain to 9 and then it went down to 50% at 10. At 8:30 I packed up the entirety of the inside of the tent after changing clothes and brushing my hair and teeth (I spit the toothpaste outside the tent and then covered it before leaving). At 9 I decided I’d goofed off enough, put on my rain gear and stepped out into the rain. Went to a privy nearby (still no #2, rude), got my food bag from the bear pole, made breakfast (biscuits and gravy), and then miraculously while I was eating the last few bites, the rain just up and quit. So, I quickly took down the tent, packed up my food bag, and put all the wetness into my pack, all the while praying I wrapped my dry clothes and sleep stuff well enough to not get drenched by accident.

Then, I was off. The clouds kept threatening rain all “morning” (the 2 whole hours of it I had left), and finally a little after 12 the sun popped out. It happened to be right when I was going up a steep incline, so I paused and took off my rain gear. Sunshine and plastic = sweaty! I kid you not, 4 minutes after I got my pack back on, I heard thunder in the distance. So, I picked up the pace. I can’t be stopping every 5 minutes for wardrobe changes. I passed a few people, none were headed in my direction, except for one-but he was already stopped for the day at the shelter I was passing.

I was going down a steep descent when I swear the temperature dropped by 10 degrees. Now I was almost shivering. I passed some trail maintenance volunteers (holy shit they’re incredible for what they do! I am so grateful to anyone who has ever done that job), and a lady goes, “aren’t you cold?” Obviously, I’m an idiot maam, is what I think.. what I say is, “oh yeah, I got hot earlier. I’ll put my jacket back on when I stop for lunch..” ha—which is exactly what I did about 10 minutes after I passed them LOL.
And thank goodness I did, bc it randomly starting hailing. Cool cool. It passed quickly though.

It sprinkled, threatened to downpour.. all in all it was still a gorgeous day. A lot of muddy ruts, steep inclines and declines, and even some rock scrambles (I may have slipped on my butt once.. whatever). Oh, also of note-I passed two privies today and then ended up digging a hole less than 2 miles from where I’m camping tonight. Where there’s ALSO a privy. At least the ground is soft for digging I guess (damn you petty bowel syndrome).

I made it to camp just after 5 (I was really slow going today for some reason), and laid out all my wet things while I went to get water. I set up my tent when I got back.. and filtered said water and ate dinner (beef stroganoff, delish). I met a few hikers at camp too. A man and his dog, Rain (of course I forget the man’s name), a lady and her dog (it was yippy so i don’t remember either of their names, 2 couples and another solo lady. One of the couples is Adam and Kay, they’re pretty awesome and we started the same day, we’ve just missed each other every day til now! The other couple showed me how to use the bear cables (SO MUCH better than that stupid pole, and Adam said the pole took him and another dude to get their bags up one last night, so I feel better).
Anyway, I’m exhausted and heading to sleep. I wonder what’s in store for tomorrow 🙂

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).

Campsite #9 l- (my water filtering to the left)

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!

Day 1

Start: Harper’s Ferry-ATC (AT mi 1025). Stop: Rocky Run Shelter (AT mi 1041.6)

Today was.. everything id hoped it would be. And then just a little bit more.
As I sit here writing this out, my water is gravity filtering into my smart water bottle, my feet are tired, my tent is up, and my God I am simply elated!

Day one was a success by any measure of the word! I woke up around 6:35am and took my sweet time getting ready, making sure everything I needed was there. Around 8, a friend of mine, Kevin, came and picked me up. I met Kevin a few years ago at a Ragnar Relay Race in Colorado. I joined a random team that was asking for runners in a Facebook group, and I’ve been friends with most of the folks on that team ever since, Kevin being one of them (who says social media doesn’t have its perks?). Kevin and his incredible ultra Marathon crushing wife, Jennie live in West Virginia, very close to my starting point.. and luckily for me, Kevin knows the area AND the AT pretty dang well. We ate an awesome breakfast, ran me by CVS to grab some smart waters (the bottles fit my water filter very well), and then the post office to mail home Lauren’s blanket I finished last night.

Then it was off to the Appalachian Trail Conservatory in downtown Harper’s Ferry to start the trail! Kevin got some pictures of me at an awesome overlook. We went down through town and across the bridge that crosses the Potomac River. Seeing the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers collide together is a seriously stunning view.

Potomac River (left) meeting the Shenandoah River (right)

We meandered 3 miles on a flat path that definitely made me feel more confident than it should have.. because afterwards came my first climb of the day, which was roughly the same as going up Big Kennesaw Mountain 3 times 🤣🥴. That’s when the “oh hell” thoughts started rushing in.. and even in between the ragged breaths and short pauses, I knew this is exactly where I want to be. I have to get rid of all weight I gained carb loading for the last year somehow! Haha

At somewhere before the 7 mile mark and right about noon, we ate lunch (left over pizza from last night for me). After a good 10-15 minutes, while I was still resting my feet, Kevin and I said our goodbyes and he headed back the way we came. I sat there a little longer and then headed north on the trail.

By 2pm I came across the area I was supposed to set up camp. My feet were tired, but I knew if I stopped there for the night I’d end up being bored out of my ever loving mind.. so, I called and chatted up mom while propping my feet up.. then got right back at it. The last 5 miles were definitely slower than earlier in the day. I knew I was getting tired, but a new plan had already been made and I was committed.

As I started to round up the final descent into the area I was hoping and praying to see the shelter I was aiming for, I kept stubbing my shoes on the jagged rocks. I laughed at myself, knowing good and well that if I keep that up, soon the laughing will be cussing.. and it’s too early in the game for cussing.. LOL While I’m entertaining myself with my all over the place thoughts, I remembered Kevin telling me about Jennie trail RUNNING this area! My silly self can barely walk it and stay upright, and she’s out here running it! Damn impressive. Hopefully I’ll get to meet her when I return to WV to go southbound.

I made it to camp. I set up shop close to the stream, hoping the weather forecast is accurate, although it would have to seriously flood to have water reach my tent.. I just couldn’t talk myself in to pitching my tent UPhill when the water was downhill and surrounded by flat perfectly sites. I am a little disappointed that no one else is down this way-yet anyway- because most of the other hikers i saw are staying at/in the shelter, but oh well, at least I know I’ll have one night without hearing some stranger snoring.

The plan for now is to cook & eat dinner (maybe a Mac & Cheese Backpackers pantry meal), hang my food bag on the bear pole, do some stretching, and probably be fast asleep before the sun fully sets!
I wonder what tomorrow will bring? Hopefully more than just the rain..