Today was possibly one of the most perfect hiking days I have ever experienced. The pack was light (after dumping several pounds of food yesterday), the weather was cool and clear, the humidity was low, climbs were minimal and gradual, and the views were just amazing. The only way today could have been better was if I had gotten a better night’s sleep last night. The shelter-mates were great: fun to visit with, good stories, enjoyable fellowship – until the lights went off and the snoring began. One guy in particular sawed enough logs to build several more shelters. And the grind wasn’t intermittent or for just a few hours – it was all night without end.
PRO-LIFE-HIKING TIP: Those expanding foam earplugs are LITERALLY worth their weight in gold in a trail shelter. I used a pair to block the noise, and yet still had a little trouble getting through the night.
Just after starting today’s hike, I took a few minutes to explore Charlies Bunion – a rock outcropping that bulges out from the primary mountain ridge like a podiactric nightmare. I wonder just what Charlie’s feet really looked like. The rest of the day was spent rolling along the sawtooth-like trail undulations. Some of my favorite parts of the trail on this section are the many short spans that connect small ridge peaks. They look as if you are crossing a suspension bridge of earth with near vertical drops on both sides of the narrow sagging pathway. Winds blowing up one side and down the other serve to complete the illusion.
Also, somewhere around mid-afternoon, I completed 218.9 miles of the AT as measured from Springer Mountain. This is one tenth of the entire 2189.8 mile trail! Only 1970.9 miles to go!
When I arrived at the Tri-Corner Knob shelter (while still on the lam from the Ranger Patrol), I found an unusual but welcome situation. 2 men and 10 women! Welcome because none of them looked remotely capable of the snore-fest experienced last night.
Understand clearly, this was NOT some sordid sorority pajama party. I am pretty sure that eight of the ten women here are older (some much older) than 52-year-old, happily-married-and-fully-fidelitous me (wife, I love you!). The other two are teen-aged daughters of the other guy at the shelter. They are from Chicago. The crowd includes the two sisters from Wisconsin, Dee and Dawn, from the shelter last night, a group of four from Nebraska, and two others from – i dunno – Florida maybe? It would be rude to ask, but a few of these ladies must be, at a minimum, 65. Maybe 70. Good for them! I am inspired, and maybe a bit humbled, and possibly even somewhat shamed, to have them out here conquering the same mountain trails I have struggled to complete.
Because we are at maximum shelter capacity of 12 people, I am considering setting up my tent to stealth camp, but the forecast has rain and there seems to be plenty of room on the two decks of the shelter bunks.
There is word of a Category 3 hurricane Michael that is approaching the Florida panhandle. Maybe its a good thing that I am cutting the trip by one day.
Doctor Photon