A Trail Name

Day 5: Saying goodbye

Weather: heavy fog and rain, insanely cold

Miles travelled: 13.1

Total miles on AT: 66.0

Aches and pains: left hip

I said goodbye to my dad at 8 in the morning, when I took a shuttle back to the trail and he stayed to wait for his shuttle to Atlanta. 

It was incredibly cold, so I was wearing all my layers. I felt good and started really fast, passing everyone going up and down mountains, listening to music. I could hardly see a foot in front of me because the fog was so heavy. There were some day hikers coming in the opposite direction and one of them said "here comes a runner, move out of her way!"

There was more trail magic too! Two coolers with snacks and drinks. I hardly ever eat my own food because there's so much trail magic.

There might've finally been some nice views at the tops of the mountains, but everything was obscured by fog.

By this time my hip was really hurting and I was listening to an audiobook to distract myself. I quickly realized that I don't like most of my music.

It felt like forever before I finally reached the shelter, and then I didn't know anyone. I was freezing and missing having my dad with me, and wishing I could go home. 

The night was awful. My bag is rated to 20 degrees and I wore all of my clothes and had a silk liner and a hot water bottle but I was cold and shivering all night. I didn't sleep at all and couldn't wait till morning so I could start hiking and be warm again. It even snowed a little, and it was below 24 (because it was 24 in town). 

Day 6: too cold!

Weather: sunny but so cold! 

Miles travelled: 3.6

Total miles on AT: 69.6

Aches and pains: left hip, knee

I decided to hike in to a hostel to stay away from the cold, a projected 15 degree night is just not something I wanted to deal with. I didn't want to stay in many hostels, but I will happily make an exception in this case.

This made my day short. Most of the people at the shelter, who I'd started to get to know, also hiked into the hostel. 

Cooper Trooper is still here so we played lots of cards and went into town for a couple things. I bought more tea and new insoles, because the arches in my old insoles are far too high and have been hurting my feet. It felt weird not to walk.

I was in my bunk comparing pillows with the other people in the bunkhouse and one of them went, "well you're just crafty aren't you? You made your pillow and dehydrated your own food." And with that everyone chorused "crafty!" And with that I'd been named, and have already heard countless jokes about me building shelters and bunks and sewing sleeping bags... It's good to finally have a trail name!

Tomorrow night is supposed to be much warmer so I'm going to keep trucking as long as I feel it's right. Might be fun, might just hurt, but it'll certainly be worth it.