Visitors From Home
Saturday, June 20
Weather: overcast, scattered showers, cool
Miles travelled: 23
Total miles on AT: 1428.8
I woke up to hear Andreas packing up and leaving, but I didn't want to get up yet and I knew South Pole hadn't gotten up either. I hadn't slept very well or enough and felt very tired. I lay there for an hour stretching my feet and checking the weather before starting to pack up. As South Pole and I were eating breakfast, a neighboring person emerged from his tent After two hours, I stopped chasing South Pole and stopped for a snack. An hour after that, I stopped for another snack and read my book on a rock. I stayed there for an hour and as I was packing up to leave, Firestarter came up behind me. I walked behind him for several hours and we chatted, which helped pass the time more quickly. He's studying computer science at U Mass Amherst. We talked about school and biking and I don't remember what else.
After 13 miles or so, he got off to take a shower at a park and I kept going by myself another 5 miles to the shelter. I felt tired and unmotivated and I kept twisting my ankles. Several times I had to stop for a snack because I felt weak. Eventually I made it [thankfully] to the shelter, which was a fully enclosed shelter with bunks to accommodate six. There were lots of people there and the bunks were full and people were milling around eating pizza (the shelter is close to the road so you can order delivery) and drinking beer. I was so tired that I just lay my air mattress on the floor and went to sleep right away, without eating anything.
Sunday, June 21
Weather: rainy morning, sunny day
Miles travelled: 19.9
Total miles on AT: 1448.7
The summer solstice. Father's day. Naked hiking day (I did not participate. South Pole didn't see any naked hikers but I was not so fortunate...).
I woke up to rain. The forecast said it would last a couple hours, so I decided to wait until it stopped before I walked (I'm a total chicken about rain). South Pole and Andreas left early, but I lay around and cooked a dinner, finished reading my book, took my time packing up, and left at 9:30 when the rain was done. My feet still got wet from walking through grass and mud puddles, but I was happy not to be walking in rain.
I found a bunch of raspberries for the first time and harvested for a while, enjoying them, although they were not quite ripe. I was very unmotivated and slow all day and was sitting on a rock having a snack when from a distance I saw two hikers... naked. I averted my eyes but couldn't help giggling into my lap as they passed, the one in front saying, "look me in the eyes!"
I ran into Hot Pants at the shelter and it started raining again, so I almost decided to stay there, but eventually walked out into the rain. I had a great end to the day, feeling energized. The rain stopped and everything was beautiful. I stopped at a nature center on a road to camp, where I met several thru hikers; Prime, Clifhanger, and Ferris. I tented five feet from a road on one side and five feet from a commuter train track on the other side so I didn't sleep all night.
Monday, June 22
Weather: sunny and nice
Miles travelled: 18.4
Total miles on AT: 1467.1
I met South Pole and Andreas in the morning and we walked together awhile. We crossed the border into Connecticut! We had a leisurely walk, and stopped to soak our feet in a river for an hour, which felt great. There was a "hiker library" at a shelter, so I replaced my book with a new one. We spent the night in Kent, where a nice couple had established a hiker camping space in a backyard, with a shed and hose to use as a shower. It was crowded. A veritable "tent city".
Tuesday, June 23
Weather: sunny and nice
Miles travelled: 11.1
Total miles on AT: 1478.2
I walked fast all day, motivated because I was meeting my mom and step dad that afternoon. I didn't really take pictures or think much of anything. South Pole, Andreas, and I met my mom and Tim at 1, and they took us to lunch. After lunch, Tim took us back to the trail and we all hiked 1.5 miles together, including my mom. Then South Pole and Andreas went with South Pole's husband to her mother in law's house, where they planned to take a zero day. My mom and Tim and I drove 40 minutes to our "home base." We had a nice afternoon together and ate a lot!
Wednesday, June 24
Weather: sunny and nice
Miles travelled: 21.4
Total miles on AT: 1499.6
My mom walked the first 5 miles with me, and then we met Tim, who walked another mile with us to see a shelter. I walked the remaining 16.5 miles or so by myself, fast, so that I could get back to them quickly. I was really clipping and managed over 3 mph, a feat I haven't achieved since Virginia! Granted, I didn't have a huge horrible pack to bother me.
Thursday, June 25
Weather: partly cloudy, afternoon showers
Miles travelled: 16.9
Total miles on AT: 1516.5
I woke up and didn't feel like walking, so we had a slow morning and I got on the trail at noon. I wanted to try to go as far as possible so I was going as fast as I could, but the terrain was difficult and slowed me down especially at the end. I saw a few thru hikers, which was really nice; Nature Boy, Ox, and Hot Pants. I went over the highest peak in Connecticut and then crossed into Massachusetts! I'm in the final four!
The walk, although difficult, was gorgeous and I enjoyed it. It started to rain near the end and the rocks were really slippery and it was getting late so I asked my mom and Tim to pick me up early.
Friday, June 26
Weather: partly cloudy, cool
Miles travelled: 7.4
Total miles on AT: 1523.9
My mom decided to walk with me again, so we planned a short and easy day. It was their last day with me so I wanted to take advantage of it because I might not see my mom and Tim again until December. The walk went by quickly and we went through pretty flat fields and swampy areas. I'd been hoping to see Scott Jurek, who is trying to beat the speed record for thru hiking the AT. He ended up passing a few hours after I'd finished my hike, and South Pole got a picture with him!
We finished hiking early and went back to our motel room to nap and hang around and enjoy each others' company (and eat lots of food).
Weather: overcast, scattered showers, cool
Miles travelled: 23
Total miles on AT: 1428.8
I woke up to hear Andreas packing up and leaving, but I didn't want to get up yet and I knew South Pole hadn't gotten up either. I hadn't slept very well or enough and felt very tired. I lay there for an hour stretching my feet and checking the weather before starting to pack up. As South Pole and I were eating breakfast, a neighboring person emerged from his tent After two hours, I stopped chasing South Pole and stopped for a snack. An hour after that, I stopped for another snack and read my book on a rock. I stayed there for an hour and as I was packing up to leave, Firestarter came up behind me. I walked behind him for several hours and we chatted, which helped pass the time more quickly. He's studying computer science at U Mass Amherst. We talked about school and biking and I don't remember what else.
After 13 miles or so, he got off to take a shower at a park and I kept going by myself another 5 miles to the shelter. I felt tired and unmotivated and I kept twisting my ankles. Several times I had to stop for a snack because I felt weak. Eventually I made it [thankfully] to the shelter, which was a fully enclosed shelter with bunks to accommodate six. There were lots of people there and the bunks were full and people were milling around eating pizza (the shelter is close to the road so you can order delivery) and drinking beer. I was so tired that I just lay my air mattress on the floor and went to sleep right away, without eating anything.
Sunday, June 21
Weather: rainy morning, sunny day
Miles travelled: 19.9
Total miles on AT: 1448.7
The summer solstice. Father's day. Naked hiking day (I did not participate. South Pole didn't see any naked hikers but I was not so fortunate...).
I woke up to rain. The forecast said it would last a couple hours, so I decided to wait until it stopped before I walked (I'm a total chicken about rain). South Pole and Andreas left early, but I lay around and cooked a dinner, finished reading my book, took my time packing up, and left at 9:30 when the rain was done. My feet still got wet from walking through grass and mud puddles, but I was happy not to be walking in rain.
I found a bunch of raspberries for the first time and harvested for a while, enjoying them, although they were not quite ripe. I was very unmotivated and slow all day and was sitting on a rock having a snack when from a distance I saw two hikers... naked. I averted my eyes but couldn't help giggling into my lap as they passed, the one in front saying, "look me in the eyes!"
I ran into Hot Pants at the shelter and it started raining again, so I almost decided to stay there, but eventually walked out into the rain. I had a great end to the day, feeling energized. The rain stopped and everything was beautiful. I stopped at a nature center on a road to camp, where I met several thru hikers; Prime, Clifhanger, and Ferris. I tented five feet from a road on one side and five feet from a commuter train track on the other side so I didn't sleep all night.
Monday, June 22
Weather: sunny and nice
Miles travelled: 18.4
Total miles on AT: 1467.1
I met South Pole and Andreas in the morning and we walked together awhile. We crossed the border into Connecticut! We had a leisurely walk, and stopped to soak our feet in a river for an hour, which felt great. There was a "hiker library" at a shelter, so I replaced my book with a new one. We spent the night in Kent, where a nice couple had established a hiker camping space in a backyard, with a shed and hose to use as a shower. It was crowded. A veritable "tent city".
Tuesday, June 23
Weather: sunny and nice
Miles travelled: 11.1
Total miles on AT: 1478.2
I walked fast all day, motivated because I was meeting my mom and step dad that afternoon. I didn't really take pictures or think much of anything. South Pole, Andreas, and I met my mom and Tim at 1, and they took us to lunch. After lunch, Tim took us back to the trail and we all hiked 1.5 miles together, including my mom. Then South Pole and Andreas went with South Pole's husband to her mother in law's house, where they planned to take a zero day. My mom and Tim and I drove 40 minutes to our "home base." We had a nice afternoon together and ate a lot!
Wednesday, June 24
Weather: sunny and nice
Miles travelled: 21.4
Total miles on AT: 1499.6
My mom walked the first 5 miles with me, and then we met Tim, who walked another mile with us to see a shelter. I walked the remaining 16.5 miles or so by myself, fast, so that I could get back to them quickly. I was really clipping and managed over 3 mph, a feat I haven't achieved since Virginia! Granted, I didn't have a huge horrible pack to bother me.
Thursday, June 25
Weather: partly cloudy, afternoon showers
Miles travelled: 16.9
Total miles on AT: 1516.5
I woke up and didn't feel like walking, so we had a slow morning and I got on the trail at noon. I wanted to try to go as far as possible so I was going as fast as I could, but the terrain was difficult and slowed me down especially at the end. I saw a few thru hikers, which was really nice; Nature Boy, Ox, and Hot Pants. I went over the highest peak in Connecticut and then crossed into Massachusetts! I'm in the final four!
The walk, although difficult, was gorgeous and I enjoyed it. It started to rain near the end and the rocks were really slippery and it was getting late so I asked my mom and Tim to pick me up early.
Friday, June 26
Weather: partly cloudy, cool
Miles travelled: 7.4
Total miles on AT: 1523.9
My mom decided to walk with me again, so we planned a short and easy day. It was their last day with me so I wanted to take advantage of it because I might not see my mom and Tim again until December. The walk went by quickly and we went through pretty flat fields and swampy areas. I'd been hoping to see Scott Jurek, who is trying to beat the speed record for thru hiking the AT. He ended up passing a few hours after I'd finished my hike, and South Pole got a picture with him!
We finished hiking early and went back to our motel room to nap and hang around and enjoy each others' company (and eat lots of food).
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