Day 59: Grateful

Day 59

Bobblet’s Gap Shelter to Thunder Hill Shelter

Miles Hiked: 23.7

AT Milage: 771.9

This morning I didn’t leave camp until almost 9am. I was so frustrated because I was very ready to leave and hit the trail before 7am but it rained all night long and didn’t stop until after 8am. After the last week of rain I was going slightly mad about it. I hiked 6 miles to a view where I ate lunch and then I hiked to a huge shelter where I took another long break. There were lots of people hanging out there and they instantly recognized me as Itchy’s sister when I walked up (Itchy is Emma’s trail name). The shelter was one of the biggest ones I’ve seen so far and I wish I could have stayed the night but I still had 10 more miles to my destination. After this I hiked with a girl named Geode who I met before Damascus and keep running into. It was nice to have company for the huge uphill at the end of the day. Today my hike had 7,000 feet of elevation gain which is a lot more than I’ve had in a long time. I felt so exhausted and was limping by the end of it. I’m so excited to get new shoes tomorrow!

Today I was so grateful that I am out here hiking the trail. Some days, like today, I still can’t believe it’s real. I thought about how this time last summer I was feverently reading Wired’s trail journal wishing so much that I could do this.

When I crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway one time today, I saw a turtle in the middle of the road. I thought he was going to get ran over right before my eyes but luckily he went between the wheels. I picked him up and helped him cross in the direction he was going.

Today ended with a huge climb of Apple Orchard Mountain and getting to see a neat rock formation called the guillotine. I was so cold once we got to the shelter I put on my puffy coat and all my wool layers. I can’t believe how cold it is for June! I was thinking about sending all my cold weather gear home a while ago. I guess I have to keep it longer.