I couldn't decide what to name this post. I had a bunch of ideas as I was walking, and I'll just talk about each of them.
"Weekly"
Since I've been keeping to my proposed schedule so well...
Since I've been keeping to my proposed schedule so well...
"Roads. Right things. Nobody shits in the well."
It's a joke from The Wise Man's Fear about civilization. After leaving the Smokies, we almost immediately crossed under powerlines, crossed our first interstate (I-40?), and stayed at a hostel. It was odd to see so many people and cars and litter, since we had been in a National Park for about a week. (Ignoring Gatlinburg).
It's a joke from The Wise Man's Fear about civilization. After leaving the Smokies, we almost immediately crossed under powerlines, crossed our first interstate (I-40?), and stayed at a hostel. It was odd to see so many people and cars and litter, since we had been in a National Park for about a week. (Ignoring Gatlinburg).
"You should have seen that sunrise (with your own eyes)"
From the song 3x5. This was for the morning after we stayed at Max Patch, when we saw a great sunrise. We did take pictures, but it really didn't fit into a picture frame. The entire time I stayed there was great. Spyro had to wait at Standing Bear to get a package from Ari, and I got to Max Patch hours before him, and called all of my family. (Though both my dad and mom said almost the same thing. "Hi. Great to hear from you. I have a meeting now." *click* #exaggerated) I really enjoyed lounging around enjoying the panoramic view and talking to people.
From the song 3x5. This was for the morning after we stayed at Max Patch, when we saw a great sunrise. We did take pictures, but it really didn't fit into a picture frame. The entire time I stayed there was great. Spyro had to wait at Standing Bear to get a package from Ari, and I got to Max Patch hours before him, and called all of my family. (Though both my dad and mom said almost the same thing. "Hi. Great to hear from you. I have a meeting now." *click* #exaggerated) I really enjoyed lounging around enjoying the panoramic view and talking to people.
"Leapfrog"
Normally when I'm hiking, I take a short break every hour or two, but coming out of Hot Springs was hot. Spyro said he would have much rather visited Warm Springs. So on 4/13 we kept passing people who then passed us a half hour later when we stopped. Eventually the group of us who were hiking (me, Spyro, Dr. Zoom, Wet Stray Dog) all stopped at a pond and laughed about it as we got water.
Normally when I'm hiking, I take a short break every hour or two, but coming out of Hot Springs was hot. Spyro said he would have much rather visited Warm Springs. So on 4/13 we kept passing people who then passed us a half hour later when we stopped. Eventually the group of us who were hiking (me, Spyro, Dr. Zoom, Wet Stray Dog) all stopped at a pond and laughed about it as we got water.
"Rain, Sleet, Snow, AND Hail"
The next day was a rainstorm, but the day after the weather got bad. (I have the opinion that the weather should pick which side of 32 degrees it wants to be on and stay there.) In the morning it raining, and we stopped for lunch at a place that was also a hostel (that I have to ask Spyro for the name of every time). The owner was trying to convince us that the weather was bad enough that we should stay there, and mentioned that it was sleeting further down the trail. (I never actually saw the sleet.) When we continued hiking it was snowing, and then there was maybe-hail, which was tiny ice pellets. Dr. Zoom thought it wasnt, and I trust him because he's a doctor. (He's not actually a doctor.) When we stayed in Highback Ridge Shelter, Zoom set up his tent inside the shelter, to the amusement of everyone inside. (There was room in the shelter because tents are generally warmer.)
The next day was a rainstorm, but the day after the weather got bad. (I have the opinion that the weather should pick which side of 32 degrees it wants to be on and stay there.) In the morning it raining, and we stopped for lunch at a place that was also a hostel (that I have to ask Spyro for the name of every time). The owner was trying to convince us that the weather was bad enough that we should stay there, and mentioned that it was sleeting further down the trail. (I never actually saw the sleet.) When we continued hiking it was snowing, and then there was maybe-hail, which was tiny ice pellets. Dr. Zoom thought it wasnt, and I trust him because he's a doctor. (He's not actually a doctor.) When we stayed in Highback Ridge Shelter, Zoom set up his tent inside the shelter, to the amusement of everyone inside. (There was room in the shelter because tents are generally warmer.)
"Double Nero (All across the sky?)"
At this point I was getting pretty fatigued. I hadn't had a 0 since Fontana Dam. (Though there was a Nero in/around Gatlinburg) (AFAIK Spyro doesn't get fatigued. He's been hiking faster than me since the second week, and so has had more rest while we're hiking. I've been closing the gap recently.) So we took a double Nero around Uncle Johnnys, which gave us more than 24 straight hours of rest, with two great rounds of Kings right in the middle of it. I also went to a Holy Thursday Mass at the local Catholic Church, which was the only service I've been to since starting the trail. The double Nero really helped me transition into the 20+ mile days that we've been doing since.
At this point I was getting pretty fatigued. I hadn't had a 0 since Fontana Dam. (Though there was a Nero in/around Gatlinburg) (AFAIK Spyro doesn't get fatigued. He's been hiking faster than me since the second week, and so has had more rest while we're hiking. I've been closing the gap recently.) So we took a double Nero around Uncle Johnnys, which gave us more than 24 straight hours of rest, with two great rounds of Kings right in the middle of it. I also went to a Holy Thursday Mass at the local Catholic Church, which was the only service I've been to since starting the trail. The double Nero really helped me transition into the 20+ mile days that we've been doing since.
"Happy Holidays"
This one would only work if I posted it on Easter. The morning of Easter I made sure to say "Happy Easter" to the first group of hikers that I walked past, and they didn't respond as expected. They said "Happy 4/20" back. (I hadn't been keeping track of the date.) We decided that the politically correct thing to do would be to say Happy Holidays to include everybody. Also, considering the amount of people who smoke on the trail, 4/20 was much more actively celebrated.
This one would only work if I posted it on Easter. The morning of Easter I made sure to say "Happy Easter" to the first group of hikers that I walked past, and they didn't respond as expected. They said "Happy 4/20" back. (I hadn't been keeping track of the date.) We decided that the politically correct thing to do would be to say Happy Holidays to include everybody. Also, considering the amount of people who smoke on the trail, 4/20 was much more actively celebrated.
"A History of Magic (by Bathilda Bagshot?)"
We have been getting ridiculously lucky with trail magically recently. The day before Easter, we got magic twice, a guy from the church I went to at Indian Grave Gap (BT), and from Rob at Iron Mountain Gap. We saw signs saying that there would be Easter Morning magic, and arrived there with the "Happy Holidays" group. It was the leftovers from a local church's Easter morning breakfast delivered by Tailgate, a section hiker with less than 100 miles in the Whites left, and it was great. Later that day, I walked by the shelter that we were supposed to eat lunch in, and I ran into some previous thru-hikers while I ate, and they were happy to give me some snacks and take my trash.
We have been getting ridiculously lucky with trail magically recently. The day before Easter, we got magic twice, a guy from the church I went to at Indian Grave Gap (BT), and from Rob at Iron Mountain Gap. We saw signs saying that there would be Easter Morning magic, and arrived there with the "Happy Holidays" group. It was the leftovers from a local church's Easter morning breakfast delivered by Tailgate, a section hiker with less than 100 miles in the Whites left, and it was great. Later that day, I walked by the shelter that we were supposed to eat lunch in, and I ran into some previous thru-hikers while I ate, and they were happy to give me some snacks and take my trash.
And then, yesterday, before getting into Damascus, we got double magic again! There was a metal bear box that had a cooler of soda and some snacks from the local church, and then Polar Bear gave us some snacks and enough bottled water to keep us from having to walk 0.3 for a spring. (Thru-hikers will gladly walk 20+ mile days, but we love to bitch about water sources that require more than a half mile round trip. There is a definite differnence between a short 0.2 to a water source and a long 0.2)
"22 miles is my upper limit" or "DAMASCATHON!!!"
After our first 22 mile day on 4/23, I was pretty beat. I told Spyro that I probably shouldn't push any further than that for a little while. Mobius told me that I should push my limits, and I realized that we were staying 26.3 miles from the center of Damascus. (You can see where this is going...) The next day we pushed hard in the morning, and managed 15 miles before we took lunch. We ran into Dr. Zoom, who had pushed 25 the day before and was doing the Damascathon. (I got him water down a long 0.2, since there was no point in making multiple people make the walk. I carried 7 liters up that side trail. Most workout my arms have gotten yet.) So after 5 we hit a campsite and decided to press on. We hit the TN-VA state line, and pressed on. The last mile or so was slow, and the bottoms of my feet hurt, but I feel great after a 0.
After our first 22 mile day on 4/23, I was pretty beat. I told Spyro that I probably shouldn't push any further than that for a little while. Mobius told me that I should push my limits, and I realized that we were staying 26.3 miles from the center of Damascus. (You can see where this is going...) The next day we pushed hard in the morning, and managed 15 miles before we took lunch. We ran into Dr. Zoom, who had pushed 25 the day before and was doing the Damascathon. (I got him water down a long 0.2, since there was no point in making multiple people make the walk. I carried 7 liters up that side trail. Most workout my arms have gotten yet.) So after 5 we hit a campsite and decided to press on. We hit the TN-VA state line, and pressed on. The last mile or so was slow, and the bottoms of my feet hurt, but I feel great after a 0.
"Descent into Madness"
I've picked up a walking stick, named him Wilson, and have started thumbing my earlobe and humming when I see a pretty girl. Kidding, though I did pick up the walking stick. Though from what I hear, my next post may be "VA: Descent into Madness"
I've picked up a walking stick, named him Wilson, and have started thumbing my earlobe and humming when I see a pretty girl. Kidding, though I did pick up the walking stick. Though from what I hear, my next post may be "VA: Descent into Madness"
Pussel-gut
Glad you got to service on Holy Thirsday. It sounds like Easter found you in the form of food. You inspire us all.
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