Miles: 11 to Spring Mountain Shelter
I feel a million times better today. I talked to some people here at the shelter and they lost their hiker appetites in town too. That happened fast! I hiked alone most of the day today which gave me so many opportunities to meet new people. After paying Jess at Elmer's, getting my AT passport stamped, and signing the guest book, I walked through town. I used the free WiFi outside the outfitter (Have I mentioned ATT pretty much never has service on the south part of the AT?), ate breakfast on the bench, then set out. Lotus, a girl from GA, was walking out too so we left together. We both missed the turnoff for the trail and had to backtrack to find it. After we hopped the guardrail next to the bridge we were back on track. I passed so many people camping "down by the river." Made me think of that Chris Farley SNL skit. They definitely were flirting with hobo as opposed to NOBO status. It's a fine line...
I took things slow today to regain my trail legs. It was hot and my pack weighed a ton. I took many breaks to rest and cool down. I met Outback and Mocha from Chicago. I think they are a father/daughter team but didn't ask. I also met a guy named Tuna and a girl named Meticulous. They were slackpacking, which means someone else shuttled most of their gear from point A to point B and they just carried small packs with daily essentials. So jealous!
Part of the trail had been part of a controlled burn. I saw my first reptile, a skink! Passed a few gravestones. May or may not have stopped for a break on a grave. I couldn't tell but was tired and hungry and didn't particularly care one way or the other.
It seemed to take a long time to get to the shelter. That last mile or so always seems longer than the rest. The shelter is small and not great so I pitched my tent nearby. The shitter was full. I wrote that National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation quote in the shelter register. My sister would be proud! But seriously, the privy was just inches from overflowing but I did not feel like digging a cathole so I used it anyway. Gross! I later found out that when Tigger passed through she "knocked down the fecal cone." You go girl! The trail community thanks you. That's a shitty job.
Most of my friends still hadn't showed up to the shelter hours later. Who knows where they are. Isn't Black, an older man from Germany who I met at Elmer's, made a small fire that I'm sitting next to at the moment. It's a 15 mile day to the shelter tomorrow. It's supposed to rain in the morning and storm in the afternoon. Hopefully it won't be too bad.
Best Thing: Meeting new people and hiking again.
Looking Forward To: Getting closer to Katahdin!
So proud! :)
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