Make it count: Day #83

Wednesday, June 3rd - Day #83 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 15.7
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 1124/2,193 (51.25%)

Tentsite (108.3) to Boiling Springs (1124) - Lisa’s Hostal in Boiling Springs

Total ascent - 2,317’
Total descent - 3,208’

Total States Completed - 6/14

**Rain Day - Big thunderstorm mid-day during the hike. It also stormed again late in the evening at the Hostal.

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Coming to you live from Lisa’s Hostal in Boiling Springs, PA. Caruso (49 years old), Sherpa Mike (I had said Sherpa Tom incorrectly yesterday - 58 years old), and myself are staying here tonight in the private cottage/trailer. There’s also a couple other thru-hikers staying in the bunkhouse.

15.7 miles today. It was a roller-coaster course - so lots of short, steep climbing and descending. A big thunderstorm hit in the middle of the day - luckily we were on one of our descents. There was thunder but very distant lighting - so not too bad. The final 2 miles were through some farming fields leading to Boiling Springs. Caruso, Sherpa Mike and I hiked together all day.

Once into town, we called a shuttle driver to bring us to our destination tonight. I was planning on just staying at the Quality Inn in Carlisle (where my trekking pole inserts were arriving). To help save on expenses - we all decided to go to the Hostal in Boiling Springs instead. I had the shuttle driver swing by the Quality Inn and I picked up my package from Black Diamond (awesome - bendy pole is now fixed). Oh-yeah — By the way - these guys have nicknamed me “Raptor”. Within 2 hours of us walking together - they couldn’t help but commenting on my trekking pole. They said I looked like some kind of raptor with claws as I climbed the steep hills. So there you go - my trail name - “Raptor”. Let’s see if that sticks. (They have consistently called me that - they even tell their wives they’re now hiking with a new guy - “Raptor”)

So we were planning to stay at this place for 2 nights - but it’s in pretty bad condition (A/C broken, septic tank full, very small). We have decided to stay at a hotel in Carlisle tomorrow. We got a $53/night rate - so all good. I’ll have my own room tomorrow.

The goal is to hike about 10-11 miles tomorrow and have a shuttle driver take us back to our hotel. My very original intentions were to be camping tonight and only stay in a hotel tomorrow - but it’s planning to storm all night so being under a roof is advantageous. This actually works out great. It’s the very first time on the trip that I will be slack-packing. That means I’ll be hiking with limited gear (a lot less weight) because all my camping stuff and extra clothes will be dropped off at our hotel tomorrow morning. Lots of people use slack packing on occasion to take big loads off their legs on extremely challenging sections. Tomorrow is really expected to be a flat, easy section - but it will be fun to try it out. I’m still hiking the miles - just without so much weight. (No rules on how much weight you must carry)

Ok - it’s about 10pm here. I need to get some sleep tonight. Allergies have been messing with me the last couple nights. I took a Claritin - hoping it helps tonight.

Good night. Hoping to be coming to you live from the Red Roof Inn in Carlisle, PA tomorrow on a Nero. I’m hoping to be in hotel with resupply finished by 2pm. Looking forward to the rest.