Make it count: Day #16

Saturday, March 28 - Day #16 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 13.1
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 170.9/2,193 (7.79%)

Groundhog Creek Shelter (248.7) to Walnut Mountain Shelter (261.8) - tent at Walnut Mountain Shelter

Total ascent - 3,535’
Total descent - 2,624’
Total States Completed - 1/14

Solid day today. 13.1 miles with a respectable 3,535’ ascent. The temperatures are warming up. It was in the 80’s today. I drank around 4L of water throughout the course of the day - and I don’t think it was enough. Luckily - there’s usually plenty of water sources as summer months arrive and temps increase. There was a 750’ climb right at the end of the day to the shelter. I was so hot I stopped at a creek and threw water on my head and soaked my hat. It reminded me of how I feel in the later stages of a warm marathon (Honolulu Marathon this past December as an example).

One thing I’ll need to do on really hot days is start VERY early in the morning - like before first light. I’d like to have 75% of my hike in by noon if possible. If I start at 6am - it’s plausible I could have 12-15 miles in before noon. I’m roughly averaging 2miles/hr — but that includes breaks, lunch, picture taking, etc. Today I started at 8am and finished around 2:30pm (6.5 hrs) for 13.1 miles.

I’m not fast by any stretch - but I’m keeping a pretty solid pace. I had to laugh earlier. I was one of the first people out of camp. Not 10 minutes after I left - Yard Sale and Jello (a young couple) powered by me like I was standing still. I always begin slowly - plus there was a big climb to start. I was eating a Cliff Bar and just moseying along. About 3 miles later - I caught up to them taking a break. I went on. The next couple miles were really hilly. The final ascent they past me again. They both said: “You’re fast man”. “Yeah - really fast”. First of all - I’m not fast - just consistent. I did think it was funny though because they were clearly astonished that I was doing as well as I was.

It’s really interesting the perception you give people (in both directions). Often times - when people hear I’ve done a lot of marathons - they instantly think I’m some kind of super fast runner. Sometimes they ask if I want to go for a run. I clearly tell them my pace but most of the time they think I’m just being modest and not saying my true speed. However - when we’re out there and I can’t keep that 8-8-1/2 minute pace - you can see them sort of amazed. Like: “Man - How can you have completed so many marathons - you’re really not so fast at all”. Basically - the answer to today and the answer to the running example —- I’m a grinder and continue efforting all the time. It’s not fancy, it’s not amazing - but it can yield results if you keep your head down

So the middle part of the hike today - we came to a place they call Max Patch. It’s an amazing open hillside where you have full 360 degree views of mountains in all directions. Really unbelievable!! In my pre-hike research - lots of people listed this as a Top 10 place for them. Some hikers camp up on the mountain. This would have been really fun to do- but timing with the bypass was just not right. Maybe 1 day I’ll come back here and camp up there. If you’re ever in this area - I’d certainly recommend Max Patch to anyone.

The other really cool thing that happened today - I met up with my Tramily. I was sitting down for a break and around the corner - here comes Pepper. Crazy! A few of them had camped at Max Patch last night. He was behind the group because he had left a charger at a hostel the night before that he went back to grab. It turns out that those guys bypassed the Smokes the same day as me - yesterday. Instead of 7 miles like I did - they powered to the top of Max Patch. It was really cool of him to stop and check in. He said: “Man - everybody talks about you and wonders how you’re doing”. We exchanged info on GutHooks. Those guys will be in Hot Springs on Monday when I’m there. Pepper said: “A couple people backed out - we have 9 of us now - I include you as part of our group”. You know - I don’t know how much I’ll be with these guys in the coming months - but it’s really cool to feel like you’re part of a group. These guys, for the most part, are in their late 20s I’d say. They could completely blow me off. It meant a lot to me to have that conversation with Pepper today.

Tomorrow I’ll have another 13+ mile day which will bring me to Hot Springs, NC. I have a hotel room for 2 nights. I will be taking a Zero on Monday. (I always feel like a slacker when I write that). However - I had planned a Zero here and rest is absolutely key for me to keep down any lingering issues. I know I can do this - I just have to stay healthy. I’m 100% on track with my pre-hike goals. I had hoped to be at 165 miles by the end of today. As we sit here - I’m at 170.9. Keep plodding along!!

Goodnight from the border of Carolina/Tennessee. I don’t know what state I’m in currently. Happy Saturday - go do something that scares you (or just something you’ve never done before)