Make it count: Day #27

Wednesday, April 8 - Day #27 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 11.4
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 304.7/2,193 (13.89%)

Stan Murray Shelter (384.2) to Roan Mtn (395.6) - hotel at Mountain Harbour B&B

Total ascent - 1,806’
Total descent - 4,059’

Total States Completed - 1/14

Well - the really good part of today is that I’m currently in a warm bed at the Mountain Harbour B&B in Roan Mountain, TN. Getting here was brutal. Today was one of the more trying days of my journey to date.

I knew I was in for it when the winds were picking up as I packed up my tent this morning. I only have 11-1/2 miles — I got this (I thought). Well - about 2-3 miles into the hike — the rains hit. The AT Trail (at least to this point) is largely in the woods. You are often times sheltered from some of the weather because of this. Today - the large portion of the day was atop completely exposed bald mountaintops in the Roan Highlands - not only lacking shelter from the elements - but only adding to the extreme conditions. Normally - this area has the potential to be a beautiful day with views nonstop. Typically - voted as one of the memorial points on the AT. (It was memorable- that’s for sure)

However —- what I found myself up against was ferocious, sideways rain/sleet, brutal high winds nearly knocking me over, very cold temps (had to be high 30’s, low 40’s), unrelenting steep hills, and nothing but a foggy haze for your viewing pleasure. And - just to slap me around a bit more - not a soul person anywhere to be found to confide in. This was just a miserable hiking day. I can’t remember feeling any worse this entire trip. As I was staggering up the final 500’, tripping over stones after getting blown off my feet - all you could do is just smile.

After I peaked and started coming down the backside - I called the hotel I booked to make sure we were still on. I think a closure today would have nearly destroyed me. Luckily - all was good with the reservation. It’s now around 5pm. I’ve had a warm shower, completed my laundry, and had a big burger for lunch. Things are OK with the world once again. I’m really tired and look forward to sone great rest tonight. Tomorrow - it’s expected to rain again - but clear in the afternoon. As of right now - if I never saw rain again for the rest of my life - I would be comfortable with that.

“Sometimes when you’re out on that mountaintop and the rains coming down so hard you can barely see straight, you’re thinking, man - I wish I’d just get blown off this rock. But then there’s this side that comes out - this side that wants to hike more, wants to clear that one more hill, because making it to the top of that mountaintop - when you don’t think you can - that makes all the difference in your life”. Yo Rock - thanks for the encouragement today!

Oh - I did eclipse the 300-mile marker - so there you go Roan Highlands!

8pm - back from having dinner at a food truck outside the B&B. This place is really, really cool. They have 2 rooms in a B&B where I’m staying. They also have a hostal that can sleep 10 people and a treehouse that sleeps a couple. The owners are really nice. I had dinner with Jet, Slow Down, and French Press. It was awesome. So very cool to talk with other folks and rehash the day. These guys are some of my favorite people I’ve met on the trip to date. They felt the same as me after the hike. Jet was saying how he was just screaming out on the climb in the rain. The owners indicated that the area we went through today is always voted the best hike of the entire AT. I knew it was considered special - I didn’t know it was the best. Maybe one day I’ll come back here, do the hike again, and stay in their treehouse. You never know.

It’s really weird - I can’t tell you how much I miss seeing people each day. It’s really critical to how the day goes for me. I’m very independent, live alone, spent a year traveling in Europe largely alone — But man - this hiking thing is different for some reason. I really crave human interaction. I guess in Europe I talked with people all the time throughout the day. In my former life in finance - I talked to way too many people each day. Here - going 7 hours hiking day-in and day-out without coming upon someone at times - I’m finding it more difficult. I’m sort of the middle man out here. You have groups of really young people - and then groups of older people. You have people that are pretty slow and only want 10 miles or so daily. Then - you have the speed burners (that maybe go close to my distance - but so much faster). I’m like the middle - average guy that doesn’t have his place. All good - I’ll figure it out.

Perspective- insite - just some general thoughts from the Roan Highlands. Goodnight out there!