Make it count: Day # 37

Day #37 - AT Hike

Saturday, April 18 - Day #37 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 16.8
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 450.2/2,193 (20.53%)

Trimpi Shelter (524.3) to Chatfield Shelter (541.1) - camp at Chatfield Shelter

Total ascent - 3,618’
Total descent - 3,393’

Total States Completed - 1/14

**Rain day

Coming to you live from Chatfield Shelter - just about 5 miles to Atkins, Virginia. When leaving Damascus - I planned on doing the 75 miles into Atkins in 5 days - averaging 15 miles/day. Since I had 4 really strong days (16, 17.5, 20.1, 16.8) - I get to rest a bit more tomorrow. My feet are really looking forward to it!

The gentleman I mentioned that stayed at the shelter last night - (Trail Name - Boomer) ended up leaving just after me this morning. We passed each other a number of times throughout the day (we’re actually pretty close to the same speed). He’s a 67 year old retired police officer. He just retired last year. He’s sectioned hiked with his son in the past on the AT - but never had the time to thru-hike the whole thing. He started on Feb 7th - so he’s been out here a little while. We actually both are going into Atkins tomorrow- so it worked out well meeting him today. He’s got a few things more to get. Remember when I talked about that heavy rain before getting to Damascus - and how 2 days later I had to take off my shoes and hike up my pants to cross a deep stream. Well - Boomer tried doing this the morning after the rain. The stream swept him off his feet and he lost both of his trekking poles. He’s really lucky he didn’t drown. Add that to the list of things to be worried about — snakes, bears, bees, hypothermia, and DROWNING.

My calves are continuing to improve. I’ve been doing this massage thing each night - I think it’s helping. The feet - sort of going the other direction. I can barely walk at the end of the day from the pain. Boomer caught me on the last mile - I had been quite a ways in front of him most of the day. I’m going to research a few things tomorrow while resting. I’ve been talking with everybody I see out here about options. I think I’m going to try some special inserts first - and if that doesn’t work I may have to try a different brand of shoe. I think I switched them out too late - and even the new shoes aren’t preventing the pain from coming back. I iced them in the creek after the hike today and currently have them elevated on my clothes bag. RICE - rest, ice, compression, elevation. I’m not doing so good on the “R” portion of that formula.

I’m sleeping on a slope this evening. There were no flat spots to put a tent. Let’s hope for no rain or I might wash down the hill. Oh-yeah — it started raining last night around 2am and rained steady until about 8am this morning. It worked out for me because I waited until the rain stopped to get out of my tent. Everything was wet and muddy - but at least I wasn’t getting rained on. Today was really cold again with very breezy conditions. It was also a very rocky trail - making it more difficult for sure.

Here’s to being over 1/5 complete with my journey on total miles! Good night & good health to all!