Make it count: Day #74

Monday, May 25 - Day #74 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 15.2
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 987.3/2,193 (45.02%)

Front Royal (972.1) to Whiskey Hollow Shelter (987.3) - tent at Whiskey Hollow Shelter

Total ascent - 3,202’
Total descent - 2,772’

Total States Completed - 3/14

**No rain - great weather day for hiking. Lows around 58 deg with highs around 75 deg

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Coming to you live from my tent at the Whiskey Hollow Shelter. A really good day out there today. The weather was perfect and I stayed with Empty Space and Jet almost the entire hiking day. Time goes by so fast when you’re talking along the trail. Jet was in the Air Force for 20 years (retiring last year) and Empty Space has a masters degree in environmental therapy. A couple interesting guys. There were a bunch of other hikers out today - the trail was active most of the day.

Since we only got on trail about 10am - it was a later entry into camp. I got in about 5:30pm. Empty Space was about 15 minutes in front of me and I was about 15 minutes in front of Jet. Jet developed an issue with his leg today - pain in his shin. He’s pretty worried about it. Hopefully he’ll be able to go tomorrow. I gave him some of my Arnica gel to see if that would help.

There are about 4 other hikers here at camp - but they were already all setup before we arrived. We didn’t meet them - but nobody we know on the thru-hiker front - some section hikers. Empty Space, Jet, and myself had dinner and talked around the picnic table until a little after 8pm. It starts getting pretty dark deep in the woods around 8:30pm. Once it turns dark - everybody scatters to their tents or in the shelter - it’s a whole different world out here.

I saw 3 snakes today - all laying directly on the AT path. None were poisonous- but it wakes you up for sure. The hike today went pretty smooth - some hills - but not overly technical. It was a good day with a heavier bag out of a resupply.

Tomorrow I go for a big milestone!! I’ve been waiting for this one for a long time. Here’s to another good day on the trail. I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day. Good night - stay well!