Make it count: Day #105 - AT Hike

Thursday, June 25 - Day #105 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 20.6
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 1461.4/2,193 (66.64%)

Morgan Stewart Shelter (1440.8) to Ten Mile River Shelter (1461.4) - camp at Ten Mile River Shelter

Total ascent - 3,055’
Total descent - 4,080’

Total States Completed - 9/14

**No Rain - Mid 80’s high. Mid 60’s low. Nice day

————-

“I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow - the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring”

Well - this quote is pretty appropriate. Right now - I’m at the Ten Mile River Shelter with 9 old/new friends: Chickweed, Cambyr, Punchline, Dirty Jobs, Serpeant, Blueberry, Overboard, Cookie Monster, and Loofah. As the world turns on the AT trail.

I started the day pretty bummed out (first day to leave camp alone in a few weeks). I got out of camp around 5:45am and just started walking. The morning went by fast. Around noon - I was already at 13 miles into my 20.6 mile hike. I hadn’t seen anybody to this point.

Then - the tides began to change. Up ahead - I see Pine Sticks. He and I walked together for about an hour. He knows Caruso and Sherpa Mike well - so I told him the whole story about Caruso leaving. It was great to talk it out with him.

I walked ahead of Pine Sticks during the next climb. I came down the hill into a shelter - 4 miles from my final destination today. And - believe it or not - there were all these people I knew. They all called out my name. Chickweed runs over and gives me a hug. Unreal! This is the group I had hiked around before I went back to the Smokies. I’m now caught up with them.

So - I hiked together with the group to the shelter we’re at tonight. They were planning to stay at the exact spot as me. These guys are a lot of fun. (I need more fun in my life). A couple of them had met a friend a few miles before the shelter and went and picked up some beer, Gatorade, and snacks. A little party broke out for a couple hours. Very, very cool.

These guys brought me into the group with open arms. I’m planning to hike with them tomorrow and stay at the same camp area again. Wow - that’s a quick bounce back. Only problem here is this — these guys are cool, like to have fun — but they are also very slow. They take more days off, they hike a few miles a day and call it good. They have a good time for sure - but staying with these guys may mean an additional 2-3 weeks on trail - meaning I may not finish until Labor Day. I really want to get back to Colorado and get high altitude training in the mountains for Everest BaseCamp as early as I can. The mountains can get snowy in mid to late September. The end of August is perfect 14-er weather. Dilemma - what do I do?

I’m just going to see how things play out. If I keep on my pace now - I’ll blow by them quickly and be days ahead. I might look for a compromise here. I’d really like some people with me to hike the White Mountains in NH. Maybe I stay with them for a little while. We’ll see.

Today I finished up New York and walked a few miles into Connecticut. To shake it up a bit - to welcome us into Connecticut- here’s the state song (for real);

“Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a pony
He stuck a feather in his hat
And called it macaroni

Yankee Doodle, keep it up
Yankee Doodle dandy
Mind the music and the step
And with the girls be handy

Father and I went down to camp
Along with Captain Gooding
And there we saw the men and boys
As thick as hasty pudding

Yankee Doodle, keep it up
Yankee Doodle dandy
Mind the music and the step
And with the girls be handy”

———

Now - that’s a solid state song! Connecticut is only 50 miles - so I should be into Massachusetts on Sunday. Crazy!

Well - it’s 10pm now. Time for some shut-eye. What will happen tomorrow with the ever-changing social dynamics of the AT - I have no earthly idea what to expect

Goodnight from Connecticut!