Total trail mileage: 768.2
Starting location: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Ending location: Marble Spring
Weather: clear and sunny all day, 42-82 degrees during the day
I am at
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=37.570611,+-79.437275
Wow, I got started late today. I woke up and thought it was 7:00. It
was actually 8:40. And then I read for a bit before starting to
hike. So, I didn't get started until 10, which is the latest I have
started in a while.
My back was hurting a little at the end of yesterday. I had thought
that it was just because I was doing a long day with a relatively
heavy pack (recently resupplied). I think though that it had more to
do with the weight distribution than the weight itself. My food bag
was sitting high yesterday which put alot of weight up above my
shoulders. Today I was able to get the food bag lower in the pack
which felt much better.
There were a few sections today with hundreds of crickets. Whenever I
would move, the ones around me would start hopping all over the place,
like popcorn popping. If I stopped, they would stop. I wish the
other bugs would follow their lead and try to get out of my way
instead of flying straight into my face. I don't understand, they can
avoid my hand trying to swat them, but they can't avoid me walking
down the trail.
I think I will start a bug-o-meter rating system. Level 1 is no
bugs. Level 2 is "hey look at that cute bee flying around". Level 3
is "man, they are annoying". Level 4 is "unbearably annoying". Level
5 is "I need to take a day off not because I am tired or I need a
shower but just to avoid the bugs" AND/OR "I need a blood transfusion
because the bugs stole all my blood". Up until recently, I have been
at Level 1 or 2. The past couple days, I have moved into Level 3.
I heard the Northeast got a foot of snow yesterday. If true, can
someone from up there send me a little? Just a little this time, it
would help kill off some of the bugs and lower the temperature a few
degrees.
I am camping at a campsite tonight. I was expecting it to be a
typical one or two tent site next to a spring, which have been pretty
common. I was completely surprised when there were 29 people here
with tents and tarps all over the place. I started getting all the
normal questions about thruhiking.
To address Greg's comment. Yes, I'll post a picture of a shelter. I
didn't take any with my phone today and I am not at a shelter tonight,
but I will try to post one tomorrow. They are probably not what you
are picturing. Most are three walls, a roof, and a wooden sleeping
platform. They are spaced about every 5-10 miles or so on average,
and are usually placed near a water source (stream or spring
typically). Most have privies at the site (saves you from having to
dig a cathole when you need to go to the bathroom). Some have been
built recently and some are rather old (I am not sure what the oldest
one on the AT is, but there was one on the Long Trail that was built
in the 30s). They are frequently infested with mice. They are good
meeting places and good places to take a break. A number of people
sleep in them most nights and avoid having to setup a tent.
Unfortunately, they have made a few people lazy and irresponsible and
motivated those people to send home their primary shelter (tent,
hammock, tarp, etc.). Personally I tend to hammock even when I am
near a shelter as the hammock is more comfortable.
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