I saw Pathfinder and met Annie. Ordered some chicken tenders and fries and chatting for awhile while I charged my phone. We eventually made our way to a campsite over half a mile away. This means tomorrow morning I have to walk a mile just to get back to the trail, but it was a slow day for me today and tomorrow is only a 14 mile day. My legs are still tired, but I have made it over halfway through my hike!
I got some exciting news today! I hit my goal of raising $500 for Mind4Athletes! Thanks again for everyone that donated and help support this great cause! I am currently in a car ride back from a grocery store, so I hope all of you are having a great night as I'm out of here! Happy trails!
Day 18. August 5th, 2015. 14 miles. Woke up to a cool morning. Hiked the mile back to the trail and began my day. It was a breezy, cool morning and I stopped five miles in at a shelter. I talked with a section hiker for about an hour and headed out to get to a gas station. The trail is better maintained around here so I made good time. At a road crossing 10.1 miles in, I headed to a deli and pizzeria. I saw Tilt and Akela and met Mountain Goat and Rebel Yell. I ate terrible food and drank some Sobe and a Gatorade before heading out to finish out the day.
I met two section hikers on their first day and wished them good luck. It is amazing the range of people you meet on the trail and inspires hope in the human condition.
I got to the shelter for the night and met Lone Ranger, Cat, and a SoBo The Lover. Bear, Pineapple, Ghengis, and Papa JR showed up a little bit ago. Oh, I saw a huge tree today! I even gave it a hug. It most have been well over 200 years old! Not much else to report. My legs seem strong, my pains are still around but manageable, and nothing really new. If I don't take a zero, I will be getting into Bennington on the 17th if my legs can handle it. Hope you all are well and happy trails!
Day 19. August 6th, 2015. 16.6 miles. I was on the trail by 7:45 and I hiked 10.9 miles by 12:03. I hiked well this morning. I hurt my right foot two days again when my ankle twisted in a rock and pinched the outside portion of my foot into a sharp rock. It doesn't hurt too badly, but whe n i touch it, it is quite a jolt of pain. I'm hoping it isn't a minor stress fracture and just a bruise of some type. I also ran into some slack packers I have seen the past two days and a French woman doing a couple of days on the trail.
I also played slinky with Lone Ranger and Cat today for about five miles before I jetted ahead of them. I made it to a roadie garden center that sold snacks and eventually went to a deli. I ate, walked back the 0.6 to the garden center (adding 1.2 miles to my day unfortunately) and ran into Lone Ranger and Cat who would head to the deli. AND.... *Drumroll* Benjamin (or Sharknado) from my test hike in the Shenandoahs finally caught me! He has been doing 25 mile days and caught me just before the Connecticut line! We will part ways tomorrow, but we have spent the day chatting which has been great.
I hiked the final 5.7 miles and felt crappy the last 3 miles. My achilles were tight and my legs were sore. Tomorrow, I will cross the NY-CT border and finish off NY! I will get into Kent, CT and hopefully find a shower and laundry (I showered last Sunday but I haven't done laundry since Wednesday and I smell horrible), and resupply on food.
Topics of discussion tonight with Pathfinder and Benjamin (Sharknado) include: music, religion, ethics, a new game involving romantic book cover reenactments, and food. I am getting up at 5:30 and it's 10:12 already. Time to hit the hay! Happy trails!
Day 20. August 7th, 2015. 12.7 miles. I woke up with the sun at 5:30 and bantered with Benjamin and Pathfinder while I packed up. I tried to keep up with Sharknado and the other speed demons, but they quickly pulled ahead. I was tired the entire hike. We didn't fall asleep until 11:30 the night before and six hours after consecutive hiking days and a 16.6 mile day was too much for my body. I still managed the 12.7 miles in six hours.
Along the way I met One Hit and her dog Lyla. It was nice to meet her and her dog was a great companion on a break at a view. I was picked up about half way into Kent, CT. Oh yeah, I finished New York this morning! That's six states of fourteen completed!
Anyways, I got into town, found the outfitter, ate some ice cream, candy, and had some soda. I found out about free camping and walked over and settled in. Pathfinder, Annie, and myself walked to get a resupply and do laundry. I showered before leaving. I hadn't done laundry since last Wednesday and hadn't showered since Sunday. I feel human again!
We came back, I cracked opened some PBR and we waited for free cheeseburgers from the outfitter in Kent. Kent is a beautiful town and what a way to come into New England for the first time! I wanted to walk to New England before visiting and I have succeeded!
I ran into Seven, Goldilocks, and Freestyle again. There are too many thru hikers here tonight to name, but with free burgers and a great town, there is a renewal of spirit here in Kent tonight.
A section hiker came and read a passage about Jupiter. Here is a cool excerpt from the passage, "Jupiter, the friendly planet, exercising a beneficial influence on everything that comes in contact with it." My name originates from the song "Jupiter, The Bringer of Jolity", so this passage makes me happy to hear! I hope I am a positive, friendly influence to those I meet! Kent has been a great town and I will be sad to leave. I am tired, but I need to push on. Here's hoping to you all having a great night and Happy trails!
Day 21. August 8th, 2015. 0 miles. I took a zero. A combination of just being too tired and a headache with the pull of the awesome town that is Kent made me zero.
It has been a great day! Met a guy name Puck and Papa JR and Nose Blind showed up. Bunch of SoBos came into town. Jammed out with some eggs (the ones you shake) and imbibed a little to satisfactory levels. A great day and the perfect town to spend too much money in.
Day 22. August 9th. 2015. 17 miles. I awoke with a heavy head at 7 and started to get moving. Had breakfast with a SoBo named Stank at the local diner and got an offer for a slack pack from Annie. Pathfinder and I hiked out for our slack pack. A slack pack is when someone takes your pack up the trail and you walk with food, water, and toilet paper. It was great. We did 15.9 before picking up our packs and had a relaxing hike. We got a Bud Light from Flynn and Rainbow who were slacking with Rainbow's aunt and uncle around mile 12, which was a nice bit of trail magic. We got our packs, fresh fruit, Doritos, and water and did the final 1.1 miles to the Pine Swamp Brook shelter right as the sun set.
Nose Blind was there waiting for us and we met Kim and Erin who are section hikers on their last night of the trail. They gave me some bag wine, Pathfinder and I cooked dinner, and we had good conversation! Best of luck to both of them and their awesome dogs!
I almost forgot, I met a hiker from 2013 today! His name is Choo Choo and I mentioned him in my blog from my 2013 hike. He was a speed demon. He is finishing up his final section this year after graduating grad school. He doesn't do 30 mile days anymore and opts for 20 mile days. Must be tough! It is 10:58 and I am tired. Take it easy out there and Happy Trails!
Day 23. August 10th, 2015. 15.1 miles. I awoke early and tired. Buns and Waves were packing up and I had coffee with Nose Blind. Pathfinder awoke and I headed out. The hiking was easy for the most part except for a road reroute of the trail that beat up my feet for 3.2 miles.
I stopped for lunch and made great time over Mount Prospect and got into Salisbury, CT a little after 3 PM. Ran into Chuckles, Happy Baby, Pegleg, and Mountain Goat. Pathfinder was also in town. I waited for Nose Blind and we got picked up by Hudson and were taken to Bearded Woods Hostel.
With over 900 miles of the AT hiked and many hostels and hotels stayed at along the way, I can say with great confidence that this is the nicest hostel I have stayed at on the trail. We had surf and turf for dinner, good conversation, and a bunk with a great shower. Hudson and Big Luh are amazing hosts and what a way to get into a hostel!
Heavy rains are coming tomorrow and there is some doubt as to the viability of hiking, so let's hope for some ease in the rain to get some hiking done! Happy trails!
Lots of friends along the way!! That is awesome! Fingers crossed you can finish in time and where you want to. Let me know if you need anything. It is SO amazing that you are doing this. SO proud of you. Luv, Ma
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