Date: 2019-07-25
From: Stealth Camping at 1269.3 Delps Tr.

To: Stealth Camping Site 1286.2
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

I was a little chilled again last night but not cold. I think it¢s because I¢ve slept the last two nights with the rain fly half off. It¢s also been cooler. I slept great again. It¢s nice to sleep through the night. I got on trail at 719, I¢m getting closer to my 700 start time. I walked for 6 miles to the first shelter and I stopped for a break and to use the privy. As I walked up there was a couple in the shelter. They greeted me immediately. The guy offered me coffee. I declined but thanked him. We started chatting and I noticed he was carrying a gun on his hip and I immediately asked him if he was law enforcement, he said no he¢s got his carry permit and he carries. I then noticed his wife was packing heat also. I sat and talked to them for over a half hour while doctoring my feet and eating a snack. He has done alot of boondock camping and we exchanged numbers so he can send me some helpful information. I continued on and I met a hiker named Kodachrome from Switzerland ??. He is on the third leg of the triple crown and hikes about 25 miles a day. He mentioned a motel at the next road crossing as a water source and possibly a soda machine. When I got to the road I read the motel description and didn¢t see info about a soda machine. I did see .8 in the other direction a pub with lunch. Now the 1st half of the trail, pre family vacation Chuck would not walk .8 to get lunch. I said, ¢What the heck.¢ and I walked the .8 to find the pub closed. Luckily I had seen Salad on the way in and he said he ate at a diner and it was good. I went to the diner and had a Ruben, fries, & a peach iced tea. I finished lunch with a chocolate milkshake. Hiker hunger has not returned yet.  I left the diner and was headed back to the trail thinking I might stop and get a Coke. A guy pulled over and offered me a ride back to the trailhead. I gladly accepted. He was a nice guy and was telling me about a friend of his who walked the trail and wrote a book about it. I chatted with for about 15 minutes at the trailhead. He offered to give me a ride to the store and offered me water. He said he wants to walk the trail some day, he¢s 63. Back on trail I met and older guy 72 walking with his grandson from OK. The grandson said he thought I was about 39 when I mentioned I was 50 in conversation ?. The guy said he wants to walk the southern half of the trail someday. More on that later. The trail has been pretty lately, more ¢woodsy¢, it¢s nice. There have been alot of town noises like cars, trucks, & planes but the woods seem pretty again. Just after having that thought I saw two deer, a doe and a buck. A half mile later I saw a fawn. A mile later I saw a rather large bear. I was getting really tired and my feet were starting to hurt. My goal was 19 for the day but I had a contingency of 17 and a water source. I made it to the 17 and called it a day. Back to the ¢someday¢ comments. I hear many people along the trail say that ¢someday¢ I want to walk the trail. I am very fortunate that my ¢someday¢ is now. It wasn¢t easy getting here but I¢ve semi been planning this for 10 years and seriously planning it the last three. Again I am fortunate that my circumstances allow me this wonderful opportunity but I want to say, just do it! or get the ball moving in that direction! Take steps toward that goal, whatever it is. Life is short. I tell my wife all of the time; Not one person has ever said on their death bed, ¢I wish I would have spent more time cleaning house.¢ Wildlife update: Buck, Doe, Fawn, Big BEAR.