Date: 2018-05-03
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Stan Murray Shelter
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night I discovered two huge blisters on my feet, one on each heel. I was horrified! Blisters!? With one exception that was foreseen from the start (my baby toe tucks under the toe beside it and this has often caused a small blister) I have been proudly blister free until now! Aren¢t the blisters supposed to show up in the first week or two when you are getting accustomed to the trail, or when you discover that your footwear is ill fitting? Why, why have these shown up now? I could only think of two possibilities. My shoulder had been hurting for a few days and so I had been doing a lot of adjusting of my pack trying to shift the weight more onto my hips. Could this also have changed my gait and caused the blisters? Or, could it be that my boots have worn down enough to cause them to rub where they shouldn¢t rub. Ugh! If feet gross you out, or you aren¢t particularly fond of whining, maybe you should stop here for today because I just need to Take a few minutes to lament over my foot ailments. I have muscle pain in my arches, (hence the custom orthotics) bunions and a bunionette, sore toes, and heal pain. My heals get dry easily and then the skin cracks if they are not tended to regularly. And now, blisters! How will these two collapsing cornerstones that are vital to my ability to hike, ever get me to Katahdin? At the end of each day I hobble around in my camp shoes just trying to get chores done so that I can get off my feet. When I lay down at night I can¢t possibly imagine how I will get up and hike again the next day. But, when morning comes, the pain has decreased enough for me to get right back on my feet and do it again. But for how long?Ok, lament over.The weather was beautiful again today and I absolutely adored the views leading up to Jane Bald. There were a lot of day hikers out enjoying the view as well. I wonder if they appreciate how fortunate they are to live so close to such a gorgeous hiking spot. The beauty of my surroundings and the warmth of the sun were overshadowed by a rumbling cloud that lingered between my son and I. We just weren¢t seeing eye to eye. On anything. Is it fair to list my complaints if he isn¢t here to list his? Probably not.The experience of hiking the AT isn¢t just about the trail and the beautiful scenery. It is also about the physical  effects on your body and the interactions with people you meet along the way....or the ones you bring with you. As much as I am trying to allow him to stretch his wings and gain some independence, when push comes to shove he is still only 13 and I am his mother. Sorry bud, you can¢t exactly hike your own hike just yet. We originally wanted to make it to Overmountain Shelter which is a barn that had been transformed into a shelter. The distance was rather far for us. 17 miles! But wait! Maybe it was only 15. My guide book and my Guthooks app did not agree on the distance. When we arrived at Stan Murray Shelter and found it to be completely empty and quiet, we decided it was the place we would stay for the night. I wanted to see the barn and watch the sunset behind the hills, but more importantly, Cole and I needed a quiet place to talk, and this was it.