Date: 2015-06-06
From: Dickey Gap

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: scattered clouds

June 6thDickey Gap to Partnership Shelter13.7 Miles I awoke and was out of camp early again. I made it to Trimpi Shelter before Ten so I could get some water to make breakfast. There were no sources between Dickey and the shelter (@ 4 miles) and I had none left over from the day before.    I am using a nutrition powder as my 'food' on the trail. That and a candy bar a day are my sole source of calories and nutrition. It works surprisingly well, although it is far from enjoyable. A big weaknesses is that it does require water, so no water means not only do I risk dehydration but also starvation. If you are curious it is called Soylent (yes, insert joke here in regards to the movie). I do eat 'normal' food in town though.    I was excited about the day because my planned stopping point was Partnership Shelter - one of only two shelters on the A.T I know of that has a shower. You can also order pizza from the Park Welcome center next to the shelter! Luxury!   I hauled ass. I was tired of the Soylent (it works great but again it's not enjoyable) so a pizza was calling my name. No real sights to see along the way. I did hear a rumor that some guy who was trying to set a new speed record for completing the A.T would be passing through soon.   I made it in to the Shelter @ 3:30pm. I had planned to order pizza and rest for a couple of hours and then try to put in a couple more miles. I was looking for the phone number of the pizza place when a guy runs over and says that a woman was willing to drive any hiker into town. I was reluctant to go - I had a scheduled stop the next day in Atkins and had no real need to go in town. However when the woman offered to bring me back to the Trail the next day I couldn't refuse - a warm meal, a soft bed, shower, and I wouldn't have to worry about getting back! Her name was Kerry and she was wonderful! Her son had thruhiked a couple of years ago and she has been a trail angel since.   She dropped me off at a motel, I checked in, showered, and went to have Mexican next door (which was amazing!). I thought about trying to go to a movie that I knew That Guy and Twister were going to see, but when I found out it was a San Andreas / Pitch Perfect 2 double feature I lost all interest.   I got morose that night. I am constantly going over my milage and what I need to do in order to make Katadyn by October 15th. Depending on how I do in NH I should be able to make it, but it can be hard to watch as I struggle with what seems to be easy for so many others. It's not a fair comparison - most of the people flying past me are twenty years younger and a hundred pounds lighter than me but I can't help it. Never being without pain for two months also wears me down (I don't chronicle all my various pains here). I posted this to my FB page which I came to regret.   It is normal for most thruhikers to be on a crazy emotional roller-coaster. This is not only tough physically, but also mentally. Why am I doing this? What do I want from life? Does X person really care about me? You have nothing but time to ponder big questions. Over and over. Relive old arguments and old loves. Twelve hours or more a day, every day for six months without distraction. This is why people say the trail will change you - it's the long term introspective into yourself.    I wanted to talk to someone but had no one to call so I became sad. It got out of control. Then I went to sleep and woke up better.