Date: 2008-07-04
From: Shelter

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: overcast clouds

July 4, 2008        After a LONG night of hearing noises, having to go to the privy, worrying about the bears and the hard shelter floor even with a Thermo ¢ Rest, I decided I would get up even though it was not completely light out and start making coffee and getting my things organized. I had 5 miles to hike into Waynesboro and everyone assured me it was an easy 5 miles. So I ate some breakfast. I was trying out those new Oatmeal to Go bars this time. On my last hike I had so much trouble figuring out what to eat for breakfast because I am not usually a breakfast eater in real life. I opt for the liquid breakfast of black coffee. We had tried oatmeal in 2004 and after about one week of it we both could not handle it again. These bars have a fair amount of calories and taste pretty good. The test would be, how long until I got tired of eating them?         After the meal I cleaned up my stuff and started packing it up. It was then light enough to leave the shelter. I started my day by a steep upgrade as it always is when going out of a shelter. I wonder why they always put shelters in a gap and then the trail goes up to get back out. Another mystery of life I guess. I know that the streams are mostly in gaps. Oh well. As I started my steady upgrade I immediately started sweating like crazy. It was hot and humid. I hoped that the guys who said that their was plenty of water were right because I was going to go through a LOT of it today. I was carrying two 32 ounce Gatorade bottles of water and a 16 ounce nalgene of water with some flavoring in it. Up, up, up I went. (I feel like I am writing a sequel to the old Dick & Jane readers) I kept looking for some wildlife but didn¢t see any. It was probably there, but with my huffing and puffing and expletives when I tripped over a rock or two I probably scared them away. I thought I had made it to the top one time but I was only turning a switchback to see more up. I stopped to take some pictures of interesting trees, rocks and bugs. My kids laugh at me because I take pictures of things they can¢t always see the reason for. I did come across this one place were there were white feathers all over the trail. Nothing else, just feathers. It was as if something really grabbed some kind of bird and ate everything but feathers. I took a picture of that too. I will title that one ¢Bird Massacre¢.        As I was walking, I heard something in the woods beside me about 12 feet away. When I stopped to listen, it stopped. Then I started off again and so did it. I kept stopping and starting for a while and then it stopped for good. I never saw what it was. Weird huh? Someone told me it could have been a coyote. My thoughts were some kind of big cat. But then when you are by yourself in the woods everything sounds bigger and more dangerous. I know it wasn¢t a squirrel though.         I traveled for quite a while and figured I had made quite a few miles. After all, a friend told me it was only 5 miles and it was easy. I should have known better because he was always telling me it was an easy hike. I left the shelter at 7 am and it was 11:30. I should be getting there soon. I had timed myself at 3 miles every 1 12 hours the other days I hiked. So in theory, I should be there by at least noon with giving myself time for snacking, drinking and being slower up the steep parts. I met a man hiking the other way and asked him if I was soon there. He said oh in about an hour and a half. He though he had hiked 3 miles. Well this wasn¢t making sense. But we talked a while and were on our way. I trudged on. I got to several streams and got some more water. As I was getting water two men and three boys came the other way also. I again asked how far to the road and he said well optimistically it is 2 miles but I am a pessimist so I would say 3. Oh my goodness!!! I felt I had already gone that far and it was not adding up to 5 miles. I guess I was getting an impatient; it should be here now feeling. I just need to enjoy the hike and not worry about the miles. After all, I was going to get into town and get a room for the night and wait for my daughter who was meeting me in Waynesboro to hike for a week with me. She has never been backpacking before so I wanted this to be perfect. I knew she would either hate it or love it. I hoped for the latter.         Meanwhile, I still had miles to go it seemed. On I trudged. I had been avoiding eating because I thought I would be there by lunch but I was getting tired and had no energy so I stopped at a stream that ran across the trail. I ate some trail mix and drank a lot. Soon I put my pack back on and kept on going. The trail seemed to keep going up and down again. Some were steep ups and downs and some were just blips on the screen. I just wanted to be in town. I kept thinking about the fact that it was ¢only¢ 5 miles to town. This was the longest 5 miles I had ever hiked. I kept hearing the road noises but not seeing a road, teasing and taunting me all the way. The last stretch was really nice trail that had a steady upgrade but was very easy. Finally I saw the last up that takes you to the road. I had made it. I seriously think they need to re-measure that distance!         I crossed the road and went to the visitor¢s center to see about a ride. I had forgotten it was the 4th of July and really didn¢t want to drag anyone away from their celebrations so I just walked to the first motel on the right as you enter town. They had a room and I dragged myself in. After unpacking my things I took a nice hot shower and washed my hair. It was so nice. Next thing on my list was to find something to eat that did not involve me walking anywhere to get it. I have a thing about miles walked that do not count for the trail. So I found the number for Dominoes Pizza and ordered a special they were having and a salad. I figured it would do for dinner tonight and then I would have breakfast pizza in the morning. My daughter would be here sometime in the morning. I ate my pizza and fell asleep watching some TV show that obviously wasn¢t very good or I wouldn¢t have fallen asleep. Tomorrow is another day.