Date: 2023-09-13
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 17.7

Today ranks in the top five for worst days on trail, and it feels like the first day that I actually wanted to quit and go home. At 1 in the morning I woke up, because my hand touched a puddle inside our tent. So I turned my light on and there was a ton of water in our tent from the torrential rain. Moose Jaw then woke up, and he look outside his vestibule, and our tent was sitting in 1.5¢ of water. His crocks were actually floating away. It was BAD! We were both extremely upset. The tub to our tent looked like a water bed. Moose Jaw poked it, and it just jiggled. It was NOT good. There was nothing we could do! Moose wanted to pack up our things are start hiking, but it was still raining and we were so tired. So we just went back to sleep. When we woke back up, we felt defeated. Thankfully, the 1.5¢ puddle went away, but everything was soaked. As we packed up our things, we decided we wanted to sleep in a shelter tonight, so we wouldn¢t have to set up our tent. Our tent was drenched. I dumped water out of our tub before we rolled it up. It was horrible. Thankfully, it didn¢t rain as we walked today. But putting on our wet clothes was unsavory. Our hike today was nothing but mud and streams. It got to a point where we decided to cross a river in our hiking shoes, because they were already soaked. Roots here, slippery rocks there. It was tough. We were thankful that part of our day we had nice terrain. I did dunk my foot in mud a few times, so I cleaned them off in a stream. We had burritos with hot sauce for lunch. Eventually we made it to camp. It was not good. When we arrived, we quickly realized that we happened upon a GIANT hiker bubble (over 25 hikers). Of course the shelter was full, so we had to set up and sleep in our soaking wet tent. I cried the entire time. I felt defeated today. And I felt like no one actually cared that I was having a bad day. I¢m the moment, I wanted to quit even though I knew I wouldn¢t. I wanted to go back to Arizona to go to George¢s Celebration of life ceremony. I wanted to go home to my parents. I wanted dry clothes and a warm bed. I was absolutely over the trail. Over the rain. And over the mud. Trail has been extremely challenging. My feet were so pruny that they hurt so badly! I couldn¢t even walk in my crocs. Honestly, thankfully moose and I found the best spot we could for our tent. Everything was taken, but we found a decent spot to put our tent on. Now, it was full of roots and at an incline, but we realized, these are the best spots to put a tent when it¢s supposed to rain. When we ran into Toaster and Bandit, they decided to set up their tents next to each other elsewhere. They said if it rains, it might flood their tents. But they said they didn¢t care. I wasn¢t about that. I absolutely care if my tent floods. I never want that to happen again!! I was really disappointed arriving at camp. I was upset the shelter was full, and it came to a surprise to me that no one cared about me having a bad day. Instead of trying to cheer me up, it turned into a ¢well all of our tents are wet¢ (when our flooded) and a ¢deal with it.¢ I was upset that I wasn¢t allowed to have a bad day on trail. That shocked me, because Moose and I have been understanding of other people having bad days. It honestly was sad. Not that I asked anyone to cater to me, but it was shocking that those who cheered me up were chicken and tenderfoot (two hikers from the dirty bubble Tramily) rather than our own group (excluding moose jaw, obviously). We tried to dry out our tent, but 10 minutes into hanging it up on a line, we had to set up our tent quickly because it was starting to rain. Of course. It always rains on trail! That¢s why we couldn¢t dry our tent out. Even more reason as to why I cried. Living in the woods is no joke. It¢s demanding physically and mentally. Moose Jaw tried to console me, but I just cried. I eventually calmed down and ate some food. I knew I could survive this, it just sucked. So, I decided to mentally prepare myself for terrible weather due to the upcoming hurricane. I hope we are too far inland to get too much rain and high winds. We can¢t wait to be done! I know we will miss it, but I know we can¢t wait for a break. HA! Today was horrible, but I know I¢ll remember this day for a long time!! And of course, food makes everything better! In regards to George. George was initially my first boss and mentor when I moved to Arizona. Not long into working at his company, he found out he had liver cancer and decided to retire. Thankfully, he received a transplant in 2020, and was doing great! He soon became my stand-in dad. Moose Jaw and I would visit him all of the time. We did all sorts of things at his house, and he would always make us the best tasting food! He was the first one to know about our goal to hike the trail, years before we pulled the trigger. We¢d watch YouTube videos together about trail, and he showed us all of his new and old camping gear. He was our biggest supporter and encourager! He told us he wished he could have hiked with us! He was an encouragement to my faith, my marriage, my friendships, and my career. Unfortunately, his cancer came back right before I left for trail. While at the ski lodge in the whites, I found out that he had passed. As I walk on the trail, I grieve a great loss,¢¦ someone who became my family and my friend. I know he was at peace entering heaven, but I just wasn¢t ready for that yet. His Celebration of Life ceremony is going to be held on September 16th. Soon before we enter the 100 mile wilderness. I knew he¢d rather have Moose Jaw and I stay and finish the trail, but it didn¢t change the hurt in my heart that I wouldn¢t be able to go back to Arizona for his Celebration of Life ceremony. I know that George knew we loved him very much, and we know that he loved us very much. Part of finishing this trail is also for him.