Date: 2019-06-08
From: Hazeltop Mountain Campsite 

To: Skyland Campsite 
Miles today: 12.3

Some days on the trail are "why do I do this? It super sucks" days, and others are "why don't I do this full time it super rules" days. And then some days, when everything comes together into a perfect storm, I get to ride a roller coaster of sky high to suck all within a handful of hours. Yay!!!!Today was that day. Except I suppose it was less roller coaster and more steady decline into full suckage.It rained all night last night, but it stopped shortly before I woke up, and I finally got to see what that sea of fog was hiding! It was absolutely breathtaking, and was an amazing way to start my first morning on the trail. I skipped breakfast so that I could get to the water supply faster, but did sacrifice some water for tea (oh sweet sweet caffeine. You are even more glorious in the woods). I've been focusing on being more mindful on the trail. I want to spend less time in my own head and more time in my surroundings. When I slow my step and quiet my brain, I see and hear much more. Today, it was deer. So many deer! I'd say the population might be a bit high in SNP, but that didn't stop me from taking pictures of every single one of them... I also encountered so many different people from day hikers to thru-hikers. I even ran into some friends that I met last week on the AT in New Jersey! They're out doing a loop this weekend and just happened to pass me on the trail headed south. What an insanely small world! I wish I had thought to get their names again, but they did say that they were part of a hiking group called the Trail Dames and I just love that so much. Running into them put such a smile on my face! For lunch, I stopped at a beautiful cliff edge with an insane view. And beyond a few pretty flowers, that's about where my day started to turn toward the suck... It's going to rain tomorrow. All day. ALL. DAY. While I know there's nothing I can do about it, and I know I just need to embrace the suck, I still let it color part of my day. I decided to push on a couple more miles past my planned campsite while I have dry weather. I assumed that I'd find a decent campsite near the Skyland Resort. Which I did... Kind of. It's next to a giant water tank. HUGE. And turns out it's basically right on the trail (no idea how I missed this one since I was JUST on it but whatever Rachel, let's just go with it). The tank, I knew about, but I missed the trail until I saw someone walking down it... And they saw me pretending not to see them. (don't judge me fellow hiker, I swear I'm not new at this! Just a little soggy and tired...) So here I am, everything hurts, I'm damp because it's the outside and they don't have air conditioning here and also because I'm wearing the same clothes as yesterday, and I'm camping in basically the ugliest place I've seen on the AT. BUUUT I hiked 12 miles today and now I have 2 less miles to do in the rain tomorrow. And I'll be sleeping in a shelter tomorrow so no setting up the tent in the rain. AND this resort that probably uses the crap out of my water tank neighbor has a breakfast buffet tomorrow morning. I wasn't planning on splurging, but considering the whole "embrace the suck" thing, I figured unlimited biscuits and gravy might be an alright start. And anyway, the birds are still chirping and I'm warm in my sleeping bag and what the hell? I guess still like it out here, even with the suck. But maybe ask me again tomorrow night....