Date: 2021-05-13
From: EagleÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Nest Shelter

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: clear sky

I did the .4 of a mile walk back to the Leap Frog Cafe, primarily to take down Fresh Ground¢s sign at the trail crossing so he wouldn¢t have to walk back to get it. When I got to his van it was a bit chaotic as another dozen hikers had shown up the night before after I had left for the shelter. Fresh Ground was a wee bit frazzled. I grabbed half a cup of very good coffee (thanks to Tall Son) and a blueberry pancake then I backtracked to the trail. I had 9 miles to cover by 12:30 to make it to Port Clinton when the post office opened. It was right back into the rocks and brush for three hours. I was less than thrilled to be the one silk blazing through the forrest. Every 100 feet I had to pull out my bandana and swish my melon clean of webs. This is fine. The last 3/4 of a mile was a challenging, steep, and rocky downhill into town. I couldn¢t imagine trying to traverse it the rain. When I got to the bottom and crossed the railroad...there was Fresh Ground. He had chips, drinks (iced tea - yes!) fruit and chicken. Though Fresh Ground bought everything, a local trail Angel named Millie had provided the funds. Millie told me she¢s lived next to the AT most of her life and never thought much of it. Then in 2018 her son thru hiked the trail and she really got in to the trail community and has been providing support ever since. At 11 I walking into town to the Port Clinton Hotel and bar to kill 90 minutes. Wouldn¢t you know it, they had beer at the bar!  I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and a local IPA as the place slowly filled with motorcycle riders who come to the nearby BMW dealership to drool. The first beer went down so well I ordered a friend to keep him company. There was another hiker waiting at the post office - Sugar Man, he was giving up on trail cooking and mailing all his stove gear back home. Thankfully, my package was where it was promised to be and I unpacked my Merrill¢s (picture above) and a few days worth of food. I sent back the Ono¢s and a light jacket I¢ve been wearing to bed in the cold temps. I decided it was redundant as I have both a rain jacket and a puffy jacket if I need to keep warm at night. (Plus I¢ve walked off a few pounds and my puffy fits better than when I started)The walk out of town went from 396 feet at the river up to 1400 feet in about two miles. Buying a friend for my first beer may have been costly. I was dead-legged all afternoon. Consequently, I called a halt to the day¢s walk after another 6 miles at 4pm. My big toe on Harry is not in great shape. Most of the skin rubbed off between the knuckle and the bone is a little inflamed. Gross. I¢m really going to have to take it easy and monitor how it responds to new shoes. It¢s possible I may have to take a few days off trail if it doesn¢t improve. The Trout family and the other hikers I¢ve been around the last three days were already here when I arrived. Had a nice evening chatting with everyone and also talking with two section hikers who separately less than 300 miles from competing all the AT miles. I¢m going to try and sleep tonight without my insulating pad under my feet to see if they don¢t hurt so much from rubbing against the foam. It¢s going to a a relatively balmy night with temps around 45.