Date: 2014-05-30
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: light rain

We usually pick our next campsite the night before but since everyone got in pretty late we decided to pick our spot this morning. There wasn't much in terms of choices so Gadget nonchalantly mentioned to go for the shelter 19.1 miles away and we all went for it. The terrain didn't look too bad with the exception of a long, gradual uphill which went up 2,000 feet over a few miles and towards the end of the day was a steep downhill. We all headed out at different times with little enthusiasm for doing a long day but it's what we decided and we don't back down from what we plan.   Once I got going, I felt better, it's the initial time at camp where you dislike hiking and mull over what's ahead for the day. It's pretty slow moving in the morning for me, I'll compare it to a car in the wintertime where you have to let it warm up for awhile, my knees are the engine and it takes a bit to get going. It's a pretty funny site to see in the morning when everyone at the shelter is getting ready in the morning and everyone has the 'hiker hobble' and is moving around slowly and all bent over working out the kinks and waiting for the ibuprofen to kick in.    The day was a good one with the weather cooperating and it was sunny skies with a nice wind. The uphill on the mountain was a bit tough but nowadays the legs feel great and the uphills don't hurt as much as they did back in the early days,gotta love those trail legs.    I hiked by myself for most of the day, I listened to music mostly and ate a while bunch of jolly ranchers and life savers throughout the day, the sucking candies give me something to do while hiking for ten hours. The trail was pretty rocky today and I'm pushing my shoes to the limit, there's a few tears that are getting bigger but the soles area holding up so that's all I need for the next few days. I did trip over some rocks today and almost took some nasty spills but having a lighter pack helps out when stumbling forward and trying to regain your balance.    I got to the shelter first from the group and I saw some familiar faces from the trail which was nice, these days it's been a whole new cast of characters. Atlas came in after me and we talked for a bit about decreasing the miles to 16-17 a day instead of the 19-20 miles, with the longer days, everyone has been getting in around 7-7:30 and by the time we set up and eat dinner everyone is too tired and goes right to bed. The shorter days will give us some time to hang out for a bit but also out in good mileage that will keep us on track to get to Maine by mid September.   The rest of the group trickled and in and we all ate and hung out for a bit. We're doing a 14 mile tomorrow so we'll have a casual day. We're resupplying in two days and will be in Pearisburg a day or geo after that which will probably be where we celebrate my birthday,it may be a day of two early but it will be fun.    I'm laying in bed keeping my tent fly open for the night, Honeybun said it shouldn't rain so I hope she's right. Two guys just came to the shelter with a backpack of soda and pizza and are handing it out to the hikers in the shelter, at this point things shouldn't surprise me but they do and it always puts a smile on my face. It's a interesting life on the trail and I love every minute of it.