Date: 2017-06-13
From: Lambert's meadow shelter

To: Super 8 in Daleville
Miles today: 10.0

Sharky woke me up as she hit the trail early this morning and we made plans to meet up and head to town together. I'm only 10 miles south of daleville, a decent sized town with ample stores to access. I'm hoping to run some errands and get back on the trail in the evening but I could easily be tempted to spend the night since sharky's planning to stay in town. I started hiking so early today! It was nice for a change. Passed some ripe blueberries today, the bushes were lining the trail. I dropped my pack and indulged for a long time. Eventually I had to force myself to walk away, it was quite difficult. I'm not sure how I'm going to maintain a decent pace once berry season truly kicks in. I received a text from Coach informing me that the goon squad decided to take a zero in daleville and then hitch hike up the trail the following day to get closer to No Spoon for his birthday. Their bodies were rebeling against them as a result of too many miles jam packed into too few days. He invited me to join their plans, since we'd be crossing paths again in only a handful of hours. I feel good about the plan I've set myself though and don't want to yellowblaze (hitch hike/skip) more miles if I don't feel it's necessary.Today I made it the first section of trail already traced by my feet in years passed. Two years ago I was on a road trip with my momma from NY to Asheville. I realized we were relatively close to the AT on the drive home and insisted we go out of our way to find some white blazes in Virginia! We probably walked for a mile or two and then turned back and continued our road trip home. I was impressed how quickly I recognized this small portion of trail. I remembered the curvature of the tread weaving through the gentil hills and the combinations of various features: power lines, road crossings and railroad crossings. The trail felt familiar and this encounter helped put my current life into perspective with respect to past versions of myself. I met up with Sharky again within a mile of town. We made it to the road as a storm started to roll in, perfect timing! I decided to treat myself to a night in town. Sharky and I shared a room and we had the goon squad as our neighbors. It feels great to have clean clothes for the first time in 9 days. It's hot out these days and the sweat factor has been reaching new levels. I am so comfortable right now, this is unreal. I haven't stayed in a hotel like this since Gatlinburg back in the Smokies. Went to the grocery store a short walk away. This is the best market I've been to yet, great natural food/organic section.I am getting so good at this life! I'm figuring out exactly what I need to have with me to be comfortable and carrying nothing more. I have my systems filed down to the exact number of band aids and condiments packets. I feel on top of the world right now! We are starting our canoe trip on June 24th which gives me 13 mile days without any zeros. We're aquablazing until the halfway point of the trail so I essentially have 130 miles and ten days left hiking the southern half of the AT! I feel good about where I am and what is on the horizon in the near and far future.