Date: 2018-03-26
From: PeckÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Corner Shelter

To: CosbyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

¢Darrell, Darrell...¢ In my dream, Which Way was next to me in the shelter whispering in my ear. Just as the dreamy whisper and a gentle nibble on my earlobe aroused my senses, stirring me awake, Which Way scurried off. Wait! That wasn¢t WW. It was a furry little creature. Okay little mouse, you can break my heart, but please don¢t take my down out of my quilt! Needless to say, I didn¢t sleep much more after my rendezvous with the little ear sniffer. We woke to frigid temperatures and frozen shoes. The last thing we did before leaving the shelter was put on our wet socks and then our ice boxes (a.k.a our Hiking Shoes). I normally take care to ensure my feet and shoes are free of debris, my socks are pulled up tight, and my shoes are properly laced. This morning, with muddy, frozen shoes and frost-nipped fingers, I was just happy to just get my puppies in and start walking. We hiked the 1/2 mile back to the A.T., stopping to fill our water bladders along the way, and finally hitting the trail at 9:00. The day started with three ascents and descents, with each climb taking us a little higher in elevation the last. The trail surface was good, by yesterday¢s standards, and we started out making good time (frozen feet and all). At the top of the first hill we paused at a vista named Eagle¢s Rocks. We were basically walking in the clouds, which limited our view. But, being at a high point, I toggled my phone off airplane mode to check for a signal. We had zero reception at the shelter last night and I was unable to upload yesterday¢s journal entry. Happily the signal was fairly strong on Eagle¢s Rocks, so I uploaded the entry and some pics taken the day before. While I was uploading, notifications and texts started appearing on my phone. It was then that I received the news of the passing of my Aunt Virginia.  Aunt Virginia was the epitome of strength and resilience, fighting hard in her battle against cancer and overcoming more trials than any person should have to bear in a lifetime. She did so much more than conquer frozen mountains and any other challenges this trail has, and will throw our way. Please pray for her son David, his wife, Jade, and ¢GiGi¢s¢ three lovely granddaughters¢the lights of her life. With the passing of my Aunt Virginia, my parents, grandparents, and all of my aunts and uncles have gone on to their final resting place. It is a reminder to me that life is precious and I should be thankful and embrace each and every day. My Aunt Virginia did that in spades, regardless of what life threw her way. The second and third climbs took us above 6,000¢ and the trail conditions once again deteriorated. We were forced to choose between skating on the icy trail or breaking through crusty patches of snow that accumulated just off the path. The going was slow, but we pressed on, stopping to get water and eat lunch about seven miles into our hike. Shortly after resuming our hike I noticed the previously frosty branches on the vegetation lining the trail had thawed. Minutes later we were walking through a grove of tall evergreen trees and big drops of water fell from the branches of the thawing giants. Soon, the sun began to pierce through the clouds. I cannot begin to explain how good a little ray of sunshine feels on a wet or cold hike.  With about four miles left to go until we reached our shelter, we started a steady decline, taking us below 5,000¢. Although the air was warming, the terrain was rocky, causing our feet to slide in our shoes. I was feeling a little hot spot on my left toe, which is unusual for me. With about two miles to go, we found a good spot in the sun to sit down and grab a snack. I decided to take off my shoes and socks that I had hurriedly put on this morning, thinking that a crinkle in my sock was the culprit. No crinkle, just a big hole. Caused by what? The insole was missing from my left shoe!! When I take my shoes off at night I pull my insoles about halfway out to help with the drying process. I guess the left insole got knocked out during the night and I somehow missed it this morning when shoving my cold feet into frozen shoes. Now I have my first blister, one less sock, and a shoe issue. Hopefully I can get some inserts tomorrow when we come to a hostel. Otherwise, it is another 45 miles to Hot Springs, and a solution. When we got to the shelter I had a good signal and was able to call my cousin David. It was good to hear his voice. Rest in Peace, Aunt Virginia, you have fought the good fight and have won the race. ¢ Next Step Elevation Data:Ascent ~ 2,500Descent ~ 3,200Grade ¢ 8.5 Weather:Day ¢ 48 degrees / Mostly CloudyNight ¢ 42 degrees / Cloudy Over the Horizon: Max Patch