Date: 2005-05-25
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Terrapin Station Hostel
Miles today: 22.7

Pass Mountain Hut to Tarrapin Station HostelWow, what a day.  A long, wet but good day.  We woke up to yet another day of grey skies, cold and rain.  We were feeling somewhat consoled by a relatively short 16.5 miles that we had planned.  After the 19 yesterday we were both feeling physically and mentally tired.  I felt especially blue because our Integral Designs eVent rain jackets, which had worked beautifully for the past months, recently failed completely.  We don't know what happened, but they are no longer waterproof at all and the rain just comes right through.  So the thought of going out yet another day into 45 degrees and soaking rain was disheartening at best.Fortunately, there was one last wayside where we could hide from the rain and get some hot food.  So, I was able to force myself to get up and out of the dry shelter knowing that in 7.8 miles there was some reprieve.  It was actually a pretty hard 7.8 for me.  I just felt so tired and I was certain that it would rain all the way to Katahdin.  At least the rain washed away the tears so you couldn't really tell I was crying.I did feel a lot better once we reached Elkwallow Wayside and had a hot meal from the short order grill.  Hot coffee was especially comforting.  It started to rain harder as we finished our meal and prepared to leave.  We stalled and lingered for a bit longer talking with Raz and petting dog Foxy.  A park tourist took some interest in us and asked about our adventure.  He was an older gentleman, probably in his 80s and boy what a firecracker!  We told him about our adventure, and told he told us that he'd had to go at least walk a few feet on the trail so he could say that he'd been on the AT.  He got a real kick when we suggested he could tell people he'd walked the entire width of the AT.Finally, break time was over.  Back out into the rain we went grateful for only 8.8 more miles.  It was so cold and wet, and though happy for a shorter day, I was not eagerly anticipating setting up a wet tent in the rain and doing all the camp chores in such lousy conditions.  Of course the gears start turning, trying to figure out some way to avoid such nastiness.  I knew there was a hostel accessible from a side trail a few miles from the end of the park.  Well, maybe I could do a 20 for a shower and warm bed.  So we peel out the pages and have a look see.  Oooh, 6.2 miles beyond the 16.5 originally planned.  Wow.  That's far.  That's farther than anything we've done yet, and its cold and foggy and rainy.  Plus an additional .4 down the side trail to actually get to the hostel.  That would be a 23.1 mile day.  That is an awful lot for us.We both do the mileage math in our heads.  Silence.  A gust of wind shakes water from the trees above as it simultaneously begins to rain harder.  I say "let's just do it.  We can do it, I actually feel pretty good."  We pounded out that 15 miles in what felt like a time warp.  As long as we were moving we kept warm, and the meal earlier helped fuel us.  We arrived at the Tarrapin Station Hostel at 7pm and were graciously welcomed.  Loki was even there, a hiker we quite like who's been way ahead of us for weeks.  We had hot showers and did laundry.  Mike (hostel proprietor) and Loki even cajoled us into a game of hearts that lasted till 11pm.I really did learn something today though; it is amazing how much suffering a thruhiker will endure in order to avoid discomfort.  I am continuously encountering irony on this adventure.Danger