Date: 2015-04-28
From: Hot Springs

To: Jones Meadow
Miles today: 21.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Disclosure: I am writing this on 5/1 from Erwin. I am in my hotel waiting on Emily to arrive so I have time to share a bit more. I am coming off an eight day stretch averaging about seventeen miles a day. I have a massive blister on my toe, sore feet, and a bit of swelling in one ankle. In short, I have pushed too hard. I was a bit depressed leaving Hot Springs. I felt I could use a zero but needed to press to Erwin. I was favoring a blistered foot and walking slow out of town. I crossed the river and headed up a steep hill. The views were great and my spirits lifted. Soon the trail topped out and went by an old dam, followed a road for a while and I had lunch below a fire tower. I may be in the minority but I enjoy when the trail interacts with civilization; this day's stretch is probably my favorite. Later that afternoon I stopped at "Mom's" for a coke and some chips. This place looked like every store people stop at before going off into the woods in any horror movie. It was a friendly place though and the Coke hit the spot. I was tempted to stop at a hostel but pressed on another 6 miles over a mountain. Long day and not much time to set up camp. Generic Musing - Typical Day on the TrailSo a typical day for me starts around 6:30am when light or the stirrings of other people wake me up. For a few minutes I lay in my bag trying to extract the last bit of warmth. I usually bring in my walking clothes to warm them up too. I finally get up and go retrieve my food bag from the bear cables or the tree. I come back and put my feet back under the bag while I begin to pack up and eat a cold breakfast. I organize things into my toiletries bag (smelly stuff was hung up in food bag), my pot (which keeps knicknacks like headlamp and stove), my electronics bag, my clothes bag (putting sleeping clothes away). Finally I get out of the bag for good and put it in its sack. Either inside my tent or outside if it isn't raining I start putting things into my pack, trying to keep the same sequence so I don't forget anything. Finally take down my tent and put it in or on the outside of my pack depending on whether it is wet. After about an hour I am walking (some of that hour includes the time in my bag). The first few miles of trail are me hobbling down the trail. Sore feet, stiff and tired legs need a few miles to warm up. I generally walk with no purpose until late morning when I get hungry (usually 10-11am). I will try to find a rock, log, or a shelter to break; taking my pack and shoes off. As needed and available I drink and refill water. Mid day I walk with a little more purpose, starting to think about how far I may go and where I might stop for the day. Usually early afternoon I break again, driven more by tired feet than hunger. I will look at the guide and pick a stopping point depending on the time and miles left. Once I get into camp I look for a good spot to tent. Needs to be flat enough for a good nights sleep but not so flat as to collect rain. I set up my tent and unpack most everything. I then go and collect water, make dinner, then afterwards clean up with water and a bandana as best as I can, mess around in my tent (journal, listen to iPod) until dark and then try to sleep.