Date: 2014-05-01
From: Budget Inn

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: clear sky

   I must've woken up to the sound of our sticky bathroom door being pushed open because Paul walked over to me, kissed me, and said happy birthday. My first birthday wishes at midnight on the dot. Don technically texted me earlier but I didn't see it until after that. We all woke up around the same time and they slowly all started singing 'Happy Birthday' to me. It was really nice and cute. Then Dan walked over and handed me all of my birthday accessories and said, "Umm why aren't you wearing all of this? You should've been sleeping in it!" Such a wonderful start to the day =] Paul of course said I have to wear it all in my birthday suit though...   We packed up most of our stuff and then walked to breakfast at the Kountry Kitchen again. Paul handed me an envelope when we got there. It was a cute card with feet on it that says "Hope your birthday doesn't stink." It's so perfect! Sarah picked it up at the Dollar Store with the other stuff and gave it to them before she left. SHE/EVERYONE IS SO NICE!!! The guys are promising that some big things are in store for later so I said they better deliver. There's talk about a group of male strippers which will end up just being them. We rolled with painting a ridiculous picture of them in bow ties and banana hammocks made out of 50ft of paracord. Something better happen!    We had an hour and a half or so before the shuttle left at 11 so we just packed up our stuff and hung around. I was texting people while I still could and we were making jokes about how to utilize the time left. But we got our shuttle ride back and it felt good to be on the trail again. I was with Ben at first but he quickly moved on ahead. Paul and Dan stayed together behind so I was on my own for awhile. I really liked spending that time alone and hiking. I reflected a lot on being out here and deciding to take this journey. I was smiling the entire time again. The weather was beautiful and each step was progress and discovery. I felt incredibly proud of myself and happy to be where I was. I thought about being 25 now and while it's just a number, I thought about what I've accomplished until now and how what I am doing now will be part of my greatest accomplishment. I just felt great with every step.    I caught up to Ben on a break he took so we walked together until our longer break. The terrain really wasn't so bad and the first four miles went quickly. The whole hike did, really. We crossed a road and a lady asked if I wanted trail magic, some biscuits, and I said sure. Bacon and biscuits in two Ziplocs. I gave them to Ben who have the bacon to the other guys so everyone could have the magic. We all stopped at this gorgeous cascading stream. There was a guy there with his dog, Lucy, who was adorable! We took lots of photos there; Dan took photos of me taking photos of myself so that made me laugh. And then some guy came by on a horse with a cigar in his mouth and a huge black poodle by his side, said hello, and then rode off quickly on the horse. It was ridiculous.    We hiked on and realized the trail crosses the stream at the top where it's kinda like a waterfall. It was really pretty so we took more photos. I stayed behind with Paul and we admired another stream with these colorful rocks in them and then hiked together for a bit. I went off on my own after that until I ran into Yvonne and Tony and soon after that, Dan. We made it up near the shelter which is on some ridiculous loop that you can go one way to continue the trail or go the other way but have to backtrack in the morning on the same part. We followed the AT once Paul caught up and it seemed like a good idea to get the extra mileage out of the way. So we went down the southern part of the loop trail to get to the shelter and it was definitely further than 0.3 miles and an atrocious downhill that we will NOT be climbing up tomorrow so we're going to have to redo what we hiked today anyway from that split of the trail. It was so dumb.    We set up our tents, I made my Pad Thai and it was pretty great, especially getting to all the good stuff at the bottom of the bag. Great birthday dinner. But I burned my cherry pie dessert a little in the foil I had it in over the fire. I stuck an incense stick in it for my candle. While eating dinner, I met Radio Flyer and Jet Power who are a middle-aged couple. The girl, Radio Flyer, has never backpacked before either! She also doesn't want to get married or have kids so we got along quickly. Her partner has climbed Kilimanjaro before and Mount Whitney twice and a bunch of other stuff so he's a little more experienced. She's been doing great though! I also met an older woman named Memphis who had an obsession to hike the AT in her 20s but never got to. Lived her life out and this year, she got the urge again out of nowhere and has the luxury to be able to come do it.    Paul was often busy trying to build me a fire since I sorta threatened them saying there better be a fire for my birthday. Dan said, "We were gonna, but damn, not with that attitude!" It was tough because everything was so wet still from the storm but he got a small one going for some time that I helped him with. I kept picking on him and recording him so it was amusing when he didn't know if I was or not. Ben was pretty high so he was just giggling at all of it. We sat/stood around the fire until the stars started showing up. I demanded my show or entertainment but it never really came; Paul just told a story. But right before bed, he took his top layers off to put an undershirt on so Ben made the headlamp into a strobe light and that was the stripping. It was funny and I just had a great time joking and laughing with them all day. They really made it so much more fun and special than I thought it would be. I'm really grateful to have these guys in my life at the moment. They always put a smile on my face and I didn't want the day to end because of it. It felt like it all went so quickly! I think it's because it was so good though. And I spent a good amount of time on my own just thinking and reflecting and taking photos of myself in places. I liked getting to see how happy I actually felt. I really couldn't have asked for a better day. I might get one last singing of 'Happy Birthday' from Paul at 1159 since he's been randomly doing it all day. I doubt it though since it's really chilly out tonight! Definitely bundled up and not leaving unless I have to pee. So I doubt anyone else would. He's crazy though. Alright, it's way past bedtime, 1020. Time for sleep! Though I was born around this time... so perhaps I can stretch the birthday celebrations... It was pretty cool when day hikers would look up and notice my birthday tiara and wish me a happy birthday. I'm sure that could get me some trail magic or free stuff in town if I kept wearing it! But I might just keep the wand/scepter since it looks cool on my pack. =]