Date: 2014-05-29
From: Atkins,VA

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Waking up to the smell of coffee is a great way to start the day off, I never was a coffee drinker but am starting to enjoy it more and more. Murray was nice enough to make us some pancakes this morning and to make it an even nicer setting was looking out at the three bird feeders she has outside her window. I love birdwatching and it reminded of when I was kid at our grandparents summer home and watching the birds there.    We didn't leave the house to pretty late and we had to run some errands before heading back to the trail. First off was the lost office where Atlas and I both sent home items, I sent hike my winter gear which weighed two and a half pounds which I was excited for losing,if I send home my quilt,I may be able to go to a smaller,lighter pack, I'm still mulling it over. I also parted with my Met hat,it was a hard decision but the hat is way too hot to wear for the summer,I'm going to look for a Met bandana to wear for the summer months,need to keep the Mets theme going out here. Next we went to a Mennonite run grocery store which had sandwiches,ice cream and other food items, I ended up getting some dried kiwi and strawberry mix. It was about 12 when we got back to the trail and said goodbye to Murray. As I wrote in her book, sometimes I forget some of the best memories occur off the trail and this was one of them. She opened her house to strangers and treated is like family, faith in humanity gets restored a little bit each day out here.   After doing a quick resupply of snacks at a gas station it was time to hike. It's hard getting ready to hike a 14 mike day when you start late after being in a comfortable home for the past night,it's the same when going into town,you can get sucked right back into the the real world. I ended up walking by myself most of the day and had a quick pace going, once you get warmed up and out there,all the hesitation and negativity you had dissipates. There was one but uphill today that looked real ugly in the guide book and with the possibility of rain,it was a pretty terrible of combination of events. Naturally when I get to the base of this mountain,the thunder begins to bellow and the sky turns dark so I turned on the jets and hauled it over that mountain in record time, right when I got over the peak and was heading downhill did it start to rain. My boots must have heard me talking to my dad about sending my new pair because they gave up on me andI was slipping and sliding down parts of the trail, just need a few more days out of them. The rain died down after about 30 minutes,luckily there was no lightning just thunder as right after I got to the base of the mountain,I entered a wide open farm field. This part of the trail is interesting as the trail is in a corridor snuggled between farms and you have to cross over ladders that are over barbed wire fences and walk through fields with cows grazing on grass which were giving me dirty looks.   I got to the shelter a few hours before everyone else,they like to take breaks, I tend to just hike and not take breaks but I have to stop that and enjoy the scenery a bit more. It was a long day with a lot to see which was unexpected but amazing, the trail likes to keep you on your toes.