Date: 2018-07-29
From: Garfield Ridge shelter

To: Stealth camp site mile 1836.9
Miles today: 9.9

I never sleep the best in a shelter. I don't know why that is but I always feel like I'm only half asleep during the night. I was fully awake just before 5am and having to pee but I wanted to be considerate of everyone sleeping and I wasn't sure how difficult it would be for me to get moving. I was sleeping in an area under the loft and there wasn't enough room to stand up until I cleared that space and was in the center of the shelter. I quietly stretched with some poses from my recorded morning yoga to make getting up easier. I do feel like it was easier to roll over last night, not as much pain. I dressed and exited the shelter without incident and went out to pee. By now 2 other hikers were packing up. I returned to the shelter and did the same and brought my pack to the cooking area and seated myself on a bench. It's painful to sit. I feel much better standing and walking. But I made my oatmeal and organized my snacks for the day. River joined me and when I was ready I brushed my teeth and used the privy and departed. I had 1.5 liters of water from the night before so I didn't stop at the bottom of the blue blaze trail to filter any more. I knew that today I'd have a steep rocky descent off Garfield and then a steep and rocky ascent up South Twin. It took at least 30 minutes to loosen up a bit. The descent was everything it promised and with each deep step down I could feel the pounding in my lower back each time my foot dropped down to find the next solid rock. I found myself placing more of my weight on my trekking poles and lengthened them to help me more. The trail was up and down after the steep section not really knowing what it wanted to do and was more enjoyable. I arrived at Galehead hut and saw Ryan, Krista and Iggy who left camp after me but passed my on the steep section. It was still way before lunch but a crew member put on some soup for me and I took a 45 minute rest to eat and water myself so I would be best suited for the climb up South Twin right in front of me. Before I finished my soup River arrived and did the same. I met Odie from the Thru Hikers Yearbook and that was cool. He planned a 150 mile hike in NH/ME but was getting off trail early because he'd had his ass kicked enough. It made me feel better knowing that I'm not the only one feeling beat up. I finally accepted the challenge and made the summit of South Twin feeling strong and after that Mt Guyot. The trail gently descended for several miles after that with sections of short steep rocks. Some of them I sat and butt slid down because I was tired from the back pain. When I arrived at Zeland Falls hut I walked past the first entrance and set my pack down on the far end of the porch steps out of the way of most traffic. I went inside and sat down for a moment, my strength earlier in the day being depleted. A crew member who I later knew to be Asha told me if I needed anything to just let him know. I thanked him and said that I was going to rest a few, have a lemonade, fill my water and move on. He spun around and asked me if I was a thru hiker named Puddles. I am I replied. He said he had something for me and I immediately thought Krista and Ryan had left a message as we all planned to stealth camp just outside the protected zone of the shelter. But he went to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of root beer and 4 snacks. "For me?" I said, filling with emotion. He said my family hiked out to see me but were too early and left them and a note taped to the door I passed by on my way in. I cried even though I tried hard to control the waterfall. I was just toughed that my stepdaughter Crystal, her husband, 3 children and her mother in law hiked miles to surprise me on not so easy trail and left these things and a note expressing their love and pride. It made me well up all night thinking about it. And I had no service to get any message to them. I enjoyed half the root beer right away and saved the other half for dinner. Asha told me of the nearest steath site and when I arrived Krista, Ryan and Iggy were there. I set up and shared my story with them. An hour later River arrived and made camp and we all ate dinner together. I left my food cozy at home when I was there in early July. Krista and Ryan gave me theirs because this is their last cooked trail meal. Tomorrow they get off trail and head home to their normal lives. I'll miss them and seeing Iggy almost every day. They're special people and I hope to see them off trail in the future. It's incredible the relationships that are forged out here on this footpath. With difficulty I got up from my seat of tree roots and got ready for bed, brushing my teeth and crawling into bed. I'd hung a bear line earlier and River was kind enough to hang my bag. Though she did have to rehang the line on a stronger branch first. She knows I'm hurting. She's such an incredible friend. It's been an emotional day for me and I'm feeling more blessed than ever. I'm going to journal and hopefully feel better in the morning.