Date: 2016-04-13
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter 

To: Johns Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: clear sky

Hiker Hostel's Patrice said something like "Don't worry about the things you worry about." Just yesterday I barely saw anyone and then last night Spirit of 76 and I started to get caught up via messaging after weeks of not being in contact with each other. Then Bruce from Richmond to get proposed having dinner in a few days to discuss his upcoming thru-hike. There's a saying that the trail provides and that seems to be the case if anyone was concerned about me hiking solo yesterday. I've always loved waterfalls. It probably began when I was very young and routinely visited Niagara Falls where my Dad's parents lived. The Apple Orchard Waterfall was 1.1 miles off the AT though and given that I hoped to hike more than 20 AT mikes today such a side trip would probably cost me in terms of time and energy. But Spirit of 76's message this morning encouraged me to enjoy the magnificence and seeing a 200' waterfall is something special, so off I went. "Off" being the important word. The trail to Apple Orchard Waterall was steep. Beth and I laugh whenever we get lost driving somewhere. We say we'd be terrible contestants on The Amazing Race. Well, it appears I can follow the AT's white blazes most of the time, but it appears I struggle off the AT. I missed the turn in the photo shown for today. The sign was clearly marked. I just interpreted it as indicating something other than what it meant and so I hiked a distance up a fire road before turning around and finally getting on the trail to the waterfall. The waterfall was okay, but not great. I am glad I went out of my way to see it, but want anyone hiking the AT to understand that the trail is difficult even if you stay on the waterfall's trail. This excursion took 2 hours instead of the one hour I'd expected and it was a pretty tiring 2 hours too. Mentally and physically, the rest of the day was spent trying to ensure that I got to this day's destination. I finished hiking about 45 minutes before sunset. Here in the shelter tonight are Kid and his hiking partners - Padiwan and Pork Roll, Bookworm - a fast hiker intending to finish the AT in 4 months, and Rambo, who arrived more than an hour after sunset. I met and spoke with a couple flip-flop thru-hikers today. Their trail names are Old Growth and Dysfengshuinal. Both started somewhat recently and are waiting for their trail legs to kick in. Trail legs is the term used to describe a hiker's physical ability to do many more miles per day than they were able to do when they started. It usually takes a few weeks for a hiker to get their trail legs. It seems I got my trail legs when I routinely became able to hike more than 15 miles per day. Now, when I do 20+ mile days, it is really due to my hiking very long hours. I notice that the strong, young hikers seem to be able to find a hiking pace that enables them to hike 25 or more miles per day without hiking my extra hours (read that as I am a slow hiker.)A few of you have commented about how the title of each day's journal entry is a song. Almost all of those songs are on my playlist and those that aren't are ones that will be added when I get time to download them. When preparing for this hike, I thought using song titles as a way to describe my day would be a fun exercise and I have enjoyed doing it. Sometimes I lock in a song title pretty early in the day as it seems unshakably indicative of that day, while on other days l mull over several songs to determine which captures the tone of my day the best. I'm always searching for a way to use some of my all-time favorites and am happy when that comes together. Specific to Andy's question - No, I don't sing them out loud. I wouldn't want to soil this beautiful trail with my inability to carry a tune. I do enjoy playing that song in my head though. Some songs seem appropriate to be used many times out here but I am trying to find a new song for each day. What can I say - it seems to work for me and bring a smile to my face while hiking the magnificence Spirit of 76 spoke of.