Date: 2015-06-10
From: Toms Run Shelter

To: Ironmasters Mansion
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: clear sky

Today became a nero because Chris needed to pick up mail at Ironmasters Hostel, which doesn't open until 5 p.m., and because I am so tired that I didn't feel like hiking on. I could have, and kept hiking my own hike. But the halfway point is now behind me, and I am sad that time is slipping through my fingers so quickly. At this point, I am starting to itch to prolong the adventure rather than itching to put in miles. Hiking with a friend is more fun, anyway! Usually I wake up right at 5 and can't get back to sleep, but this morning I got up to pee and went right back to bed. And I didn't get up until 6:20. Chris didn't get up until 7, when I was already half-packed, sitting at the picnic table and updating my shelter and mileage list in my physical journal.What a WONDERFUL day to be lazy. I feel like I have been going through it half-asleep. But the weather is beautiful, warm and sunny and breezy.We walked the very short, very easy 3.6 miles to Pine Grove Furnace State Park. While he was hiking alone the other day, Chris tried to recount his entire hike in chronological order. I thought about it, and was about 100% sure that I wouldn't be able to remember most of the things I had experienced. Especially not in order. I usually can't even remember the name of the shelter I slept at the night before. I get the trail towns confused. I can't remember the names of the vast majority of the people I meet, even after meeting them MULTIPLE times.I was interested to know how my journey compared to Chris's. So we started day by day. "What did you do on your first day?" We asked each other. "Where did you stay on your second night?" We discussed the cold, the shelters, the people we met before we started hiking together. It was fun, and interesting, to see how our stories differed. We complained about Sweet Time. I was jealous that he got trail magic at the top of Albert Mountain, when I got stuck with cloudy skies and threats of rain. He only started a few days before me, but our hikes were so different. Listening to him made me grateful that I waited until April 1st to start. I managed to avoid a lot of VERY cold nights.We got through our first ten days or so before we reached the park and the General Store, home of the half gallon challenge.For some reason I thought that the half gallon challenge had to be completed in an hour, but apparently that is not the case.When we arrived, Magnus was about halfway through his 1.5 quart container of Neapolitan ice cream. He was starting to look miserable... but still had to empty his container AND polish off another quart. He sporked up that ice cream slower and slower as time went by, looking sicker and sicker. I was so glad that I had already decided to opt out of the challenge. SO GLAD. Especially when Yellow Bird arrived, started the challenge, and started looking increasingly drunker and sicker and more miserable as she progressed through her monstrous, behemoth, 2,500 calorie meal of fat and sugar. Chris had been seriously considering attempting the challenge, but watching the cold, creamy misery of our trail friends seemed to deter him. He changed his mind and just went for two scoops instead.Magnus finally finished his last pint in MISERY, slamming down the last spoonfuls of ice cream to applause. Then he left to vomit. Probably the best choice. Once again, I was so happy I was not sitting with my spork buried in ice cream. Especially as Magnus and Yellow Bird discussed strategy, lamenting how hard it was to swallow the thicker chocolate compared to the vanilla. They ate around the melting edges first. They switched back and forth between flavors. They speculated over whether it would be easier to drink melted ice cream rather than more frozen cream. Magnus complained that he was freezing. Yellow Bird moved into the shade, complaining about the sun bothering her.Coco recommended the mint moose tracks ice cream, so out of solidarity and ice cream tradition, I had two scoops. Two delicious scoops. A perfect portion. So much better than a disgusting half gallon. My thighs are thankful.Yellow Bird succeeded as well, looking even sicker than Magnus by the end. Sick, but triumphant. We all applauded.Bearclaw managed to pound down his half gallon more quickly than both Magnus and Yellow Bird. Many successful challenges have been witnessed today. The prize? A little wooden spoon stamped with "MEMBER OF THE HALF GAL. CLUB". Kind of lame. Awesome bragging rights, though.Just beyond the store and right on the trail is the AT museum, which was our next stop. It is a really cool little place, filled with shoes and clothing from famous thru-hikers, many excellent history lessons, and an entire old shelter. It was kind of awesome.I also enjoyed pilfering through the hiker box, where I got APPLES, and Goldfish, and pretzels shared with Chris. I did not need more food. I ate it anyway. So much for my trail diet. I didn't eat any cookies, though!! Aren't you proud of me? I actually avoided sugar for once. Treebeard just offered me a cookie, too, and I politely declined. I even ate peanut butter today. Yay protein!And the NEXT stop was Laurel Lake. For swimming. I had to decide how improper to be. Should I swim in my clothes? Would it be too much (or too little) to just wear my sports bra and hiking underwear? YOU KNOW WHAT?! I don't even care at this point! Blue sports bra and hot pink athletic panties may clash horribly, but they probably cover more of my modest parts than a bikini. I stripped off my shorts and T-shirt without a BIT of shame. I don't care how many children see my hiker butt.Coco, Magnus, Chris and I bypassed the inner swimming area, which was seething with children (how is it possible that it's summer vacation already?!). The water was brisk but wonderful. " I feel so much cleaner!" Chris remarked afterwards.Coco and Magnus hiked on while Chris and I sat to journal and write letters, taking advantage of a shady picnic table. "You look really tired." Chris told me. I had been throwing the idea of a nap around all day, but I can never nap well. I always feel worse after instead of better.Then it was back to the store and back to the museum to read books and examine the hiker box one more time. Tinkerbell was there! She skipped some of the Shenandoahs. She is on a bit of a time crunch - she has to finish in time to go back to school. She is making sure not to stress out about it too much, though. She knows that she can always go back to places she missed if she has to. Kudos to her for making enjoying the journey her priority.I laid outside in the grass in the shade for a while and thought to myself, "My life is so wonderful." It almost turned into a nap, but I was thirsty AND had to pee. Once I got back in the museum I parked it on the couch and was too lazy to head back outside.Then back to the store, to see Treebeard, Hot Chocolate, Captain K, and a plethora of other hikers. This afternoon I asked Chris, "How many hikers do you think pass through here in a day at this point?" He guessed maybe 15. The numbers have definitely dropped. People have dropped out and spread out. After seeing the afternoon crowd at the General Store, I think there are probably still more people on the trail than I would have estimated.As we were getting ready to swim earlier, Chris was putting on his sunglasses. "Are you wearing your sunglasses swimming?!" I asked him bemusedly. "It's sunny out." He said, as if the answer was obvious."I forgot my sunglasses at home." I told him. I wasn't heartbroken over this, though. During my entire time on the trail, I hardly wore them at all. Chris told me that there had been a forgotten, unclaimed pair of sunglasses at the last shelter. We both wished I had mentioned it sooner. I could have landed a free replacement.When things are left at shelters, there is only a TINY chance that someone will come back to claim them. No one wants to backtrack. Especially if something is left overnight, it is almost basically up for grabs. I am not sure if this is dishonest or not... sometimes things do make their way up the trail to their rightful owner, like my water bottle that Yeti carried north. Such instances are rare, though.This afternoon, the AT Phenomenon struck again. A hiker who started behind us this morning grabbed the same pair of sunglasses that Chris had seen. In front of the store, she asked if anyone had lost sunglasses at the last shelter. Chris and I looked at each other. "We were just talking about those!"And those glasses made their way onto my head. I feel a little guilty. But I suppose that now they will at least be going north, like most hikers. If I run into their rightful owner, I will happily turn them over.At 5 o'clock we headed over to the Ironmasters Mansion. It isn't super fancy but is very nice inside, a super cool old building. It apparently had a secret room, but I haven't found it yet. It was the secret room (and the shower) that swayed me into staying here. Normally I would be too cheap. I am kind of glad, though, because I am still exhausted. I hope I will be able to sleep well here.The mansion is nicer than most of the places I have stayed on the trail, and almost definitely the nicest hostel. The $25 stay (thanks to Fran and Bonnie!) includes the shower, a bunk, and breakfast at 7, which means that I can sleep late, but we can still start hiking fairly early.They actually provide linens. LINENS! A towel AND a washcloth AND sheets AND a blanket. I don't have to pack up my sleeping bag in the morning! THAT IS SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO. If I decide to be super lazy and sleep in my hiking clothes tomorrow, I could actually just pack Gertrude tonight and roll right out of bed to breakfast in the morning. I feel like there is a good chance that I will crash before the laundry is done, though. I am about fifteen minutes away from comatose.I cooked my dinner in the backyard while Chris returned to the store to buy a sandwich. I am clean and tired and just about ready for bed. I felt better today after eating less candy and am trying to make it a habit. I have so much chocolate in all of my mail drops and at home, though. At least I can give some to Chris. He had TWO ice creams today. I was good and only had one. But I did have M&Ms, which are probably even worse.I am thankful for a good day. I am thankful for a swim, trail magic sunglasses, and fruit, friends and clean hair. And running water.As much as I love the trail, and had a good day, I miss my sister, and I miss home. I guess I am thankful, in a weird way, to have such a great family to be homesick for, even though homesickness sucks.