Date: 2008-03-27
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Since today is a zero-mile day I thought I would give you an idea of a typical day for me while I¢m out on the trail. By the way, I¢m thoroughly enjoying my time with my family in a nice little log cabin here in Hot Springs. Even though I¢ve only been gone for 19 days there is so much to catch up on with each other. Today we all drove up to Max Patch Bald and ran around there for while. We are also enjoying just relaxing and doing not much of anything-just being together. My day usually begins with sunrise at which time I wake up. If it¢s cold (which it always has been) I pull on a jacket while still in my sleeping bag. I also take off my long johns and put on my shorts and fleece pants before crawling out of my bag. Once I am dressed, I get out of my sleeping bag and stuff it into its sack. I then put on my socks and boots before getting out of my tent or shelter. I then retrieve my food bag which was hung the night before to keep it out of reach of bears. My breakfast consists of two Oatmeal-to-go bars and a liter of water. I then fill my water bottles and treat the water if necessary. Not all water is readily drinkable. If the source is a spring then I just drink it, if it is a stream, I treat it with chemicals to keep from getting an intestinal infection called Giardiosis. I then pack my stuff into my backpack and get moving. I am usually on the trail by 8 or 8:30. When I first start, my back pack feels comfortable. I know that sounds strange, but it¢s true. By the end of the day it is not so comfortable. I usually have to stop within 30 minutes or so to take off some layers of clothing as I get hot easily. Unless it¢s down in the low 30¢s or very windy, I typically hike in shorts and a short sleeve shirt with a hat on. I plan to hike 4-5 hours before taking a lunch break though I sometimes will stop and drink a little water or eat a handful of trail mix (nuts, dried fruit, etc) before lunch. I plan my lunch spot to be some location such as a shelter or other marker along the way so I know how far along I have come. I can hike 2-3 miles per hour depending on the terrain.My lunch consists of bread and peanut butter or bread and tuna then I keep hiking. Again, I might stop in a few hours for water or a few handfuls of trail mix along the way. If I am stopping at a shelter for the night I aim for that otherwise I just keep hiking until I see an appropriate tenting spot. Once I find my place for the night, I set up my tent or unroll my sleeping pad and sleeping bag if it¢s in a shelter. I then cook dinner. I have Ramen noodles, instant mashed potatoes, or some sort of instant pasta. I cook and eat from the same little pan. Sometimes I have some cheese with it and an occasional cup of hot chocolate. I try to drink another liter of water with dinner. I then rinse out my dishes and fill my water bottles to be ready for breakfast in the morning. I put my pot, all my food and anything that might attract animals (chapstick) in my food bag and hang it up out of reach of bears.I then type my journal entry and write a little in my personal journal then read in the fading light until dark. I go to bed when it¢s dark, but I don¢t always sleep right away. I like to lie there and think and listen to the night sounds (or try to ignore people snoring around me) until I go to sleep. I then wake up with sunrise and the cycle begins again.