Date: 2005-04-18
From: Icewater Springs Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: few clouds

8 PM Today is one of those days where I cant give much detail. I'm starting to zone out. I'm having trouble remembering stuff that happened today, it's all a blur. I started walking at 7:10. The hours went by, the radio was on, I lost track of time just watching my feet and walking. There was some good views today. The Trail had a lot of ups and downs but a lot kinder in terms of elevation changes.I didn't stop very often.   I stopped to pee and to fill up with water for a few minutes at Tri-Corner Knob Shelter, the rest of the time I was hauling ass.I actually walked into Cosby Knob Shelter at 3 o'clock. A guy named Cracker was already there. I made 20.3 miles in less than 9 hours. A whole bunch of people have been walking in all afternoon and evening. The shelter is 100% packed.The reason I ran this far is because I'll be only 10 miles from Standing Bear Farm and only 9 miles from Mountain Momma's. I'll drop into Mountain Momma's first to get cigars and cigarettes, I'm out. If I get in early enough, I'll have breakfast, they make a pretty decent breakfast there. If not, I'll have a couple of cheeseburgers, stock up on some stuff and get back on the Trail. A mile after that, is Standing Bear Farm, where I have a mail drop and I'll probably stay the evening, get out and start running again the next morning after I've done my laundry and showered and re-supplied.I figure on the 21st, I should be walking into Springs. I'll call Bob tomorrow from Mountain Momma's and see if he will pick me up at Hot Springs on the 21st. Carol has reserved a cabin for us on the 23 rd, so that would work out perfect. I could get 2 days off the Trail and go out eating and drinking with Bob, then come back with Carol and hang out the weekend Obviously I'm going to have some zero days here from the 21st.I'm feeling strong, the legs started getting wobbly and weak when I got here. I seriously considered to run another 7 miles to the next shelter which I believe Eddie is staying at tonight. At 3 o'clock it seemed so early but, I decided to hang out and chill out. I'm making good time, there's no reason for me to be running. I have a couple of days to play with.A number of other people also ran 20 mile days today. We seem to be running the same mileage and going to the same places. Those people are Ray, Au Ma and Au Pa, Sam and Origami, and Patch. Good mileage and good Trail today in terms of elevation but tons and tons of rocks. The majority of the day was walking over a lot of flat, loose rocks that were potentially ankle breakers. Some sections were good and flat. The rocks made it a lot more interesting. Even more interesting is the fact that the bugs are starting to come out. Some parts you were just walking through a cloud of gnats. And they follow you, if you don't walk really fast, it seems like about 2.5-3 miles per hour, you have to break in order to leave the gnats. It sure is an adventurous way to get protein, you just keep sucking those babies down, I was spitting gnats for hours today, I'm sure for as many as I spit out I swallowed. I hate hiking with a head net but it gets much worse. It's probably what's going to end up happening. I don't think I need my protein in that fashion.