Date: 2018-08-12
From: Rod Hollow shelter

To: Jim & Molly Denton shelter 
Miles today: 18.4

Today started out super hot and humid, but then it stormed for awhile this afternoon which actually felt really nice. First time in awhile that I was thankful for the rain. I saw one of the strangest things on trail today. I walked up on 3 middle-aged white dudes driving their remote-controlled, TOY monster trucks right through the trail. One of the trucks was carrying a crushed beer can on a string behind it. Another had a rock chained onto the bed of it. They were just cruising them along over the rocks and mud. One would flip over, so they¢d stop, readjust it, and keep going. It took everything in me to not ask what the fuck they were doing with their Sunday morning. Lol! I couldn¢t help but think, only in the south!South Pro: There are some bomb ass shelters/campsites down here. Almost every one has a picnic table - real luxury. Saw one the other day with a porch swing! And tonight I¢m staying at one with a reclining wooden bench and a rain-barrel solar-operated shower! I might as well be staying at the Holiday Inn. LolSouth Con: Thorns! I keep running into thorny vines and overgrowth hanging over the trail. And It hurts.South Pro: I can sleep in, take long breaks throughout the day, and still crush the miles! Started hiking at 9am, took an hour lunch break, then took an hour dinner break by hitching 1.5 miles down the road to a farmers market store where I found a 12in VEGAN peach pie!! Whooo!! I ate half of it right there and then packed out the other half for tomorrow¢s breakfast. That thing probably weighed a solid 2-3 lbs. Lol Definitely the most ridiculous thing I¢ve packed out on trail, but SO worth it.  In all honesty, I was in a bit of a funk today. The lack of people out here, thruhikers specifically, is starting to get to me. Like it¢s lonely AF. Without people around to motivate you through the day and hold you accountable for each mile, it¢s easy to wanna ask yourself why the hell you¢re still out here? Dipping into towns and eating good food is always a little morale booster. But sometimes it just feels like I¢m hiking from one convenient store to the next. Like that¢s my big motivation to keep hiking each day. And that¢s sad. LolI actually carry a list with me stating all the reasons I set out to do the trail, what I¢ll gain from it, and what I¢ll lose if I quit. I made it before I came out here. I have yet to read it though on trail. I keep putting it off because I feel like the day I have to bust out ¢The List¢ will signify the day I have officially cracked. And I refuse to admit I¢m there yet. LolI do remember one of the things I¢d hoped to gain on trail and that was learning to be alone. And not just learning to tolerate loneliness, but learning to THRIVE within it. Right now though, since it¢s only my 3rd day southbound, I think I¢m still in the initial shock phase. As more time passes hopefully I¢ll adjust. Had a bit of a time warp just now at the shelter. I was looking at the shelter¢s log book/register to see if I recognized any names of hikers who had passed through. I flipped to the first page of the book and was shocked to see a dozen different NoBos¢ names I recognized all dated around mid-May (CraftE, Spider, Steady, Sunshine, Chili Dog, Sherlock, Honeybun, Slider, Mr Peanut Butter, etc). They all left various messages and comments about their hike/day. Apparently, it was raining when a lot of them passed through, just like now... Oh how the soul and spirit of the NoBo bubble lives on through this damp and humid August day.