Date: 2015-09-22
From: Wilson Valley lean to

To: Chairback Gap Lean To
Miles today: 15.6

When I woke up I immediatly made coffee then walked to the shelter to say HI to Hauling Oats. She told me all about the festival and her trail work, and we all ended up leaving camp around 8, very late! The days are getting short so we really should not squander our morning daylight hours.The hike was TOUGH today! If anyone tells you the hundred mile wilderness is easy-don't believe them! the first half is tough. Today the trail brought us up and over several peaks-Barren Mountain, Fourth Mountain, Mt Three and a Half (I know, weird names, right?)There was a very dramatic looking tower on Barren Mountain, referred to as "remnants of a tower" in the AWOL book. I saw the remnants of the roof of the tower on the ground, but the tower itself stood. Views were pretty, skies were blue.After the mountain, I watered up at Cloud Pond Lean to and decided to make a second cup of Joe. It was chilly out. That hit the spot and I hiked on. My energy was low today, I hiked slowly up and down the numerous climbs. Today was a day that felt like the hike would never end and I could not envision myself doing this all day. Those days happen and I have found them to be the biggest challenge I have faced-and the most relentless. You have to get your brain in your corner or you won't go anywhere. Often the way to do that is to ignore yourself. Focus on your feet. Put one foot in front of the other. Soon it is lunch time and you have made it past some of the doldrums. Repeat as necessary.I kept climbing and descending. I stopped to take pictures frequently and was soon dusted by Katherine, Tedzilla, and Hauling Oats. I passed a bog by walking on boards placed to protect the wildlife. It was incredible. There were plant species I have never seen before.I hiked alone all day. It started getting dark when I got near West Chairback Pond. By the time I got to the peak of Columbus Mountain, it was pitch black out. The descent to the shelter was incredibly steep and very treacherous, even if it was done in the daylight. I picked my way down, using my hands to climb in places, throwing my poles down to free them up. I was cursing under my breath and stopping to spit a few times. I like spitting. I can't do that when I get home. I will also have to give up snot rockets and farting at will. But I am still free to enjoy those pleasures for another 88 miles or so.Once I reached the bottom, it was getting late. I started looking for a flat spot to pitch my tent in case I didn't reach the shelter, which seemed to never come. Maybe I passed it?While I was in this salty frame of mind, I remembered the first time I stealth camped in Geaorgia, all by myself. I huddled in my tent, quivering every time a branch snapped outside. I remember getting out of my tent to pee and looking everywhere, all around with my headlamp, terrifed by the possibility of bears or zombies. Now here I am, descending a rocky cliff like trail, in a night so black I could not see my hand in front of my face without my headlamp, looking for a place to throw dwon. Fear has never entered my mind tonight. Isn't it amazing how adaptable humans are? I took a moment to appreciate that and hiked on.I found the shelter and pitched my tent next to it. Hauling Oats and Katherine were still up, laughing and talking, so I made my dinner and joined in the conversation. I went to bed and tossed and turned. The sand is running out on this trip. I don't know how I feel about that.