Date: 2012-04-16
From: Iron Mountain Shelter

To: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: broken clouds

It was a really nice relaxed day today. Or at least starting out it was. I woke up early well rested and caught some of the sunrise glow coming up over the next ridge over. Packed up while taking my time and decided to eat my lunch food for breakfast as I'm fnding I need something more substaintal in the morning than what I have been eating. Huff and Puff took off before me and again I headed out singing tunes in my head and creating background noise or my hike. Easy easy downhill rightout of the selter with the perfect slope. I covered 4 miles in just an hour and 20 minutes. The nearest water source was pretty silty s I took 30 minutes slowly filtering itthrough coffee filters I carry for just such a need. Good thing too as there was some pretty narly looking larva and other creatures swimming in it too. There was a really beautiful grassy field today that caused me to slow down, relax and take the time to soak in the sighs, smells, and feel of the wind. The views into the vally below wth mountains all around andthe cte nest of houses matched perfectly with the closer farm buildings. As if all this were not enough to make me smile, the apple tres were all in full blossom too with their petals being blown all around me. This whole section of AT had a lovely manacured fel which I happily welcomed as a change of pace from woodand trails. There was even a bench at the center of it all where the gravel part of the trail ended. I sa there for awhile soaking it all up. But as always the trail calls and there are mils to go before we sleep.I got to the first shelter to find Uff and Puff there. We hiked out together which is actually the first time I hiked with these ladies. Great conversations as always. The last few miles came hard as we hit the 12 mile ache. Basically this is when our bodies start really protesting and the pain really sets in. Puff was feeling good and went flying aheadstretching out her legs only to come running back to try to turn us around after mistaking the oldabandoned selter for our destination. No water source there and near falling apart. But since I religously check my guidebook and had been shouting out points of reference fcor he last 3 hours we got it squared away and kept moving. I was so happy. To finally get to the shelter but less happy with the steep .3 mile climb down to water. Oof that hurt the knees. We got in around 4:20 and hardly knew what to do with ourselves. By the time wehad eaten, changed, done camp chores, journaled and socialized we still had 2 hours before dark. My body and mindwere so conditioned to ok now it's sleep time that I just lay there thinking, "come on turn out thesun already". Just us in he shelter tonight. Girls party!Today we finished the last of our dinners. It will be the first time that I'll have eaten all my food and be heading into town with an empty foodbag. So light! We've been talking about what we want to eat when we get to town for days now. I am craving a salad. There are tons of options for finding a room here. Mostare b and bs or some divy seming hostels. I just want someplace I can safly leave my stuf unattended.We cross into VA tomorrow. I feel s much like I'm coming home even though there is still a good 400 miles to go until hat moment. Still there is something so comfortable about being in my home state. There's a fast moving doozy of a storm headed our way so I expect rain tonight. But for now all is calm and the shelter faces east so we have a great reflective sunset off thw cloudsAs excited as I am to be heading into town, I am absolutly loving the trail despite andbecause of it's physical challenge. But I wis my feet didn't hurt so much all the time. They have swollen up so muc and are so very tender. I'm almost afraid none of my old shoes will ever fit again. The rest of my body feels greqat though. I've lost so much weigt and am hoping I can find a scale to see just how much. Life is good people.