I left at 9am on the dot today after a long night of tossing and turning. I didn't stretch enough at the end of the day yesterday and continually woke with tightening muscles.
Everyone walked to the next shelter for breakfast, as the water was of much higher quality. The rainwater runoff from the roof was "filtered" through a pump behind the shelter that we had slept at, and tasted of dead leaves and bird shit. At least that's what I was told, I didn't even try it after seeing its cedar water pigment.
After the delayed breakfast Mr. Fantastic and I continued on, attempting to up our speed today. You can become complacent at a 2mph gait, and we are hoping to up it to 3 by the time we finish this trip. It's good to push your limits because you realize the reserves of energy you've built up and haven't been taking advantage of.
We made it to the following shelter at 3pm, which had us at 13.5 miles. So 6 hours - 1 hour for breaks = 5 hours for 13.5 miles, or 2.7mph. Not bad for a turing test. Of course my exhaustion started to take hold after that aggressive a start to the day, but thankfully it was only another 3 miles to the road into town.
We started hitching at 5pm, after passing our first naked hiker. We hear that Thursday is naked hiking day, but he apparently has to work then, so came out early to strut his stuff. It was as funny as it was disturbing. It didn't take long to get into Buchanan, where we ate at a diner/pharmacy. Yes, it was odd, but the food was delicious. A $2.95 milkshake, which was really 3 milkshakes when all was said and done, made the meal.
A very short resupply at the local gas station/Burger King (yes, they like to combine things in Buchanan) and we were back on the hitching road. The way back was challenging, as no one was driving the winding country road at 7pm on a Tuesday. Finally after 45 minutes we got a lift from a generous couple who had heard Mr. Fantastic asking about alternate routes at the gas station.
Arriving back at the trail at 8pm with 3.5 miles to go meant the possible beginnings of a night hike, but since we had already eaten our fill it was less of a concern. The hike wound up being quite breathtaking after a short rocky climb. The trail was soft on the feet, flat and easy on the muscles, while facing a glorious sunset through wide open ridges.
We were afraid the shelter would be full, but it was actually quite empty, and we were grateful. It's a hot night, and I don't think I can goad myself into getting in my mummy bag. I'm hoping not to wake from a wolf spider crawling through my hair as I did last night. It was apparently 95 degrees today, and while I literally dripped sweat on each ascent, I managed to stay comfortably hydrated. Things are already looking up for summer, and much of my fears are alleviated after a day like today. We're right on track, and just have to keep pushing. Tomorrow is only a 17 mile day, but it's a rough 3000 foot climb up Apple Orchard Mountain. I hope, but somehow doubt, that it'll live up to its name.
