Day 34 · May 17, 2012 · near Erwin, North Carolina · AT mile 321.5 · 1,047 ft · 16.9 mi walked over 2 days
So nice to be dry
It rained again last night, but the haze was clearing by morning. Mr. Fantastic woke up before me for once, but I still left before him. I like to eat, pack up, and get moving. Plus I don't cook breakfast and he does. Per usual I decided to break for lunch at the first shelter I passed, which was about 6 miles along. Meta was there with the older section hikers, and Optimus soon joined us. Ever since I realized that I only need enough food to last me until tomorrow I've been shoveling food down my gullet pretty much nonstop. I have about 4 meals a day and one dessert, each consisting of almost 1000 calories. It's keeping me energized and feeling great!Today was a day full of animal life. Of particular note were the two cows and calf I saw. It may be generally mundane, but very odd to see on the trail. Lots of frogs, snails, birds, caterpillars, butterflies, bees, squirrels, chipmunks, flies (assholes), beetles, and one snake. I happily hiked my 14.7 miles today, and rolled into camp around 4pm. It was a pretty easy day, and I enjoyed a particularly long second lunch by a waterfall. Once at camp I pitched my tent so it could dry in the afternoon sun. I also set out my solar charger, and hung all of my wet clothes and sleeping bag. That's a good day in my book. Everyone arrived shortly after, and dinner was quite enjoyable. As was dessert, with my favorite part being a tortilla covered in peanut butter with a line of mini Reese's cups lining the center, and then wrapped. To think, I may have never known how good peanut butter is on a tortilla if I hadn't decided to do this hike. Mr. Fantastic watched the first part of Dr. Horrible, which I downloaded on the way out of Hot Springs. I was sitting at the table when I hear him laughing heartily from his tent. James is brushing his teeth and walks over with a confused look on his face as to the sound. I get a wry smile on my face as I explain that Mr. Fantastic is watching my namesake. It's tough to introduce people to any video out here, but it'll slowly happen. Tomorrow we have a joke of a nearo, at just 2.5 miles. That'll dump us at the highway we'll be hitching to Trail Days from. Hopefully it'll be as easy to find a ride as everyone says. Apparently there should be well over 10k people attending, many bringing food for us sorry hikers. We'll all be a bit soft after so much time off the trail, but how could you resist an AT festival when thru-hiking the AT?
