Walking In Circles

6.5 Miles to Lost Mountain Shelter

In the 80s even though the normal for these days in the 70s.  It isn't even cooling off at night.  But the honeysuckle are in mounds of blossoms with the scent drifting across the trail.  And sometimes walking down into a hollow it suddenly cools and dries.  Still, I'll be happy when this hot spell has passed.

By The Numbers

As the average miles/day creeps upward, I wonder if I can really finish by 31 December.  However, I am not badly injured and will be on my freed soon, and that number had been effectively going down for many weeks so I can make it happen again.

Coffee count:
Starbucks: 4
Caribou: 4
Third Place: 3

Food count:
Sports Beans: 71
PurFit Bar: 5
Whole Foods Brunch: 2
Slim Jims: 4
Packages Beef Jerky: 2
Lifesaver Gummies: 1
Ice cream: 1

Shoe count: 3
Sticks Body Glide: 2

Miles completed/remaining: 467.4 / 1,708.8
Average number of miles/day remaining: 6.68

14.7 Miles to Feathercamp Branch in Virginia!

LadyG welcomed me across my third state line, wearing the her tiara and sash of a true ww'ers star.  I could not stay to chat because I was late to an appointment to meet about 1,000 dogs nine miles away.

So I booked it nine miles and was fine for that day, but the next day came up with a knee injury.  So about a week of no walking for me and then I'll be easing back into it.

6.5 Miles to Abingdon Gap Shelter

Looks like a nice place.

Today I saw a guy walking along until he smashed his head right into a sign.  The sign was exactly where you would expect it to be.   He didn't seem distracted or looking the wrong way.  It was a strange thing to see.

Not that I'm doing any better at paying attention.  Yesterday in the early morning dark I heard some footsteps behind me.  I had been walking along deep in though, mesmerized by the cycle of one toe in front of the other.  I looked up, and then back, to keep an eye on who was approaching.  It was actually someone walking in the other direction who had approached and passed without me noticing.

6.5 Miles to Shady Valley, TN

Better known as a motorcycle town than an AT town.  Temperatures have warmed up again. A high of 58 degrees F today.  Hoping we're finally done with cold weather!

6.5 Miles Over TN-91

Past the Nick Grindstaff Monument to the campsite just on the other side of TN-91.

6.5 Miles to Iron Mountain Shelter

Where all good files go to die.  Of course. ;-)

By The Numbers

I haven't felt well the last few days.  I'm not sure exactly what is going on, but I've been getting a lot of rest and hopefully it was just exhaustion following my vaction.

Coffee count:
Starbucks: 3
Caribou: 4
Third Place: 2

Food count:
Sports Beans: 65
PurFit Bar: 4
Whole Foods Brunch: 2
Slim Jims: 3
Packages Beef Jerky: 1
Lifesaver Gummies: 1
Ice cream: 1

Shoe count: 3
Sticks Body Glide: 2

Miles completed/remaining: 427.7 / 1,748.5
Average number of miles/day remaining: 6.65

6.5 Miles near Watauga Lake

I walked on this section of trail almost a year ago.

I meant to have that in mind today, but the fact that I have the flu or something and didn't hit peak misery until I was more than 3 miles from camp with nothing to be done but walk back and I hadn't taken my Starbucks card to make myself feel better (looks peeps, the 'bucks solves everything) distracted me.  And, there were people on my trail.  Sometimes that happens.  One of them (not a John or a homeless guy, yay!) even talked to me.  Humph.

6.5 Miles to Griffith Branch

Tomorrow I'll be walking past Lake Watauga- the only portion of the Appalachian Trail that I have walked on in real life.