It's Saturday, and I'm on the second half of my trip. I got a late start out of town today. First, we had breakfast at the hostel: pancakes, sausage, cheese biscuits, orange juice, coffee, as much as we wanted. And it was really good food -- take it from someone who cooks. I packed up and hitched in with Julian and Porkchop and Spike. Spike got a room at the Holiday Inn Express, Julian and Porkchop went to do e-mail at the library, and I bought Tevas and groceries, then went back to Spike's room to grab my pack. Called Greg from the lobby then went upstairs to find Spike's family there, one of whom having been born in Albany! Very nice people, and very encouraging about my hiking. Caught two rides to Dick's Creek Gap and set off for Plumorchard Gap Shelter, only 4.3 miles in. I passed a guy going out on the blue-blazed access trail—he said no one else was there. I was thinking of pressing on another couple of miles in hopes of shortening my hike on the 13th as well as catching CW and T, who are both ahead of me on the trail, but the Tevas gave me new blisters (natch) and I have to say the novelty of staying at an empty shelter was appealing.
Plumorchard Gap Shelter, 5:20pm Two robins are foraging in the leaf litter, and those slate-grey birds are in the trees, and I can hear if not see woodpeckers. And someone keeps hopping onto the roof of the shelter. So I'm going to stay. I'll sleep in the shelter instead of the 'mid, too. Whee!
Well, at 6:15p I heard noise on the path and who should show up but Numbers and Leprachaun. They also left town late (about 2:30, he said), which put them about half an hour behind me to start. I am glad to have some company -- it's very different to be by myself after a week or so of camping with others. I also have to do something about my blisters or I'm gonna have some serious mileage problems. I think that if I can tape my feet right, the Tevas will be the way to go, even though I hate adding the weight of my shoes to six days' worth of food and my cold-weather clothes (it was low- to mid-70s today, with more of the same forecast through Wednesday). The blisters on both my little toes have blisters underneath the original blister -- how's that for messed up? But now, the Tevas are rubbing my heels and I can't get the moleskin and duct tape to stay put. My feet are fine when everything's in place, but it doesn't stay that way for long. Now Leprechaun is offering me Crazy Glue to keep the tape in place! He also has an alcohol stove -- made out of two V8 cans and some bent paper clips. Sweet. I hope my soda can stove is waiting for me when I get back.
fyi, as of the end of 2005, this remains my shortest hiking day so far!
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