Made a couple stops around town this morning before heading back into the park. First to the post office to send home the old pair of shoes and some other odds and ends. Then to The Gathering Grounds, a coffee shop/cafe where I had a bagel-bacon-egg-cheese sandwich and an amazing cup of hot chai. Finally the outfitter where I got a fresh copy of the AWOL guidebook. Got everything packed up and eventually got a ride from a local trail angel. Before heading off Strider and I said farewell to Jupiter who had his ride back home.
Starting a hike at noon coming out of town feels so much different than starting from a shelter at 7 or 8. Always seems to take longer to get into a solid groove even though I sleep about five times better in town. The first several hours were cool and there was fog and a steady mist falling. Large drops fell frequently from the trees where the mist accumulated on the leaves. Eventually the mist evolves into a heavier rain but only for a few minutes, and then it dissipated entirely. Other than the continued gray skies and rainy weather it was another uneventful 14 miles.
An odd assortment of folks at the shelter though. There’s a guy who has taken a vow of silence while on the AT. At first glance I thought he seemed to be just here for the day – I hoped so anyway because he’s carrying about 10 different books and enough fuel for a month. When I arrived he had his stuff strewn across half the shelter. Later a mother/son duo showed up, shes probably at least 60 and he’s about 15. Absurdly, they are carrying and using umbrellas while thru-hiking the AT. She says they try to do 26+ mile days so that they can finish in time for him to be back in school, but Strider and I met them briefly several weeks ago, and here we are unfortunately at the same spot again.