Appalachian Trail Day 37

04-05-01, Day 37

16.4 miles, AT – 431.5

8:50 AM – 4:00 PM

Watauga Lake – Unknown Campsite

Agatha showed up around 8:35 AM. I was ready for my banana and OJ. We hit the trail soon after. Besides the first two climbs in the first few miles, the hike was easy. The rest of the way into Damascus should be easy. It got warm enough that I changed into shorts and a short sleeve shirt during the hike.

Watauga Lake

We spooked a grouse and two wild turkeys. Bob, who I stayed with last night, described turkeys as bowling balls with wings, when turkeys fly. I though it was a prefect description.

My feet kill every day. After about 10 miles my back is tired today too. During dinner I sat on a log and it took all my strength to sit upright. Right now Im leaning against my pack which is against a tree. Its only 5:45 PM now we have time to kill.

When we stopped at the last shelter, the book and map said we wouldn’t see water again for a while. With our plan to camp, we had to hike .2 of a mile south of the AT, pump our water, then carry it to camp. Guess whats right next to camp? A stream! I carried 8 lbs. of water for nothing.

Lately with my feet being so tired, the hiking has been tiresome. It can make the day very long if your feet are not well. Plus its getting warmer and the hiking is hot. I already stink after two days.

Oh, I almost forgot. Back when I left the Apple House Shelter, I crossed US 19, which meant that I finished mother state, North Carolina!!! Two down twelve to go. In a day in a half, I will finish Tennessee, too. Virginia is about 584 miles long. It’s over a 100 miles longer than what Ive already hiked.

Scatman 2011- Ah, the feet and back, two key pieces when your hiking. When I say my feet hurt I’m not talking sharp pain but a constant dull pain. It never leaves until you have stopped for an hour or so. When I would first stand up in the morning there were times when my feet/legs would almost give out and I’d have to catch myself from falling.

The feet pain and other dull pains would come and go but as the hike went on they would get less and less. It’s a slow process but your body does become hardened, physically and mentally. You don’t see it at the time but when you look back at the end of the day you sometimes would amaze yourself at how far you went.

———-

Scatman

Get out there!