Appalachian Trail Day 43

04-11-01, Day 43

20.0 miles, AT – 508.3 2,900 feet

Sunny/Partly cloudy 70-75°

Wise Shelter – Trimpi Shelter

I saw two chipmunks and five deer. That makes nine deer total. We also saw more of the wild ponies. The big find of the day was the sapsucker (woodpecker).

We hiked through burnt grass fields in the AM then it was back to the woods. Places were smooth and fast and others were rocky and slow. My feet are still sore.

I’m at the shelter with Jeff, Amy, Will and Bill. I expect more to come.

I can’t believe I’m going to miss the Boston Marathon on Monday. I hope Jason survives the Heartbreak Hills without me. I’ll have to call him from the Partnership Shelter. Theres a visitor center 200 yards from the shelter. You can order food and have it delivered. The shelter has a hot shower! I can’t wait for that a shower and real food in the wild.

There are two or three rabbits thrashing around in the bushes. They’re chasing each other play bunny tag.

Well Stubbster, Smokie and Bandit just showed up. They went into Troutdale for dinner.

Someone left homemade oatmeal, cranberry and chocolate chip cookies at the VA 16 Trail register box. I opened the lip up lid to expect a full sheet of names and a stubby little pencil, but I found two bags of cookies. Trail Magic at its finest.

Craig Fowler - Appalachian Trail Day 43 - Wise Shelter - Trimpi Shelter

Journal Time

There are beautiful forsythia flowers here. Along the trail, there have been small yellow flowers and small white ones, too.

We just got buzzed by a B1 bomber! It was flying really low, too. Its wings were back and it was roaring along

Scatman 2011- Days like this one where you find bags of cookies left by some caring soul really lifted you up. Add to that the promise of a shower and ordering food on the trail and you’ve got yourself some motivated hikers. I recall the name Trimpi Shelter but can’t for the life of me recall what it looked like. I have a general idea of the area but that’s about it.

It was cool to meet all the new hikers I mentioned. Most of them I only hiked with a short while but I remember them today. It amazes me how the people I met on the trail stayed with me over the years. Some more than others and some I still talk to today.

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Scatman

Get out there!