Due to lack of service days 44 and 45 will come out today

The AT is the wettest long distance trail in the US. I knew that before coming out. But there’s a difference between knowing it. And knowing it. 

When I woke up this morning and put on my wet shirt, my wet shorts, my wet shoes and packed up my wet rain fly (hammock stayed dry!) in the still coming down rain, I knew what that superlative really meant. But once again, there was nothing I could do. So I put my pruned feet into my wet shoes and started to walk. 

I skipped the raincoat today because yesterday had been so sweaty. I decided I couldn’t do that again and opted instead for a rain soaked t shirt. 

The day itself wasn’t too bad. The elevation wasn’t extreme. The temperature wasn’t cold. And the rain even slowed to a drizzle for most of the day. I stopped for a noon lunch at a shelter with rocket and by the time we rolled in, there was a break in the rain long enough for the sun to come out. I took off my shoes, socks and shirt and hung them to dry – knowing it wouldn’t help but figuring I had to at least pretend to try. 

At lunch I realized that we had crossed the 600 mile marker. But either there was no marker there to great us. Or it was just too rainy to see it. Either way, there had been no celebration.

I walked on from lunch and the path took us along a ridge line. To the left of me, I saw nothing but storm clouds and rain. To the right of me, however, I saw blue skies and sun. “Please let the trail go down to the right”, I silently begged. 

The trail must’ve gone left because with 2 miles to go, Rocket and I suddenly found ourselves in the midst of yet another downpour. Soaking us to the bone. But by the time we got to camp, the rain had stopped and the sun was shining.

We looked at the campsite we had been planning on staying. It was wet and full of roots with few trees. We looked at the campsite across the river. It was a mud pile. We looked at a campsite off trail and started to set up. I found myself half thinking we should just do another 2 miles to what was supposed to be a beautiful waterfall. But this was already 16 miles. Already the longest day since Damascus and our return from injury. It just wasn’t worth pushing it I figured. 

“Fuck it, want to go to the falls?” Asked rocket. I took down my rain tarp instantly. “Let’s go.” We scratched a message to Still Paxking in the mud telling him to go to the falls, and left. 

2 miles later, we were there and the falls were beautiful. With all the rain, the river had clearly risen well above its normal level and the falls were raging. There were campsites everywhere and it took us a while to choose. We finally settled on the one closest to the falls. As I went to set up my hammock, a snake slithered by. “Might be a copperhead,” said rocket. Great.

The rain came back with a passion and now I’m in my hammock hoping snakes can’t work zippers and listening to thunder strike just over head.

Key stats:

Miles: 18

Elevation gained: 3300 ft

Mile marker: 612 

Things Indiana Jones and I have in common: we don’t like snakes