It was another transitional day. This time transitioning from hiking with Kate to hiking solo. But it was too early to start thinking about that before breakfast. So we headed over to the local coffee shop. 

As we sat down, we were joined by ranger rick and radar. They too were planning for a slightly later start. But not because their sister was leaving, but because ranger rick was waiting for the post office to open to see if his package had arrived. At 8:29 he got up and walked over to the post office. 

But within a minute or two his seat was once again taken as Second breakfast came over and joined us. Once again, the ribbing began quickly. He foolishly made a weak wisecrack about my hair which opened the door. When he asked if he had told me how he had hurt his shoulder, I responded “I think so. You said you were reaching for something on the top shelf?” After he finished glaring at me, we spent the rest of breakfast chatting about and joking around. 

But eventually it was time to leave. We looked to call an uber to Kate’s rental car but there were no Ubers to be found. Not a problem. We walked back to the hostel and “casually” mentioned to one of the guys that worked there that we were trying to figure out a ride to Avis just a few minutes down the road. A minute or two later we were in the guys car, speeding towards Avis. 

There wasn’t much else to do.  Sadly it was time for Kate to go home. After her heroic 51 miles and all around great time, it was time for her to return to reality. She (after picking up radar and ranger rick) dropped me off where we had gotten out yesterday. We hugged and said goodbye and like that, i was back in the woods. 

As I walked off, I realized it was the first time in maybe 1400 miles that I was without a group. It was an odd feeling but, I realized, I liked it. No offense to anyone I walked with or my family who had just been here. All of that was great and I wouldn’t trade any of it. But as I walked off, without a plan or a place to meet up, I felt even more free than normal. 

I caught up to ranger rick and radar and walked with them for a bit. We talked of lives back home – Ranger in West Virginia and Radar in Memphis. Ranger, who had served in a military intelligence unit, told us about how most of the 10 kids in his family had gone to the military straight out of high school as a way to pay for college. Since getting out, he had worked as everything from a zip line guide to an arborist. Radar’s story was a bit more straight forward, he had graduated college. Worked as a data analyst for a few years and then was laid off – giving him the time to get walking. 

I walked with them until I ran into Hi-Viz, a woman I hadn’t seen since Virginia. She asked about my friend with the hat (rocket) and told me how she’d never expected to see me again. So we, too caught up on our trips. Then she said, “man, I’m tired of this shit. I just wanna go home. Not like quit,” she clarified quickly. “I’m not quitting. But I’m ready to be done.” She seemed relieved when I told her most people were in a similar boat. She apparently hadn’t been near anyone she knew for a while and thought she was the only one who had burned out a bit. 

As we were chatting 2 women from Michigan came up to us and asked if we were thru hikers. When we said we were, one of them told us she was thinking about doing it. Immediately, both of us who had just been saying how we were kind of over it, began telling her she had to do it. And I (I can only speak for myself here) really meant it. It’s been so hard and so tiring, but even knowing what I’ve gotten myself into, I’d do it over 10 times out of 10. 

I walked on from them and was feeling great. I figured, since I was solo, I may as well walk until I got tired and stop there. I had gotten a late start so told myself distance didn’t even matter. I would just walk until I didn’t want to walk any more. 

But that came sooner than expected. I was half way up the big climb of the day when I decided I didn’t want to walk any more. The climb wasn’t so bad at first but as I hit the halfway point, it hit me. It was steep, it was 1000 degrees out and it was humid as hell. I wanted to be done. Get over the hill, I told myself, and then you can camp wherever you want. As soon as you want. 

And so when I saw a campground next to a brook only 11 miles in to the day, I said screw it. I dropped my bag and called it a day. Ranger Rick and radar showed up as I was getting the fire going. They too looked exhausted and seemed happy to follow my lazy example. I was still trying to get the wet wood to catch when Hi-Viz showed up to join the party. 

It was a short day but I’m exhausted and hopefully this brook white noise is what I need to sleep well. 

Key stats:

Miles: 11

Elevation gained: 2500 ft

Mile marker: 1720

Plans: 0