March 25, 1997 (Day 6 – Milepoint 56.3 – Tray Mountain Shelter)
Finally, a decent night’s sleep. It never occurred to me that my body (and mind) would have to adjust to the unusual routine of sleeping on various surfaces and in a different location every night. I can only guess that a solid night’s sleep is a good sign.
I joined Roaming Gnome, Ned, and Fiddlehead today. Fiddlehead completed a thru-hike in ‘95 and only plans to cover a short distance this year in support of (his brother) Bulldog. It’s neat to observe how in tune they are with each other despite the fact that they don’t hike together. They give each other the freedom to hike their own pace. Roaming Gnome and Ned seem to have that, too. This path has a way of keeping people internally connected even if they’re miles apart physically. The freedom to hike your own hike seems to be the key. I haven’t seen Mr. Mingo for two days, but, knowing he plans to be at this shelter tomorrow, it’s as if I’m sharing it with him now. I really believe that if you want to reach Maine, whether you choose to hike alone or with someone, it is a solo journey.
Lots of climbing. The uphills are tiring, the downhills are painful. An entry in the Low Gap Shelter register read, “The secret to hiking the AT: up the mountain, down the mountain, through the gap, etc., etc., etc.” That about sums it up.
We were treated to some great Trail Magic today. Cans of Pepsi next to a tree with a note that said, “Please leave for thru-hikers. Pack it out! from Dopler, Dangerhill, and Snowman.” Then at the road at Unicoi Gap were Jim and Linda Turner from Marietta, GA with a cooler of pop, fresh fruit, and Little Debbie Snack Cakes. They were literally there to treat thru-hikers. People like Jim and Linda are affectionately known out here as “trail angels.” Some other folks left a bag of Easter candy and other assorted goodies next to the road. So many great folks. So much giving.
Stopped for the day at Tray Mtn Shelter (mile 56.3). We were joined by a Ridge Runner, Dave, from Maine, who thru-hiked in ‘96. Ridge Runners serve as “trail patrol.” They spend the summer hiking specific sections of trail, responsible for safety, general trail maintenance, and communication with trail users of all kinds. Pretty cool job. Also joined here at the shelter by Far-from-Pukin and Hounddog, both from Alabama. Rainy, foggy day.
Loosened my hip belt today and realized why my thighs and hips have been numb for the past 5 days…
-Aquaholic
March 25, 2009
I’ve recently had to adjust to sleeping on the floor again.
In January, we rented our 4 bedroom, 3400 sq ft house and downsized to a 3 bedroom, 1000 sq ft house in town. Two of the three bedrooms are tiny, only large enough for twin-size beds. I saw it as a great opportunity for our sons to have their own rooms. And since I was pretty set on that, the third bedroom became an issue because, unfortunately, my wife and I hadn’t slept in the same bed for more than a year and making this move didn’t exactly rekindle the fire as I had hoped.
The kids in their own rooms was my conviction, so I had to figure out where I was going to sleep. My wife was vehemently against the idea of me sleeping on the couch in the living room and I knew my back would not like it either, therefore, my best option was a small “sun room” in the back of the house, too small even for a twin-size bed. So my queen bed went into storage and I’ve adjusted well to sleeping on the floor with my old Therma Rest camping pad, going on three months now.
I will love to have my bed back when I get my own place in a couple of months, but for now, sleeping on the floor is pretty cathartic.
