Day 65

Elk Garden to Old Orchard Shelter miles 15.3 – AT mile 510.5

Card of the day – 8 of Cups

This morning we were treated to a beautiful sunrise with the usual sounds of birds.

There is a privy here with a lockable door and toilet paper provided (again paddle locked in).  What luxuries!  It made it an idea place for trail magic really.

Breakfast was a delightful mix of real coffee, fresh pineapple and bacon eggs and cheese.   Thru hiker heaven!  I still can’t believe the generosity of these guys.

I was out just after 9 which was a miracle really, given the situation, but I had miles to make if I want to be in Marion for Wednesday, which I do.  Hot showers, fresh laundry and burgers are calling my name.

The fellowship all seem to have different plans for the next few days so we will all meet back up at trail days.

The trail starts with a meadow but these soon become rock gardens.

Some days you get no views, others they are round every corner.  Today we strike lucky and it feels like 80% of the day we are surrounded by the most amazing views.

The down side of the views is the rock climbs, after all this is called the highlands!  It’s the first time I think I’ve seen iron bars in the rocks to help you find your steps, but maybe it’s the second, who’s counting any way?

We make our way through a rock formation called “the fat man squeezer” or something like that and I manage to bang my knee and draw blood!  Ouch that hurt.  It’s the first blood the trail has had from me, and after all the weight I’ve lost it’s ironic that it’s a squeeze that got me.

The next thing on the view radar are the Ponies!  Most thru hikers get excited to see the wild ponies in the highlands, but all I can see are more boulder fields.  And my feet hurt.  And it’s a long way to the next shelter! Still when in Rome and all, so I do the tourist thing and take a hand full of photos.

I stopped for lunch and was given Gatorade by a lady who was hiking.  She asked if I was a thru hiker and just pulled it out of her bag.  We got talking about some of the talks that are happening at trail days next week.

Sometimes trail magic is huge, sometimes small, but it’s all equally amazing and appreciated.  I really needed that Gatorade!

We get past some of the higher points and are treated to a whole section of Duck Boards, there to help us stay out of the swampy ground, and probably more importantly to help preserve it.  I hope a see some trail maintainers at some point so I can tell them how much we appreciate all their hard work.

As I passed through a horse enclosure I meet a lady comming the other way who gave a warning about a bear that she had heard in the next section.  It was almost as if she were telling me to turn back.  She ended by saying something like “fair warning”.  Firstly I actually want to see a Bear and second, you can’t really do a thru hike if you’re scared you might see a bear.

The final climb of the day was up and over Pine Mountain.  I thought we were done with 5k mountains?  Apparently not!

Bolders bolders bolders.  That sums up today’s hike, and I suppose you can have one pony so I’m not being totally negative.

I was in bed early, we’re getting rain at some point.  By 8pm the rain set in, and I was glad to be in my tent.  I’ve got two more days to town so don’t want to be wet!