How many hills?

Day 41

Groundhog Creek Shelter to Walnut Mountain Shelter 13.1 miles – AT mile 262.1

Card of the day – XX Judgment (again)

Getting the tent down before the rain is always a win, then the plan was to sit out the rain in the shelter, eating breakfast, which is due to stop at 9ish.  In the end we got off by 9.10.

One of the beautiful things about walking through the woods just after the rain is all the bird song that you hear, their call and response and their very different sounds.

I had bruised my foot on a stone yesterday, I stood on a sharp pointy one and it hurts today.  I figure it must be bruised.  It made the hiking uncomfortable but not intolerable.  I must try not to do that again.

We stoped for a pack off break at brown gap spring and prepared ourselves for what was to come and what a half hour of hell it was!  Seriously the uphill over the last two days since standing bear has beat me up so bad, but it’s almost over.

At lunch on max patch Kegstand said she thought I was much more myself today and she was thankful for that.  It’s good to be in a better frame of mind and I’m glad it’s showing.  Also at lunch we were surrounded by black and yellow caterpillars that were clearly also trying to kill me (Yes im being melodramatic again).

There was one last climb into camp but I’m there by 3.30, it’s not flat.  But hell what’s new?  There are lots of day/section hikers here, and they all have little bottles of Fireball!  How jealous am I!  They’re all nice folks heading into Hot Springs the day after us.

I missed trail magic in the gap before the climb up to the shelter as he was only setting up when I passed!  The guys behind me got hot dogs and candy snacks.  He was raising money for the search for a dog that had been missing out here for about a month.  I could have murdered a hot dog to!

Any way, I’m in my tent by 6.30!  What a life?  The last few days have been hard and I’m looking forward to a soft bed tomorrow.

Some times when we’re all in our tents you occasionally hear one of us laugh out loud at what ever book or pod cast were listening to, usually from Chris to be honest.  Beam had just sent me a screen shot of me commenting on her laughing at the airplane over head lockers, and I burst out laughing.  People must think I’m insane.

Finally I gain some composure, and then ping!  My what’s app goes again and is “”Oh that’s why they specifically tell you to mind the luggage lockers””

Beam is trying to kill me