The Eastern Continental Divide (ECT Day 127)

• Hiked Today: 26.3 miles
  • Appalachian Trail (673.1 – 699.4)
• Total Hiked: 2,634.3 miles
• Total Paddled: 99.5 miles

Weather 55 – 72 °F, mostly sunny and clear throughout the day, but with overcast skies too

Elevation: 1,515 – 3,760 feet

Johns Mountain to Curved Ridgetop Tentsite 

Last night, just after I’d dozed off around 10:00 pm or so, I heard something that startled me awake. It was enough for me to click my headlamp on, open up the tent zipper, and peak out to check on my food bag. Nothing unusual there, but as my head pivoted the other direction, I see Pack Runner near her tent as she tells me…

“There’s a big bear right over there!” 

I guess it had come pretty close to their tent and didn’t seem all that scared of them or like it wanted to scamper off much. By the time I’d woke up and started taking in all this information, the bear had put some distance between us. Even so, Free Will got his shoes on and ran up the trail shouting at it for a ways to really get it moving. I was very thankful for his efforts because I was in sleepy mode. After that, you’d think it might be tough to get back to sleep, but nope, I slept pretty solid actually.

I felt good about my quietness levels getting going in the morning. Likely I woke my neighbors up briefly, but there’s just no being completely silent when crinkly plastic bag are involved. I hope they felt I made a respectable effort. I also performed what was probably my first flawless food hang retrieval… a score of 10 out of 10! The hang itself last night was maybe a 5 tho.

It was nice not to have the big climb this morning. Instead, it was gentle and then started down to the Laurel Shelter. I popped in to use the privy there and found a good number of hikers prepping for the day’s hike. Rhino and Crooner were among them and just something about those guys puts a smile on my face. There always laughing and they pull you in so you’re laughing too.

Moving on, after some classic low elevation rhododendron and stream stuff, the trail popped out to pasture lands. The old timey farm stuff is captivating, but it also has yet to fail at bringing about wet shoes and socks walking through the dewy wet grass.

 

Nearing the end of pasture lands, Free Will hiked up super fast pace behind me. We chatted some about last night’s bear encounter. Then he was gone. Pack Runner wasn’t far behind, equally as fast. As she passed, we were cresting a hill and I got to witness the act that I assume gave her trail name… she let loose and just ran down the hill, shouting ahead to Free Will, pack on and everything.

Following a steep climb, I took my usual break at a lovely flat spot. Maple and Pretzel passed and so did Rhino and Crooner. Then School Bus too 😎.

Eventually I caught up . It seems I’ve got a bit of an erratic pace compared to most… fast walking (which wasn’t always the case, I’ve sort of developed that on the ECT), but also with a few longer breaks. My kind of big breaks don’t seem to be the norm, rather folks snack and stay in the groove and take many more smaller breaks. Or at least that’s my hypothesis.

Around when I would’ve taken my lunch break, I started to think my stomach stuff was acting up again. This time, I was prepared though. In the box from home that I’d received at Woods Hole, I got some pills that I just call digestive enzymes. I had a stock of these earlier on the ECT when down in Florida, but at some point I ran out. Typically, if I take one before things get too bad and I slow down on the eating, things get better.

So today, my lunch break was short and consisted of me filtering some water, adding some lemon lime Mio hydration/electrolyte stuff, and drinking down my pill. I had not tried that flavor of Mio before and it tasted exactly like “green” flavored Kool-Aid. In that moment, I was brought back to times as a kid spent at my Aunt and Uncle’s. My family didn’t have Kool-Aid that much, but at my cousins, they always had the best flavors!  So this took me back to hanging there, drinking ice-cold Kool Aid after a rousing time outside in the summer heat riding bikes or playing kick-the-can with the neighbors or hanging in the tree house with all our Ninja Turtles and random action figures.

Today felt like a rollercoaster with a few significant ups and downs. And it offered up good views. Plus, wouldn’t you know it, I found the Eastern Continental Divide on the Eastern Continental Trail!

Yesterday, I kind of pushed it most of the day, always on go. Today was a much more relaxed and steady pace… just keep it forward without worrying about what time it was or how much ground I’d covered.

Nearing the end of the day, I met up and hiked a little ways with Rhino and Crooner. After filling up water though, I kept cruising wanting to get to camp at a decent time.

Another day, another tent site.

If you’ve been enjoying following along, and also want to help kids get access to the outdoors, please consider supporting Outdoors Empowerment Network! I added the “Tip Author” button below that will directly link to my fundraising page. My goal is to raise $2 for every mile I hike on the ECT, so around $12,000. I’m amazed at how much we’ve already raised for this great cause. Y’all are truly amazing. Thank you!!!

Album of the Day:

“Nowhere Next” (2024) – Yonder Mountain String Band 

Podcast of the Day:

“Confronting Christianity” – Undeceptions with John Dickson (April 19, 2020)