Not 30 For 30 (ECT Day 30)

• Hiked Today: 26.3 miles
• • The Florida Trail (362.1 – 388.2)
  • Croom Loop C Alt. (4.6 miles)
• Total Hiked: 569.1 miles
• Total Paddled: 99.5 miles

High Bluff Campsite to A Loop Camping Area

I got up early for some hiking in the dark today. Why? Not sure. I told myself it was to get a jump on the miles for what I planned to be a slightly bigger day, including a small resupply. Not so sure if that 20-minutes was worth it though.A few observations this morning:

1. Immediately once out of my tent, I realized everything was soaked. We had camped by the river, but this super condensation and fog appeared widespread. There were tiny droplets in the air that shown when lit up by my headlamp. It’s hard to see through that, sort of like how your car headlights might struggle in similar foggy conditions.
2. Wet stuff is heavy. This morning my tent fly was dripping. When it’s like that I strap to the outside of my pack.
3. The spiders were out, or at least their webs were. As best I could I used my trekking poles as a barrier, but inevitably one would sneak past my guard and get me right across my face.
4. I was sore. Yesterday, we had our first experience on the FT of significant trees blown down across the trail. My suspicion was that all the high stepping over logs, squatting below branches, and shimmying overtop, that these new maneuvers, threw my body off. That, or maybe I’m getting some kind of sick bug. Hopefully the former.
5. I lost the trail in the dark more than once, begging the question once again of whether it was worth it or not
6. Once light, it was a lovely walk with beauty scenery! I may have gone slightly overboard on the foggy morning photos.
7. My feet feel the best they have since starting the FT!

Did I Underestimate the Florida Trail?

Around 9:00 am, I popped out to a gravel road. The trail went back into the woods shortly up ahead, but would reconnect to the same road further up. Normally, I take the trail in this situation. The trail association and volunteers put effort into building that trail. That’s also why I’m out here, to hike trail! This time, however, I’ll admit I was just not feeling good. I chose to take a break right there and then walk the easier road path for a bit. Delayering and shaking some water off my tent fly helped, but I still felt achy. Ibuprofen to the rescue!

Certainly I didn’t think this would be easy, right? Or did I? Thinking about it, reflecting on my attitude coming into the trail, maybe I was overconfident. Was I Obi-Wan and the Florida Trail, Anakin, telling me: “You underestimate my power!” (If just one of you appreciate this reference, it’ll be worth it. I apologize to all others for my nerdyness). I don’t think I ever thought it’d be easy, but it seems my ego might have overlooked the challenges of the Florida Trail.

It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done this sort of thing. Reaching back into the memory bank it didn’t take long to think of another example (there are plenty to choose from). Starting out on a “Lash (long ass section hike),” of the PCT Sierra section, my trail fam members Calzone and Cheer and I took on an overly ambitious start. We decided it was a good idea to go from the flatlands and first thing start up nearly 12,000 feet elevation Kearsarge Pass with about 8-days of food. Smart, eh? We got our butts whooped (although we did complete it).

Going forward, I will try not to make this mistake again. Even if people tell me, oh, that section of trail is flat, or you’ve hiked all these thousands of miles already, you’ll have no problem with this chunk of trail…  “Hogwash!,” I will shout, “Play no mind games with me evildoer!” 🙂

The Ridge Manor In N Out Resupply

Today, I passed through the “town” of Ridge Manor.

Like Ron Swanson, I carry a permit that says “I can do what I want.” Jk jk folks, I follow rules

My first stop was the Circle K gas station/convenience store where I purchased a coffee, donut, and a footlong Italian sub to pack out for lunch. With my goodies, I found a shaded spot to plug in my power bank and take a break.

This was a needed stop. I sat down and ate it all right there (guess it was an early lunch?). 1,010 sub calories and all!

Next up, it was across the road to the Dollar General (DG), which is quickly becoming my go-to resupply source. Unsurprisingly, I saw Trip there doing the same. I tried to make it quick, but when organizing my stuff I  could not for the life of me find my ear buds. After dumping everything out and repacking, I found them right where they should be living, in my pack brain (topmost compartment).

After a quick check-in chat with Trip, I was on the road walk again!

With all the various electrolytes (in photo), caffeine, another Green Goodness drink, and ibuprofen running through my veins, I was feeling much better!

I took an alternate route that Lil Buddha recommended in the FarOut app. It was the same mileage and both routes were roadside walking, this option just made it so there wasn’t any backtracking after the DG visit.

This was a great resupply. What I mean by that is that is was a short road walk to the Circle K and DG and a short walk out before finding actual trail again!

Like Simba the lion, another hero of mine, “I walk on the wild side… I laugh in the face of danger.”

It’s nice to have town amenities, but today, I was all about getting back to trail. And this was some of the best yet in terms of a nice single track wide path (sorry I’m a bit of a trail snob, so probably talk about the trail conditions too much).

These were the widest Cypress trunks I’ve seen yet. Pretty gnar

After that relatively small, but beautiful nature preserve, the FT bops out to a big highway to utilize the road bridge over the Withlacoochee River. I saw this smoke plume and wondered if it was the prescribed burn I’d heard about taking place in Green Swamp (the area I’d just hiked through).

In the afternoon, I met Ross, who was hiking the FT in sections. We had some nice conversation on a nice day through a nice stretch. I liked the parts going along the river.

There were also more huge oaks! Not far after saying goodbye to him I also said goodbye to the official Florida Trail. 

There are a lot of side trail loops through this area and the Croom Loop C caught my eye since it lined up nice with mileage offering water and a campsite right at the end of my day. So off I went…

More mega hills through pine forest! 

Pretty cool shadows and lighting going in through here.

I was dragging again the last few hours. The ibuprofen and caffeine seemed to have worn off and the aches returned. All was well though. I made it to my site with enough daylight to set up and cook/eat dinner. This is what I hope to have every night on trail and maybe why I get up as early as I do.

A great flat campsite!

I’ve been trying to get more calories in, so brought back this trick of adding olive oil into my dinners.

Texting with my mom, I learned she was with my grandma. I took a selfie for them and I guess she started talking to me, thinking she was FaceTime’ing… understandable, I thought 😊

Later inside my tent, I was surprised to hear a hiker coming up to the camp. You guessed it, Trip! He took an alternate to get here too, although his was slightly different. Seems this area has lots of trail options!

Album of the Day: Wanderer (Expedition Happiness Soundtrack) by Mogli

Podcast Episode of the Day: Shrinking Trump, “Trump’s First Day will Live in Infamy: American Carnage Begins Now”