Today was pretty boring, if I’m being completely honest. There were just long stretches of trail that seemed to never end. We really only had a few minor climbs, and a few boulder hops to keep things interesting. The rest of the trail was just flat with random rocks scattered about to catch our boots when we got lazy.
We did get a little trail magic today though, which is always nice. At the 501 shelter, which is more like a hostel than a shelter, someone left a bunch of soda, chips, and oatmeal cream pies. We also got a few cold drinks from a local who goes by the name Mr. Regular. We had a nice conversation, talking about the trail and experiences with other hikers. I found out that he was once an english teacher, but started doing car reviews on YouTube, and now he’s an automotive writer for a pretty well known magazine. So Mr. Regular, if you happen to find this entry, thanks for the drinks and the conversation!
We finished the day tenting out near Eagle’s Nest Shelter, doing just over 25 miles. I expected more weekend backpackers to be out here tonight, but we’re only with other thru-hikers. I’m sure tomorrow and Sunday we’ll run into more people, especially with passing through Port Clinton in the morning.
I can’t believe how fast the miles are going now. Today we passed over the 1200 mile mark, meaning we’ve got less than 1000 miles to go on this hike, which is pretty wild to me. I can now look at a full map of the Appalachian Trail without freaking out about how much more is left. The feeling is now amazement at what we’ve completed so far, and excitement to see what’s coming next. I know we’ve got some tough stuff coming up, but I know it’ll be interesting and rewarding.
