The Appalachian Trail: Day 15

April 13, 2017

Well, my phone is dead today so no pictures… There’s also a muscle in my leg giving me a little bit of trouble whenever I go downhill. I discovered that running gets rid of the pain. Good thing, too, cause I was in need of a bathroom break so I ran ahead to do my business.

The morning hike was uneventful. Nature is stuck between Winter and Spring so all the views are pretty bland. Still, Spring is just around the corner. The plants and animals know it. I’m seeing more and more chipmunk and squirrels, and the birds are showing themselves in greater numbers too. If I’m not waking up to the calls of owls or turkey, then it’s the rhythmic beating of the grouse.

I talked with a few hikers during lunch. There was Tim, Hubba (hoo-buh), and Noro Jones (named for her singing and love of sharing food). Hubba later informed us, in his best broken English (he’s French), that Noro Jones had a bit if a fall. She was taking a short rest but doesn’t seem to be injured badly. It doesn’t take much to hurt yourself when you’re carrying 30-40 pounds on your back. It’s very easy to get off-balance.

At the shelter, lots of us were hanging out while cooking our dinners (food is always a common conversation piece) and getting to know one another. A hiker named Grace let me use her power bank for a bit so I might be able to take some pictures tomorrow. A bunch of people are getting up early to hike the 5 miles to Clingman’s Dome (the highest point on the A.T. at 6,667 ft.) to watch the sunrise. It’s also going to be Drogo’s 29th birthday!

17.7 miles hiked today. Let’s see what tomorrow brings!

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