06/08

We woke up early to make ourselves coffee before saying goodbye to our beloved shanty. My package was no where to be found, and without knowing when it’d show up, I felt it best to keep moving. The shuttle driver picked us up around 9am and took us to the trail head.

Slack packing the day before left us miles ahead of schedule and the new day rewarded us with sunshine and flat ground. Weather in Appalachia turns on a dime, and while rare, sometimes for the better. A gentle breeze seemed to walk with us through the piney hills. Sweet and warm, the air reminded me of freshly baked bread.

Distracted by the world around me, the trail brought me back to reality with a well placed rock to trip over. Falling forward, my knee hit the boulder in front of me. Luckily for me, I walked away with a bloody scrape and nothing more. I’m reminded every day just how fragile all of this is. The AT, my body, life. In a moment it can fall apart. But what’s a guy supposed to do, not admire the oohs and ahhs of nature? Guess I should just learn to do so with my eyes fixed to the ground in front of me.

After lunch we made our way to “Dismal Falls”, a popular swimming spot for locals which happened to be right on trail. Just before reaching the side path, we came across a large wooden suspension bridge. Once again in awe, I stopped to take a picture, only to be stung by a wasp before the shutter clicked. I don’t know what burial ground I must have pissed on but it seems like something’s got it out for me. There are evil forces afoot in these woods I tell ya.

Wincing in pain, I stumbled another mile down the path and into a 5 foot pool at the bottom of the falls. We stripped to our underwear, and swam across the stream to a small rocky beach. Pipe in hand, we soaked in the sun, allowing our bodies a few hours to relax.

After setting up camp a few miles down stream, we successfully made fire after multiple attempts, and ate freeze dried chicken fettuccine before heading to bed.