My tent is on the left
Mile 1,842.6
Elevation 2,841.0 feet
Miles Hiked 9.0
It rained last night, so I had to pack away a wet tent. The water on the tent probably added more than a half pound of weight. This is why I prefer to sleep in shelters. Anyway, I left the campsite a little before 7:00 AM.
The caretaker at the campsite last night told me the trail to the next shelter was flat and easy, so I’m keeping track of how long it takes me to get there.
The .8 mile to rejoin the Appalachian Trail went fast and I was on it by 7:30 AM. This first part of the trail was as rocky as ever but I still moved at a good pace. At 11:00 AM I reached a hut and stopped in to get free leftovers from the morning’s pancake breakfast. I sat there and ate and drank tea for 40 minutes and then moved on.
Just as I began hiking after the hut, I lost my balance and tumbled down a steep trail of rocks. My hand took the worst of it; although my legs got pretty cut up. I got up and kept going.
The trail soon smoothed out and I made some good time. It took me six hours and ten minutes to get to this shelter. Had I tried to get here yesterday, I would have arrived around 7:30 PM. I should have done it. On the other hand, I got a lot done at the Guyot Shelter, so I’m still happy with my decision to stop there.
