For the next bit I was planning a 25 mile day.
I get up, get moving and remember tropical storm Ida is coming today/tomorrow.
When I checked weather, maybe some non-ida showers during the day with Ida bringing late day t-storms. Well, there are no great trail exits, and there is a bridge out on a creek which means a fording. After that there is a shelter and shortly further a hostel.
I think it’s doable but man I’d like to be in a hard wall thing for any t-storms.
A seasoned hiker"pi" once told me that sometimes hiking fast is safer. I think in this case it’s true.
So even though I hiked 25 miles yesterday I put on my big boy shorts and pedal-down.
There is a lot of elevation change in the hike. Others would refer to this as PUD or pointless up and downs. There were few views, and a ~16 mile stretch without water.
I ran into a North bound flip flopper who was 300 miles from finishing. That was cool.
Just after meeting him I had to prep for the the long dry stretch so I drank the 2 liters I had and filled up.
About 15 mins later I got stung by something (wasp/yellow jacket/hornet) 3 times quickly…
It started misty raining but honestly I was sweating so much it didn’t make me wetter.
I made it to a shelter at mile 17. With 8 left to go… When the rain picked up a bit.
I stayed in the shelter and snacked while the initial wave calmed. It was at the very top of the mountain. Not ideal for thunderstorms.
So,it was About 1pm and I had 6 miles mostly downhill to the fording, 8 miles to end the day, and the updated forecast showed rain in earnest about 5pm. Thus far my shoes and socks were still dry. I was a little worried that the fording could get bad with Ida rains.
So, I put on my rain hat and started the downhill. The hat kept my head dry but there was a ton of grass which soaked my feet. Well, I was committed. I kept thinking I’d get back to deep woods but there was about 2 miles of tall grass on the Ridgeline (pic included). It would not be ideal to get lightening here. Oof. Eventually it yielded to forest again.
I burned down the ridge in just a little over 2 hours.
The fording was nothing so I’m glad I did it before Ida came through.
I stopped 1/2 mile shy of the shelter to get water. After filtering a liter the rain started increasing so I packed 2 dirty waters and burned up the hill to the shelter.
It looks like I’ll have it to myself tonight. All is well that ends well.
24.6 miles
7.1k up
6.8k down
Next morning it clears a bit so I go uphill for cell service….oof clouds coming on radar.
I hot foot it to a hostel…and get caught in it.
2 miles
1.2k up
1.4k down
Derp nero
HikingSeason 