“Softer”

AT Day 27

Miles: 18.33

Total Miles: 509.49

(18 miles N of Damascus)

I never sleep all that well in shared spaces like hostels. Technically the place that I stayed last night was a Bed & Breakfast, but I was in a shared room with three others (and a lil dog). One dude snored pretty heavy, which I’ve come to accept is basically a given in these kinds of places. At some early hour of the morning I woke up to piss and put in ear plugs. It helped marginally but still I didn’t sleep that well afterwords.

It’s funny to me how much better I sleep in my tent already, and it hasn’t even been a month.

The breakfast that “Lady Di” puts together was stunning. I ate with the family of 9… yes, that’s right… 9, and the one other hiker who snored in the bunk room.

Wanted to get to trail early, but also didn’t feel any need after how much I enjoyed the stay in Damascus. I also decided that I was going to go back to the outdoor store to try on the size 12 shoes that I’d looked at yesterday. Ultimately I ended up buying them and have worn them throughout today. My feet to hurt, and I am slightly worried about their being a half size too big. But I’m also hopeful that they’ll get me at least the 5 or 6 days to Pearsburg, where I’m having my size 11.5 shipped. At that time I can either decide that these Size 12s are good enough for now and bounce the 11.5s up trail a bit, or I can switch into the 11.5s and ship the 12s home to AZ.

Boring stuff, I’m sure, but this is what fills my mind for a lot of the day. Thoughts about shoes.

Was especially tired throughout the day on trail. Not really sure why, except for maybe that pint of Ben & Jerry’s from last night.

I rolled into a shelter for dinner a few miles back. There were several hikers already there, but one old dude who I talked to most of the time. He described himself as an “old hippy” and told me about some of his long hikes from the last 20 years and about his wife who had passed away in the last few years. He was vague about it, but it sounded like it was cancer or something of the like.

The subject of psychedelics came up, and in short time, we ended up talking about his memories with them “back in the day.” By and by, I ended up gifting him some things that I had with me. He said he hadn’t seen anything like it in decades, and I told him that “the trail provides.” He felt like someone who I’d known for a long time, even though we’d only just met. He said the same, and we both remarked that we hope our paths cross again.

I picked up after my dinner with him and another hiker commented on my still doing more miles tonight. I told him that I normally like to hike later, but ended up only doing a couple more miles before I stumbled into where I am now–at the edge of this grassy field, with a spring beside me. The site was too cute to pass up, even though I wanted to do more miles. I’ve been tired today thought, and I think that it’ll do me good to get to sleep a bit earlier than normal. I might aim for a bigger day tomorrow if I’m feeling fresher in the morning.

Oh–unrelated, but saw my first tick today. Welcome to Virginia… I sprayed my shoes with Premitherine, but I really need to get the rest of my gear at Trail Days. I’m sure more people will have it there.

I also ran right into a stick this morning that I swear to all things holy nearly gouged my eye out. It quite scared me and was as close to a serious accident as I’ve had on trail so far. It was a downed tree from the hurricane, and the way that the branch was hanging down, I couldn’t see it until it was literally sticking me in the eye.

I’m grateful to still have vision as I write this tonight.

A sleepy wormwood.

Out.