“People Over Miles”

AT Day 28

Miles: 22.94

Total Miles: 532.43

(State Route 603 Crossing)

I almost left my rain fly off my tent last night, but decided to throw it over the top more out of convenience than anything. Good thing that I did, because it ended up raining off and on through the night.

Before getting to camp last night I had dinner at the previous shelteer and met an older hiker who told me that he shared an interest in some of the things that are an interest to me on this trail. He told me while we were together there that when I came in he recognized me as looking like a “real hiker.” I took it as a compliment, and I think that he meant it as such.

He caught up to me this morning, as I ended up sleeping in a bit later because of not wanting to get up and break camp in the rain. But he told me that family of 9 ended up at the shelter with him last night and that he wanted to get out and get to trail before they woke up this morning. He said they were a bit loud.

So we ended up hiking together for awhile this morning into the Gracen Highlands. It rained a bit but mostly was just foggy. There were beautiful little flowers low to the ground all around.

He shared with me that his wife had died of cancer after they had been married for 40 years. I asked him how he got through the loss and he told me that his relationship with God was what got him through. I’m abbreviating, of course. We talked for around an hour. He shared a lot.

He shared with me that he’s had a life long relationship with God as a Christian. At earlier times in my life, I think that I would have disregarded him for that alone. But in today’s mood, and in this context, it felt right to stay with him and stay with the conversation. To ask questions and dig deeper into the opportunity.

I really enjoyed his company. He was a really good dude. I enjoyed the conversation.

For much of the day I hiked alone through the highlands. Weather went from foggy to raining to absolutely beautiful and blue sky by the afternoon.

I stopped at a shelter to have dinner a few hours ago and planned on hiking late into tonight, but 1.5 miles past the shelter I arrived at this road crossing where a group of three are doing trail magic. They’re set up here for today and tomorrow with free food, drinks, and company. Although I’d planned to hike another 3-5 miles, I decided to stop and spend the evening with them. The free food had something to do with it, but I”m really leaning into these kinds of social opportunities when they come up on trail. They’ve been where I’ve gained the most from the AT so far, and I suspect that will continue to be the case.

Other notes I had from today:

I took my first good fall this morning. I slipped on a rock and fully hit the ground. Could have been hurt, and lucky that I was not. It caught me bad.

The birds and the flowers this morning. It was so magical.

Leaning into doing fewer miles moving forward. Settling into the mid twenties as a more comfortable daily target.

I’ll have a full day tomorrow, then likely go into the town of Marian for resupply the day after (Saturday). But everything is still one mile at a time.

Wormwood.