National Parks and Recreation

Day 5

I finally slept really well last night! I think a comfortable temperature helped. Also, talking to James until I was basically asleep.

Random thought: how do my hands feel so clean without soap? I haven’t washed them in days, but they feel fine! (Obviously I wash them with water and hand sanitizer, but still.) Is this experience going to be what cures my obsessive handwashing? Probably not a good time to be cured of that.

I noticed a hole in my food bag this morning. I hung it pretty good the night before so I think a chipmunk or something must’ve gotten into it while I was setting up my tent. It just got into my trail mix a little bit and luckily I’m getting new food today anyway, so it’s fine. And it was nothing a little duct tape couldn’t fix.

I took my time packing up camp and slowly hiked my way off the trail to wait for Canada.

Not too much else happened today. I just ate a LOT and sat on the couch icing and heating my ankle. I had a whole bunch of Wendy’s, an entire platter of cut-up fresh fruit, and Pizza Hut. I guess hiker hunger is finally starting to set in. I also got a brace for my ankle so hopefully that’ll help once I get back on the trail!

I also spent most of the day reworking my schedule for the next three weeks and it looks like I can still finish on time as long as I don’t need to take any more zero days.

Day 6

I kept the food train going. I had a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast and a lot of coffee (the first coffee I had since starting the trail). I also had a Subway footlong, I was REALLY craving an Italian sub.

Sorry, TMI coming up. I’m breaking out in such weird places on my face, like places I never usually break out. My face is also SO oily! Isn’t your skin supposed to adjust to not showering every day and look better? Not the case yet. But it was glorious to finally shower! Especially to scrub my feet. And despite what I said earlier, it was truly glorious to finally be able to wash my hands!

More TMI: I find it so fascinating that my haven’t-showered-in-four-days smell is different than just-haven’t-put-on-deodorant smell. Like, I’ve never smelled like this before. What’s the difference? So strange.

After another morning of lounging on the couch, Canada’s boyfriend Vlad drove me back to the trailhead. (I’ll be saying this a lot in the days and weeks to come, but I cannot thank Canada and Vlad enough! They were so incredibly supportive of me. They welcomed me into their home and fed me and rescued me anytime I needed it. They would both drive an hour to come pick me up in the middle of the woods every time I needed it and I truly couldn’t have done this trip without them!)

The drive from Canada’s house back to the trail was really beautiful. Peak small town Vermont foliage.

I felt good as I got back on the trail. The plan was to hike back up to the same camp I stayed at two nights ago and start fresh the next morning. It was a pretty easy hike back up the spur trail and my ankle felt good. I had to add 5 days worth of food back to my pack though and I forgot how heavy it could get. Just more incentive to eat more and more!

It rained a lot yesterday afternoon (Apparently the skies opened up on the trail and it was torrential, another reason it was smart to step off the trail) so all the water was flowing way more on the trail. Looks like I won’t be struggling to find water anytime soon! However, now there are way more mud puddles for me to fall into.

It’s finally chilly outside! I’m so excited to not sweat anymore. I got in my tent early and edited all my photos, started reading Catch and Kill, and set an early alarm.

It feels weird to be back where I was two nights ago, but it was necessary. My ankle feels good so far so…fingers crossed! I’m now thinking I can get to the interstate by Sunday night which would make me only 1 night “behind.”

I’m just happy to be back on the trail and ready to keep going!