Before I was asleep last night it started to rain. It was still raining at 7 am and I heard Mike on the other side of the shelter say he didn't think we needed to hike in this crap. It had gotten pretty cold last night, it's the first time I Actually spent the night cold. I regularly sleep in long underwear and socks but it wasn't until I got up and unstuffed my down sweater and put it on did my toes and fingers start to warm up. I have this neat little dry bag I usually carry that sweater in that can be reversed into a pillow with fleece on one side. It keeps the sweater handy and warm for the morning. A great piece of gear. As we are deciding what to do it starts to hale. I roll over and go back to sleep. About 9 I roll out of a nice warm bag and get dressed and fix my grAnola with hot water instead of cold. It is cold and standing around a shelter all day is going to get colder. So about 11 we decide to hit he trail. The next shelter is only 8 miles away and then Damascus is an easy 10 mile dash. We've got plenty of food and the sun is trying to come out it's just that the wind is howling. About a mile before the shyer there is an abandoned shyer and we stop for lunch. The warmest place to be on this cd wet crappy day is on the trAil so we decide at 2:18 to make the push for a hostel in Damascus. It might mean getting there after dark but we have good headights and figure it can be done. We have the muscle we just have to get the grey matter To go along.
It's interesting how Oklawaha Mike and I have joined up. I hiked a couple days with him weeks ago. After hot springs then we lost track of each other and I caught up to him again. I've probably hiked a couple days with a couple dozen people. You don't really hike WITH someone. Everyone goes at their own pace and stops for different reasons during the day. Side trails and overlooks, resupplies and water. You usually meet up at the end of the day compare notes on who you saw or what, cook dinner and go to bed. Everybody rolls out in the morning at different times. There are the pack up and go in the dArk and eat breakfast later people. There are the pack up and eat in the dark people, some wait for first light to leave and some don't try to pack up until it gets light with all those other options. Hike your own hike is the rule. Mike and I seem to have similar overall days. I slow down on up hills usually althought there seems to be a very specific grade that I switch from crank mode to granny gear. Except I call it rest gear and as long as I am moving forward on those usually steeper grades I'm happy. Donot stop to rest on any uphills just keep moving, I usually speed up on flats and downs it can feel really good to stretch out after a long uphills
50° Mostly Cloudy
Cherokee National Forest, Shady Valley, TN, United States
It's interesting how Oklawaha Mike and I have joined up. I hiked a couple days with him weeks ago. After hot springs then we lost track of each other and I caught up to him again. I've probably hiked a couple days with a couple dozen people. You don't really hike WITH someone. Everyone goes at their own pace and stops for different reasons during the day. Side trails and overlooks, resupplies and water. You usually meet up at the end of the day compare notes on who you saw or what, cook dinner and go to bed. Everybody rolls out in the morning at different times. There are the pack up and go in the dArk and eat breakfast later people. There are the pack up and eat in the dark people, some wait for first light to leave and some don't try to pack up until it gets light with all those other options. Hike your own hike is the rule. Mike and I seem to have similar overall days. I slow down on up hills usually althought there seems to be a very specific grade that I switch from crank mode to granny gear. Except I call it rest gear and as long as I am moving forward on those usually steeper grades I'm happy. Donot stop to rest on any uphills just keep moving, I usually speed up on flats and downs it can feel really good to stretch out after a long uphills
50° Mostly Cloudy
Cherokee National Forest, Shady Valley, TN, United States
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