Prima Nocte

 

Springer Mountain Shelter. My first night, then I begin the trail! Though, take it from me, the approach trail isn't a walk in the park! Seven miles of trail, with a LOT of up hills. Trust me when I say that your hips will feel it!

 

A learned a few things on my hike today, things that I think would be good to share with all of you.

 

First: if it starts raining, don't tell yourself that maybe it's just a quick shower and then will stop. Because it isn't and it won't. You and your bag will get wet and then you'll have to stop in the middle of the strongest part of the shower to put your raincoat on and put your pack cover on. Doesn't seem so bad until you realize that once you put your raincoat on, you are no longer getting wet, but you era already wet. So, you will steam inside of your raincoat while you hike and while it rains. And you can't open your raincoat, because you'll get more wet and have a chance getting hypothermia. So, when it starts to rain, put on hour raincoat and your pack cover.

 

Second: the uphills are brutal and the downhills are even more brutal. To help with that you need trekking poles. They are important...VERY important if you don't want your hips and legs to scream in pain. They are going to, anyway, just not as much if you use the trekking poles.

 

Third: bring ibuprofen. You are going to need it. Your body will hurt and be sore and the ibuprofen will help. Take it, take lots of it!

 

Fourth: when it stops raining, the bugs multiply! I didn't see too many before it started raining, but once it stopped, it was a constant swarm of them around me. There was a horsefly that was stalking me for probably two miles of the trail, flying circles around me and trying to divebomb my head. Garlic tabs. Any work on ticks, but apparently they don't work on horseflies.

 

It was a long trek today, and yes, I'm third and sore from it, but that's okay. It's the adventure we're after, right? Granted, there are people I miss back home, and I miss my cats. But I think they understand why I'm doing this. At least I hope they do. In the end, I either make it or I don't (I'm voting for make it), and I hope that some of my friends will come see me on the trail.

 

Now I have to figure out what I'm having for dinner, then I'm going to sit and relax a while. As I get more in shape, I'll hike longer stints through the days, probably pushing it as close to sunrise and sunset as I can.

 

That's it for now, I gotta eat and relax!

 

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