We hit the trail around 7:30 am to start our 13.1 mile day. I felt good today. I think my trail legs finally caught up to me. Lori and I hiked together and I was able to keep up with her during the first 3 miles and two mountains we climbed. I just kept it slow and steady and I didn't even stop on the up hills. We met up with Rylan at an overlook with amazing views. Lori decided she wanted some "funeral photos." (Ok, before this starts sounding morbid, we were all joking around at how she hasn't found a recent photo of herself b/c she has become the family photographer, and when she passes on someday, all the photos that they show at the wake will be all old and outdated. So she wanted some updated funeral photos of her doing some awesome things.) So we took tons of photos at that overlook. 
We continued on and made it to Ivy Creek and decided to fill up on water while we had it. Seems that the trail is pretty dry in the southern section. We also had a 2 mile climb up Loft Mountain so we wanted to make sure we had plenty water. The climb actually wasn't that bad. About 3/4ths of the way up, Lori notices a sign that says .6 miles to Loft mountain wayside. Hell yeah! (visions of juicy cheeseburgers and icy diet cokes watered my mouth.) So.... we blue blazed it :) I got a diet Pepsi (eh.. it was all they had), but no burger. It was only 10:45am and too early for lunch. We chilled for 1/2 hour and had a big laugh at Rylan walking in on us sunning on the deck. His face was priceless. Dumbstruck, as he tried to figure out how the hell we made it to the wayside before he did. hahaha! He actually climbed to the top of Loft Mountain and then took a side trail to get to the wayside. Oops. Guess he missed the blue blaze. hahaha! He grabbed some eats, I caught up on some journal writing, and we all chilled for another 1/2 hour.
We bid farewell to the wayside started back to the trail. Rylan was sticking to us like white on rice. He wanted to make sure we didn't sneak off on another short-cut side trip. So we filled him on on our plan to shav
e off another mile. hahaha! Blue blazing is fun! We huff it up campground pathway a mile (all up hill) to Loft Mt. campground store. Rylan and Lori had to resupply before continuing on the trip. I, had all 7 days worth of food in my pack, and boy did I feel every ounce of it. While they restocked, I decided to take a little nap on a sunny grassy hill. I probably looked like total hiker trash to all the clean campers that DROVE from their campsite to the store, which was less then .1 miles away. Funny how perspective changes things. After they finished, we took a side trail that was only .33 to the amphitheater at Loft Mountain, instead of hiking around the campground and shaved off at least a mile from our trip. Once at the amphitheater we all checked to see if we had cell service. It was Boo's birthday and I've been trying to get cell service to call him. BINGO! we had service, so I made the birthday call. It was soooo good to hear his voice. I wanted to talk forever, but alas, we had the AT trail to find. Happy Birthday Boo! I hope you like your gift :)
e off another mile. hahaha! Blue blazing is fun! We huff it up campground pathway a mile (all up hill) to Loft Mt. campground store. Rylan and Lori had to resupply before continuing on the trip. I, had all 7 days worth of food in my pack, and boy did I feel every ounce of it. While they restocked, I decided to take a little nap on a sunny grassy hill. I probably looked like total hiker trash to all the clean campers that DROVE from their campsite to the store, which was less then .1 miles away. Funny how perspective changes things. After they finished, we took a side trail that was only .33 to the amphitheater at Loft Mountain, instead of hiking around the campground and shaved off at least a mile from our trip. Once at the amphitheater we all checked to see if we had cell service. It was Boo's birthday and I've been trying to get cell service to call him. BINGO! we had service, so I made the birthday call. It was soooo good to hear his voice. I wanted to talk forever, but alas, we had the AT trail to find. Happy Birthday Boo! I hope you like your gift :)The side trail m
et up with the AT and we hop on like nothing happened and continued coasting down hill. For some reason, the Wizard of Oz song, "We're off to see the Wizard" got stuck in my head. I sang it (in my head) all the way down. It reminded me of my grandparents. They live in Kansas, so you can imagine as a kid with grandparents living in Kansas, what kind of over active imagination I had when it came to the Wizard of Oz. hahaha! It was nice to think of my grandpa Belly Bean, who passed on. I thought about him and in his ever present overalls. I thought of the first time I ever went fishing and caught my first fish. I thought about the first time some girl crazed boy we met at the pool drove by to see me and my grandpa went out on the porch and stared him down and scared him off. I thought about my grandpa. I missed him. It's strange, I always read in someones trail journal about how emotional some people get on the trail. Even though you are physically exerting yourself, all these feelings, memories, you have stored up, start pouring out. I really thought it took weeks and weeks of hiking to experience that emotional rush. 
et up with the AT and we hop on like nothing happened and continued coasting down hill. For some reason, the Wizard of Oz song, "We're off to see the Wizard" got stuck in my head. I sang it (in my head) all the way down. It reminded me of my grandparents. They live in Kansas, so you can imagine as a kid with grandparents living in Kansas, what kind of over active imagination I had when it came to the Wizard of Oz. hahaha! It was nice to think of my grandpa Belly Bean, who passed on. I thought about him and in his ever present overalls. I thought of the first time I ever went fishing and caught my first fish. I thought about the first time some girl crazed boy we met at the pool drove by to see me and my grandpa went out on the porch and stared him down and scared him off. I thought about my grandpa. I missed him. It's strange, I always read in someones trail journal about how emotional some people get on the trail. Even though you are physically exerting yourself, all these feelings, memories, you have stored up, start pouring out. I really thought it took weeks and weeks of hiking to experience that emotional rush. 
It must of been grandparents trail day, or I just had grandparents on the brain. B/c when ever I saw little black caterpillars and little white caterpillars on the trail, I thought of my abuelo and abuelita (grandma and grandpa from Costa Rica. who have passed on) Whenever I was climbing a tough section, I'd see a little black or white caterpillar and it would make me smile and feel like I could make it to the top. It's like my grandparents were watching out for me and keeping me safe today.
When we got
to the bottom we had a road crossing before we began a long 2.7 mile climb up Blackrock mountain. I knew we only had .7 miles to Dundo, to get water, so I plodded on. The water break helped cut up the climb, but Arrrggg! a climb is a climb. Rylan hung out with us til Dundo, then after he loaded up on water, he bounced. Lori and I continued up that loooong climb. About .5 miles to the top. I decided to rest and take my pack off while Lori continued up. I finally reached the top, I had the rocky summit all to myself. It was spectacular. I stopped to enjoy it for a whole 15 minutes. I thought about all the people that have never and will probably never see this amazing view and how lucky I was to be able to climb up here to take it all in. I finally decided to climb down and hike the last mile (down hill) into camp at BlackRock Hut.
to the bottom we had a road crossing before we began a long 2.7 mile climb up Blackrock mountain. I knew we only had .7 miles to Dundo, to get water, so I plodded on. The water break helped cut up the climb, but Arrrggg! a climb is a climb. Rylan hung out with us til Dundo, then after he loaded up on water, he bounced. Lori and I continued up that loooong climb. About .5 miles to the top. I decided to rest and take my pack off while Lori continued up. I finally reached the top, I had the rocky summit all to myself. It was spectacular. I stopped to enjoy it for a whole 15 minutes. I thought about all the people that have never and will probably never see this amazing view and how lucky I was to be able to climb up here to take it all in. I finally decided to climb down and hike the last mile (down hill) into camp at BlackRock Hut. Well, the hike down was a bit precarious. On either side of me, the trail, for the next mile, was lined with berry bushes. BEAR eating berry bushes. On top of that, every 50 feet I stepped over fresh bear scat. I got a bit nervous, so I decided to sing, out loud, to scare any bears. So I say the only song I knew all the words too. Beastie Boys, Paul Revere. "Nooooow here's a little story, I got to tell, about three bad brothers, you know so well..." As loud as I could, I rapped my way down that mountain and treated the bears to some old skool rap. I think I sang it like four times during that mile. I hope the bears appreciate some Beastie Boys :) I made it to the shelter by 4:39pm. When I got there our entire group was there. The southbou
nders (SOBO's) us, and the northbounders (NOBO's). We had a full shelter. I finally got to meet the man in charge of organizing our hike, Mr Kent Zotter of ATHiking podcast, aka "Toothless". In his group, he had Dale, Jackie, Paul, Hez, and John. I hope I didn't forget anyone. Also at the shelter was a family group, Maui Girl, Elizabeth and her dad Dave, they were thru hiking the park and enjoying just being together. And Sarah and Dave, a mother and son who were hiking the park together as part of the mothers "bucket list." How cool is that! After introductions, I went off to set up my hammock and came back to the shelter to have dinner with everyone. I got to talking with Maui girl, who really lives in Maui, and found out that her daughter is married to a big wave surfer who used to tow in Laird Hamilton on jet skis to surf big waves, til he decided to surf them himself. Laird Freakin' Hamilton! I WISH I would of wrote down his name. It's a hawaiin name and I want to give him props, so Maui girl, if you read this. Please send me his name! Thanks. It was actually nice to talk to someone about surfing. Growing up in southern California, it's like a right of passage, I mean we had a surf team at my high school, so it was cool reminiscing.
nders (SOBO's) us, and the northbounders (NOBO's). We had a full shelter. I finally got to meet the man in charge of organizing our hike, Mr Kent Zotter of ATHiking podcast, aka "Toothless". In his group, he had Dale, Jackie, Paul, Hez, and John. I hope I didn't forget anyone. Also at the shelter was a family group, Maui Girl, Elizabeth and her dad Dave, they were thru hiking the park and enjoying just being together. And Sarah and Dave, a mother and son who were hiking the park together as part of the mothers "bucket list." How cool is that! After introductions, I went off to set up my hammock and came back to the shelter to have dinner with everyone. I got to talking with Maui girl, who really lives in Maui, and found out that her daughter is married to a big wave surfer who used to tow in Laird Hamilton on jet skis to surf big waves, til he decided to surf them himself. Laird Freakin' Hamilton! I WISH I would of wrote down his name. It's a hawaiin name and I want to give him props, so Maui girl, if you read this. Please send me his name! Thanks. It was actually nice to talk to someone about surfing. Growing up in southern California, it's like a right of passage, I mean we had a surf team at my high school, so it was cool reminiscing. During dinner we had some unexpected visitors. Seems as if three bears had sniffed their way to our campsite. Three bears showed up on th
e other side of the ravine and entertained us for a good 30 minutes. I was getting worried b/c my hammock was strung up at the furtherst campsite and closest to the bears. I got nick named bear bate and Kent kept ribbing me saying I wasn't going to last thru the night, it was nice knowing you, can I have your husbands # to call the widower. All in good fun. hahah! But seriously, I didn't think I was going to sleep well that night. After getting someone to bear bag my food bag, I sat down at the picnic table to update my journal. I looked around at everyone enjoying their conversations, building a fire, playing cards, and I just took it all in. What a great group of people, what an awesome day. Happy Birthday again Boo. Thank you for understanding that I needed to do this. I'm off to bed. Hopefully the bears will stay away. I guess you'll find out tomorrow..... til next time. GET OUTDOORS!!!
e other side of the ravine and entertained us for a good 30 minutes. I was getting worried b/c my hammock was strung up at the furtherst campsite and closest to the bears. I got nick named bear bate and Kent kept ribbing me saying I wasn't going to last thru the night, it was nice knowing you, can I have your husbands # to call the widower. All in good fun. hahah! But seriously, I didn't think I was going to sleep well that night. After getting someone to bear bag my food bag, I sat down at the picnic table to update my journal. I looked around at everyone enjoying their conversations, building a fire, playing cards, and I just took it all in. What a great group of people, what an awesome day. Happy Birthday again Boo. Thank you for understanding that I needed to do this. I'm off to bed. Hopefully the bears will stay away. I guess you'll find out tomorrow..... til next time. GET OUTDOORS!!!
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