Breakfast at the picnic table and then we packed up. We wandered back towards where we entered the campground and took off on a loop around the whole darn thing. Looking at a map makes it seem ridiculous, but the AT almost completely circumvents the Loft Mountain Campsite (which is huge), and it's not even on Loft Mountain - it's on Flat Top Mountain?!. Anyways, we went around and back to the camp store to pick up a few Gatorades. One Life was going to go for a marathon day (26+ miles), so he took off and the three DC/Baltimore kids followed.
Nice morning, but it was definitely going to get very hot today. Another 30% chance of thunderstorms and humid humid air. There was a bit of confusion again after a long stretch of trail without many white blazes, but all was figured out as we pressed on.
Around noon, we got to a shelter to have lunch. Saw in the register that Xan and Neutron had slept there last night and didn't get in till 11pm. Must've been a 25 mile day, late into the evening. They are possibly going for 40 miles today...?
One Life, Roadrunner and Taterchip were at the shelter, and we all snacked/lunched together and discussed how hot it was. We filled up water and relaxed. Then it was time to hike again!
The terrain coming up included lots of sustained uphills and, with the weather, it made for a pretty tough afternoon. Mike had been sweating a lot, but it was like he couldn't keep any water in him! His legs began cramping up, so we stopped at the summit of a mountain and snacked some more. I was getting kinda worried about the water situation, since there was no source until our destination shelter 4-ish miles away, but he seemed willing to press on. They left me at the overlook to get a head start down the trail, and soon after, I found and removed my first tick of the trip! It was a small one on the inside of my leg, and, yes, I shall monitor the area closely. After pulling the little sucker off me, I left to catch my two friends. After I caught up, I told them I'd rush up to the shelter and bring back some needed water.
Quite a last 1.2 mile climb to get to High Top Shelter (I pulled off a large tick from my ankle, and I saw a deer RIGHT off the trail, like 8 feet away, and was startled enough to take a photo), but I made it, dropped my bag and filled up my tanks. Pulled off another large ankle tick coming up from the stream!
One Life was at the shelter (he decided to ditch the marathon plan...) with Roadrunner, Taterchip, Tatoo, and Spike. After treating my water, I headed back out on the trail backwards to catch up with Erin and Mike. Wasn't too long before I found and refilled them. We all made it back to the shelter and took it easy. Erin found the smallest tick EVER on her foot. We're fighting a losing battle with these ticks, I think....
Mike still wasn't feeling well, though, as we all made dinner. Serenetina, Stick Walker, City Squirrel and Paul Bunion showed up, too. Busy shelter. It was pretty clear the Mike was severely dehydrated, so "Team High Top Shelter" pooled all our knowledge and electrolyte powers to help him out and get him better. It was a really nice community kind of effort. After he started feeling better, he pretty much crashed for the night, and everyone headed to bed. Mike definitely gave us all something to talk about other than the trail and what's for dinner. Glad he's feeling better.
(14)
-- Posted from the trail...
Location:High Top Mountain Hut
No comments:
Post a Comment