Today, a 5K distance took me 4 hours -- about as long as many people take to run a full marathon. To be fair, I was dragging ~60 pounds of junk up and down a mountain -- Jay Peak.
I set off in the morning after burning some clothes (and putting the fire out). Heading stoically up an unnamed peak before Jay, I caught the thought "am I actually enjoying this?" For the first time on the trail, it turned out I actually was. It was sunny, though still moist, and the trail involved a lot of bog-hopping.
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| The LT climbs a ski trail. |
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| I enjoyed the climb more than I expected. |
At the top of Jay Peak, a deli was open. I plodded in, set down my pack, and sat on a stool drinking orange juice and eating crisps while my phone recharged. Some construction workers recommended solar-powered chargers that can juice up a phone, iPad or laptop.
Jay Peak is a knobbly, bouldery mountain. On the way down I was extra careful not to fall, often sitting and sliding down the rocks as my pack pushed me southwards. I ate my Kendal Mint Cake a little way south of the summit. I noticed that my left boot had split open on the passenger side, the upper separating from the sole. I took it steady.
Got to Jay Camp in the mid-afternoon, the first enclosed cabin-type shelter on the trail so far. This caterpillar was pretty keen on my sleeping bag. I carefully put it outside. I sat outside trying to eat down some of the food weight in my pack, trying to stay warm, and writing a piece for zippers.
Two other hikers rolled up as the afternoon wore on -- both AT veterans as well. I made a plan to hitch down to town the next day for glue and tape to try and hold my boot together til my mid-trail break at home. Slept on the top bunk in the camp, waking up a few times because of the cold.
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