Hiking Trail Journals

Appalachian Trail 2003 - Chelsea's Journals

Entry #74 - June 16, 2003

7:30 PM - Guess what we were treated to today? Another day of rain - aaaaaaaaAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Planned on 26 miles to the second hut, but as soon as the rain started getting to us, we weren't so sure anymore.

What is the deal with this park? WHY is it a park? The most exciting and/or interesting thing we've seen about it so far is there are stores right off the Trail! The landscape is the same as the rest of VA, there are hardly any viewpoints - none, actually, yet, I don't think, except for the pulloffs on the road, which we seem to cross at least once every mile. Hopefully, it gets better.

Ended up doing only 13 miles to the first shelter of the day - Blackrock Hut. Got here around 1:00, but OH WELL! I'm sick and tired of this stupid rain! Will try to do 21 miles tomorrow and we're definitely hitting the storein 7 miles to pig out on some ice cream, etc. At this rate: low miles, big food, I will start gaining weight!!

By the way, it stopped raining shortly after we got here. The guys JUST built a fire, and now it started raining AGAIN! Argggghhhhhh! Here with Green Turtle and 2 section hikers.

Gear Notes:

Mountain Hardwear Nutshell Low Gaiters - Inner Coating peeled off within first month. Holes worn on inside of ankles. BUT Mtn HW sent me a new pair in Troutville!

Asolo FSN 95 GTX - Woman's size 9. Got huge blisters on heels to begin with - possibly the boots were too large & slipping. Within the last couple weeks, seams are beginning to rip, so water is getting in - filled with seam sealer & should be OK. Biggest complaint - tread is quite worn & will have to buy a new pair soon.

NOTE: Morph saw three cubs and a mama bear today & he was hiking about 10 minutes ahead of us - we missed them!

Next | Previous | Index