Friday, May 17, 2013

4/23/13 - Day 8

Cheese factory site to Deep Gap Shelter
9.4 miles, 66.0 miles total

Lots of ups & downs today, pretty typical. It was a pretty normal day until I was about 2 miles from Deep Gap Shelter. I was exhausted, and not looking forward to the next two miles, especially since the next mile was straight uphill and the hardest of the day.

That is where Addis Gap is, and where I decided to take a break before my final push. So I sat down, put my pack down, got my water out, and then a slightly overweight man, maybe mid-sixties, with long hair walked up to me from a side trail.

We had the typical hiker conversation (where did you come from, where are you headed, etc.) and he ended up offering me a can of Vienna Sausage. Heck yeah! Trail magic! Trail magic is when someone simply gives a hiker anything while they're hiking. It could be food, drinks, clothes, gear, anything really. Well, that was some of the best Vienna Sausage I've ever had.

“Trail Angels” are one of the many things that make the AT so great. That hill still kicked my butt, but it was much more bearable.

There are quite a few at the shelter tonight – 10, I believe. Only six are in the shelter though, including me. Hopefully I will have a better experience than previous shelter stays. Tonight we have Paul, Rider, Mike, Harry, Sarah, Alana, Raindancer, Leo, and two older women heading southbound.

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