Day 2 - Wind, Gaptooth & Woody Gap

Last night I slept in my Marino wool long joins and socks, plus a fleece vest, plus my Eddie Adams nylon jacket, plus a down jacket, plus a fleece hat, plus gloves inside my down sleeping bag (20 degree bag) and I was comfortable. The wind was very strong and cold. A hiker at my camping spot said it got down into the high teens. I am pleasantly surprised how well my tent held up to the wind. It's colder to sleep in the three-sided shelters that are about three feet above ground. The only problem is that I had to relieve myself THREE times last night. I lay there a long time thinking about it before I crawled out of my tent into the cold and dark.

My first disaster is when I bit into my half-frozen meal bar this morning it pulled my front tooth crown off. So now I'm gaptooth Pam. I'm so fortunate that Alicia has stayed in the area for the first couple of days to make sure I'm O.K. I texted her as soon as I got phone service and bless her she got a dentist appointment for me at 8:45 tomorrow morning.

Today was a beautiful day, the kind of day you dream about when thinking about walking the A.T. It was cool and still breezy but nothing like yesterday. I walked 12.3 miles today and frankly I'm exhausted and hurting. I left at 8 a.m. and got to Woody Gap at at 4:40. I stopped for about 20 minutes; the rest of the time I walked up and down forever. I'm so grateful for Alicia. She picked me up from Woody Gap and drove me to this wonderful hostel and has helped me get my stuff together. I've had a hot shower and we're having Chinese food tonight. Although, the thought of food makes me feel ill.

Tomorrow it's over Blood Mountain for about 10.6 miles. I'm going to "slack pack" tomorrow which means that Alicia will take most of my stuff to Neels Gap where we will spend the night. I'm not even going to carry my camera, that's how bad I'm feeling right now. With food and water I'm carrying 35 pounds.

I have to go that far tomorrow because no camping is allowed for a long stretch without a bear cannister and those are very heavy. News spreads like wild-fire along the A.T. Last night some guy put his food in a bear cannister and hung his pack from the wire bear cable. A bear broke the cable and shreaded his backpack which had no food in it. I hope for no bear adventures.

Yesterday the first wildflower I saw was a trillium. How unbelievable is that? I've now seen four different species of trilliums and many other wildflowers and blooming shrubs from sweet shrubs to azaleas. Today the "gift of the day" was the largest patch of pink lady slippers I've ever seen, maybe a dozen in about a 4 foot square area. I saw no other lady slippers before or after that patch. Sorta a miracle.

Today I ate something about every hour and tried to keep drinking. I cannot eat too much at one time, it makes me gag. But eating pretty much continuously seems to work.

I met another single woman walker today. She's in her early 50's and I'm afraid she is walking slower than me so I probably won't get to see her much more. On the other hand, I need to do less walking after tomorrow until I feel better.