Trail Notes – April 25

Ziptie, it must be admitted, is tired today. Today’s alarm clocks were a sunrise, wild geese, and a woodpecker. I pushed hard yesterday to get up to Chimney Rocks to camp, because the view is to the east, ergo perfect sunrise photo time. And if I turned around and looked west, I could get some great shots of the near full moon framed by trees. It was worth the climb.

But it left me very clumsy and stumbling today. Those hiking poles saved me from what would have been a serious injury – I tripped, and if I hadn’t had a firmly planted pole to stop me, I would have done a full face plant. Onto solid rock. With the additional weight of a 35 lb pack adding momentum.

So I got to a shelter 4.5 miles from starting point, but it was too soon and too early to stop… Pushed on through to Fayetteville, PA, where I am staying at a hostel about 2 miles from trailhead. Laundry. Shower. Long phone call to Navient to see what the heck is going on. I’m not taking a zero day; I did about 8 miles today and will do at least 7 tomorrow. Everyone I meet on trail keeps telling me not to overdo it the first two weeks, and I’m only a week and a day in. So, no guilt.

This hostel is beautiful! Two reading rooms, a full, free to everyone kitchen, nicely appointed bedrooms. And only $22 a night! The only problem is that I am seriously craving a beer, and they have a rule – No alcohol.

The Harper’s Ferry flip flop hiker ‘bubble’ has burst, as people spread out more along the trail. Some (okay, most), are ahead of me, some are behind me. But people seem to enjoy my entries in the registers – when they catch up and intros are made, a lot of them do a double take – “YOU’RE Ziptie?” I dunno… Maybe I don’t look like a Ziptie.

I hike on.