I set my alarm for, wait for it...5:30. Ugh, but didn't start getting ready until about 6:00. The days are growing shorter and the miles are still there to make. Once I was practically ready, I went over to the shelter since no one was up yet. I called for Triple P and woke her up, this is a first! I told her it was 7:00 and that I was going to stretch a little and then head out since we had a big day. The walk was by a really nice small lake that I would love to come back to some weekend to stay at. The trail went a half circle around it and it was really nice. It wasn't until I stopped for lunch on a cross snowmobile trail that I saw Lynn. I got some water, made ramen and tuna, and as I was finishing up I saw the whole gang one after another including Lynn. She stood while I finished up and then we left together. We climbed some pine forrest mountains which is my favorite scenery, the smell of the pine is just amazing and reminds me of Christmas. There was an interesting surprise arriving at one of the peaks, a ton of cairns which are piles of rocks and sometimes they form sculptures, one was made into the AT symbol which was really cool. It was pure silence up in this part of the woods and then to walk into something like that was quite enchanting. The photos don't do justice to the magnitude of it. Before our next climb, I came to a sign that said trail magic and saw a bag hanging up in a tree-interesting. It seemed quite difficult to maneuver but then a Southbound came up and he finagled with it for a bit and then it came down. Oh a rock, how lovely and a waste of time. We crossed the road and got ready for the next climb. The plan was to camp at the base of the other side at a stealth by the river and suspension bridge. Today was one of our bigger days and Lynn was pushing to stealth before that at the top of the mountain at a view. Only problem with this was she grabbed water, and I didn't want to carry the extra weight if we were going to camp next to a river. I walked and my feet/legs were killing me, the view sounded better and better to camp at. I walked up to see Lynn sitting, and the rest of the gang hanging out, two of which were in white plastic chairs. Chairs?! We got to stay here, there are chairs; with backs! I chatted with Lynn to see if they planned to stay since it was just a rock slab with two semi flat spots for a stealth spot. They were planning on heading on so I told her; if I can have back the half liter that I gave to her this morning, we can stay since then I would have water to make dinner. We both agreed to stay! It was such an awesome spot too, I immediately set up camp and started dinner. A Southbounder and his friend came and hung out with us for a bit talking about what's to come on both ends and just general conversation. Pretty much the most social normal Southbounder I have met, with the exception of the early on Lonestar he was cool too. Most of the Southbounders kind of keep to themselves and say hi in passing. I enjoyed my dinner in a chair with a back, watching the sunset, and reading some of my book, oh and clipping of my nails. Below you can see my matching burn marks from my jetboil pot and a mock up of how it happened. I will have plenty of battle wounds from this trip that is for sure, just as long as they are nothing serious I am ok with it. I sat and watched the planes below take off and land in the small airport, the red squirrels run and jump from branch to branch, and thought this is what real entertainment is. I was so happy to be here. I sat and meditated and called it a night after deciding we would go into town to get breakfast at the deli in the morning.
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