Day 30

Weather:
Overcast with some light evening rain.

Today’s Hike:
Painters Branch Campsite to Stream Campsite (miles marker 257.2) - 17.4 miles

A month into our long journey and I’m feeling great. Physically I’m getting stronger and I have more stamina. Mentally I’m fairing well also, but am struggling with hitting a wall everyday around mid-afternoon. I just want a nap, but my body is ready to keep walking. This afternoon, I hit this wall at the foot of Max Patch Bald. According to the 2008 Thru-Hiker Companion, Max Patch is an old homestead and logging camp that was originally forested, but early inhabitants cleared the mountain top to graze sheep and cattle. The summit also has been used as a landing strip for small planes. In 1982, the U.S. Forest Service purchased the 392-acre grassy-top mountain for the AT and now uses mowing and controlled burns to maintain the balds appearance. The wide summit, at 4,629 feet, offers panoramic views of the Smokies to the South and a glimpse of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi to the east.

The views from the summit were spectacular. It was overcast and we could see rain in the distance. We took off our packs and sat back to enjoy the view for a few moments. After about 15 minutes we got up, feeling slightly recharged and started to head North. As we re-started our hike, the wind picked up and before we knew it we were fighting against 60 mph winds. We literally had to lean into the wind just to make sure we didn't fall over. I couldn't stop laughing. Muster, would occasionally turn around to see how I was doing, and she to was laughing. It was insane. I could picture those guys from the weather channel standing out in hurricanes struggling to stay upright. In the moment, I was trying to do the same but with 30 pounds on my back. It was by far the most insanely crazy but most fun experience I had yet on the trail. To cool. It was just the recharge I needed to hike another 7 miles to complete out 17.4 mile day.