Day 66

Weather:
Rain. High around 70 degrees.

Today's Hike:
I-77 (Bland) to Jenny's Knob Shelter-12.1 miles

After a good breakfast it was time to load up the van and head back to the trail. After a detour at the post office, we were at the trailhead where we left off by noon. As soon as we hopped out of the van the rain started. Oh well; such is trail life. At least it wasn't thundering and lightening. We said our final good-byes to Timmy and headed down the road.

After a mile we started climbing and I could totally feel the effects of taking four days off the trail. Although my body had recouped, finding my rhythm again was difficult. I was struggling to get back into it. All I could think about was being dry, well fed, and in good company back at Mary's. Still, I knew I had to push forward, and that the more I hiked, the easier it would become.

What helped make the hike refreshing was the sight of all the green on trees and on the ground. What a difference four days makes! On Friday when Muster and I hiked out there were a few leaves coming in on some of the trees, and green patches of ground cover were sparse and sporadic. Today it appeared as if all of the trees had at least some foliage (enough to help block the rain), and the ground cover was a sea of green. It was official, our hike through a sleeping forest was over and our hike through the "green tunnel" was beginning.

I struggled into camp around 7pm and set up my tent in between rain showers. After eating a big bowl of warm pasta it was time to crawl out of the rain, into my tent, into my warm sleeping bag. Tomorrow will be easier after a good night sleep.