BMT/AT Figure 8 Day 36: Donut. Donut. Donut. — roo giordano

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Oct 7

Oct 7 BMT/AT Figure 8 Day 36: Donut. Donut. Donut.

long distance hiking, roulette

Top of Cheoah Bald.

Day 36, Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Stealth Site at AT SOBO Mile 2038.5 to Stealth Site at Mile 2053.6

Mile 399.6

Miles Hiked: 15.1

My headlamp died last night. Not even a flicker. Not even when I put in the backup batteries.

I packed up this morning in the dark to the light of my Kindle and hiked out just as the sun started peeking through the trees.

Had to wait for sunrise to hike out so as to avoid unnecessary face plant in the dark.

Tomorrow, I’ll get to the NOC where I’ll be able to buy more batteries.

I’m hoping there will also be coffee. And donuts.

Yesterday I started feeling like I’ve got my trail legs.

Today, I’m feeling like I’ve got my hiker hunger. Visions of donuts haunt me all day long. With every uphill step I took today, I found myself chanting “Donut. Donut. Donut.”

And there was no shortage of uphill steps to the top of Cheoah Bald, where I sat in the sun and concocted my new favorite trail food….Fritos crumbled on top of an avocado, eaten with my long-handled spoon.

View from the bald, in between bites of Avocado-Frito Delight.

Here’s what I ate today:

BREAKFAST

1 Picky Bar in Moroccan Your World. (Best Bars EVER, IMHO).
1 chunk of salami
1 chunk of cheese
Handful Fritos
1 piece of jerky (yuck)

LUNCH

1 chunk of salami
1 chunk of cheese
2 dates
1/2 avocado with crumbled Fritos
1/2 Snickers bar

DINNER

Ramen, freeze-dried veggies, packet of chicken, packet of miso broth
Lorna Doones

I NEVER get tired of Fritos. And I’ve found the salami and cheese really fill me up and keep me going and keep me full between meals.

Fifteen miles feels like a normal day on the trail, now. No complaints from my feet. Or any other part.

Lots of good fungus on the trail right now.

And I’m still dedicated to my Stealth Camping Project…avoiding the crowds at the shelters, choosing a different stealth site every night.

(I suspect there are crowds at the shelters because there is an endless parade of hikers on the trail right now. Endless!)

All here to see this:

We call them Leaf Lookers.

Grateful those boulders stayed put over night.

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