BMT Day 16: Bright Side Expert in Training — roo giordano

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I am an artist who hikes. A hiker who arts. A traveller who revels in the journey without undue devotion to the destination. I hike to be somewhere, not to get somewhere. Thanks for joining me on this journey.

Expect reflections on long distance hiking, art-making on trail and off, hiking culture, nature and my undying love for backrests.

Aug 6

Aug 6 BMT Day 16: Bright Side Expert in Training

long distance hiking, roulette

More of a cascade than a waterfall, but lovely to look at and to listen to through the night.

Day 16, Thursday, August 6, 2020

Tellico River Bridge to Waterfall Stealth Site

Mile 159.8

Who knew that endorphins leave the system after two days of rest?

At least I think that’s why everything hurt again today, even though I only hiked 4.4 miles, opting not to press on to the campsite in the open meadow, appealing as a view sounded on this largely viewless trail.

On the bright side, I’m becoming an expert at finding the bright side.

Today there were several:

My campsite next to the cascade was one of the prettiest I’ve had so far.
The rain didn’t start until I’d finished all of my camp chores.
I wasn’t camped in a meadow during the lightning.
I didn’t have to move my tent out of the flood zone.

YAY!

Oh, and the bright side of all this rain is an abundance of flawless fungi decorating the trail like bunting at a birthday party.

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@rubythroatwhiteblaze

Another day, another pass—Silver Pass, PCT mile 886.3, 10,934 feet. Stopping less on the way up (to suck air and appease my racing heart). I could get used to this. Especially watching the moon set from my campsite at the end of the day.
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Just a few places I’ve spent the night recently. Motivation to keep going through the hard parts (and ALL the parts are hard out here)!
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#pct2024 #pacificcresttrail #sierrahiking #womenwhobackpack #womenwhohike #womenwhohikethepct #

Chanting Bukowski all the way to the top:

if you’re going to try, go all the
way.
otherwise, don’t even start.

Also chanting: please don’t let me be the one who gets the helicopter ride today.

I wasn’t. And though, after

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Less than 100 miles to go. We are in the bittersweet phase of a long hike where the end is near and though I’m excited to go home and eat donuts from @holedoughnuts (and see my husband and dog), I know I’ll be twitchy soon and longing to

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After three nights in the BeeChill Hostel in Daleville (highly recommend for the outdoor shower and that they served ice cream for breakfast), this little introvert is finally alone in my tent, watching the sun set thru the trees, bugs knocking again

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Yesterday, I heard the sound of Big Creek and got a case of the SHIVERS (aka the heebie-jeebies). I was sure the final 30 feet of the Benton MacKaye Trail would involve yet another barefoot river ford. I can’t count the times this trail leads

Captivated by Katahdin. I can’t stop staring, can’t get enough, can’t pull myself away. I haven’t felt this way about a mountain since I fell in love with Mt. Rainier. What is your favorite mountain?
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#katahdin #badass

9.19.19...Nailed it! And no one got hurt (except a toe I stubbed, but he seems to have forgiven me and plans to hang on to his toenail for now). When I hiked most of the AT in 2017, I worried about so many things that turned out to not such big deal

The End....Day I did finish the Long Trail. Sunny. Cool. Dry. No chance of hypothermia. .
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#longtrail #longtrail2019 #longtrailvt #longdistancehiker #hikeyourownhike #52hikechallenge2019

Day I was supposed to finish the Long Trail...2.6 miles from the end, after hiking in a deluge with no rain gear (for future reference, an umbrella is not appropriate on the Long Trail for many, many reasons). I found my husband at the last road cros

Passed mile 200 today en route to the top of Vermont...Mt. Mansfield. Had some flashbacks to Maine, especially that part where I ended every day glad no one died. .
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#longtrail2019 #longtrailvt #longdistancehiking #womenwhohike #52hikechallenge20

Good night from the Puffer Shelter...better than Netflix.
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#longtrail2019 #longtrail #womenwhohike #lovemylife #longdistancehiking #52hikechallenge2019 #sheexplores

I love a nearo! Not so much out of town. Give me a nearo into town and I’m in heaven.

Hike a few miles to the road, hitch a tide to the nearest coffee and kale omelette (I lovermont!), spend the day exploring some quaint little enclave—

In 2017, I remember thinking how Vermont was like baby bear’s bowl of porridge...just right. Not too hard, not too easy, no one gonna die. Then the Long Trail peeled off from the AT and shit got real. Day 10 brought nine piles of moose poop

On the Long Trail this month, happy to be back for a little white blaze snack, an amuse-bouche, if you will. The first leg of my quest for a Triple Tiara.

I always get a little anxious before getting back on the trail, and this time was no differen

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