AT LASH 2024, Day 1: Stepping into the Bubble
Following the white blazes!
Day 1, Tuesday, 4.30.2024
Start: Massie Gap, Grayson Highlands State Park, Mile 502.4
End: Old Orchard Shelter, Mile 510.5
Miles Hiked: 8.1
Total Miles: 8.1
Kanga wishing he were invited.
I was on trail by 10:00 am with R. and Kanga hiking up a little way to see me off and take a few photos.
The day was mostly cloudy and eventually rainy (welcome back to the AT), but when the rain started I was lucky to be at the Scales where I took refuge with some other hikers under the pit toilet portico. I would have sat and snacked, but the portico was crowded and more than a little gross. And it’s way too soon to sit inside a pit toilet and make coffee while waiting out the rain. That comes later when showers are infrequent and ice cream seems like a logical breakfast food.
It’s baby season!
Crossing paths with ponies at Grayson Highlands never get old.
I like to play a game with myself while hiking where I try to see or hear something new every day. Sometimes in the green tunnel it’s purely aspirational and everything looks the same. I cheat a little by narrowing it down to “something new this year,” so I can count all the usual flowers that just happen to be blooming at this moment.
Trout lilies!
Red trillium!
The Goal
I made myself stop at just 8.1 miles, reminding myself that the goal is to start slow and build up my tolerance, let my bones and tendons and muscles get used to the idea of schlepping a pack up and down mountains. The goal: Stay healthy and stay on the trail. Avoid getting caught up in the mania of churning out miles. At least in the beginning. No more disasters a la the CDT mishegoss of 2023.
Home for the night just past the Old Orchard Shelter.
I circled my tent a dozen times, tweaking and scooching and zipping and unzipping and adjusting until the pitch was, well, good enough. Seems like there might be a bit of a learning curve on getting this new Durston tent well-pitched. The bathtub floor is all kinds of crazy and it looks like more rain in the forecast. Fingers crossed that good enough will actually be good enough.
Uh oh…
Though it looks like I’m alone in the woods, it’s only because I set up so early. By the end of the evening, the shelter was half full and I was surrounded by at least 15 tents with more coming in as I drifted off to sleep. Looks like I might have inadvertently jumped on the trail mid-bubble.
At least I met some nice people, namely Shepherd and Ketchup. Wonder if I’ll see them again?
