Hiked Thursday night to Moss Hill Lean-to. That was a bit more tense than I was expecting - got dark and there were 2 problems: I lost the white blazes twice and the battery on the headlight was draining - I'd forgotten how to lower the lumens output. But in the end I made it to the lean-to. And when I got there I saw a couple eyes staring at me. Not big enough to be a bear, but not a tiny rodent either. Maybe it was a fox? I found in the morning that whoever had been there prior threw their food garbage into the fire pit. The last couple miles of hiking I was certain I'd forgotten the tent stakes but was SOOOO glad that they were in the tent bag when I arrived.
Also glad I used the skinny titanium set as they fit in the grooves between the floor boards. I set up the tent in the lean-to, I know I'm not supposed to, but I wanted another lay of protection from rodents & scavengers. I hears something run on the shelf in the lean-to and it knocked some acorns and screws onto the floor.
Full day 1 started well, though I could have started sooner. Love this picture below - how often have I seen those large green areas in the hills while driving and wondered what it's like up there? Now I know! Awesome view and a cool memory. There's a lake in the distance - Lamoka, I think.
I did my best to control my pace as I knew I was in for a really long day, and I was very cognizant of water availability. Unfortunately, for the last 5 miles or so, I totally didn't take a break or much of a drink and I certainly overdid it and I really felt it when I arrived at Sugar Hill - the red cheeks, the overheated head. On the bright side, since I hiked too quickly, I got there earlier than expected and had extra time to relax and recover. I napped for an hour after set-up. Eventually I made dinner, popped my 2 small blisters, and just relaxed some more. It was a very windy night and there was some rain, but the MEIR tent held up well, though I definitely wouldn't consider it a full 2-person tent at only 43 inches wide. It will be okay for the boys for a couple years, though. I was so comfortable on just the Z Lite I considered sleeping on just that, but inflated the NEMO Astrolite anyway. It wasn't a good night sleep or very restful. Again, I think that's because I overdid it. I did discover just how comfortable the Adaptor Liner is, though - I should grab another couple of those. It was pretty important,too, as I had developed some chafing and needed to remove the clothes to let everything dry out. It was basically perfect. The 30 deg quilt was a bit much, but at least I wasn't cold.
Saturday ended up being the final day. The blisters had been addressed, but somewhere during the hike my socks got wet inside my shoes. The Leuko tape stayed on to cover the blisters, but the bottom of my right foot was really getting sore. And there was a TON of downhill which created the blisters in the first place. I definitely COULD have continued, but I completed 2 of my 3 goals:
- go on a solo hike and not die
- complete the previously abandoned attempt from Sugar Hill to Watkins Glen
- complete M14 map of the FLT
If I had made it another 4 miles to Burdett I would have completed the M14 map, but there was no place to camp so I'd have to return to Wakins or continue for another 2 or 3 miles. It just didn't seem like the smart thing to do. Given how much I ate, drank, and slept and how slowly I moved Sunday, it was the right call. I made it through Julie's Crossing with no problem as the trail was well beaten. There was a lot more to the WG park then I knew and it was really cool to see. I didn't see anyone else on the trail until I got to the state park. It was cool to be solo, especially as I consciously lowered my pace and stayed as slow as I could and take breaks (or not) as I wanted. But next time a partner might also be fun.
In total I was out from 5:30pm Thursday - 5pm Saturday. It was a solid test of my ability - mental & physical - as well as my gear. The Gregory Zulu pack was comfortable 99% of the time, the tent was solid during the extreme wind and roomy, the food was good and the cookset worked well, and the sleep system continues to improve. I can't think of much I'd do differently given the setup I had - aside from not carry extra water on Friday, take a set of flip-flops next time, and get some lighter items (already ordered a new 1.5lb tent). Still on the fence about the nalgene bottle. It was good when I wanted to roll out my calves, but it is definitely heavy.
***** NEED AQUA MIRA NEXT TIME AS BACKUP *****
I do need to stretch a lot more next time. It's 2 days later and my hamstrings are still tight despite my Yoga in the morning & stretching during the day.
