Day 7

Day 7: Hear me breathing heavily, climbing up Wildcat Mountain (mile 37.8). .
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I felt much better on the climbs, trusting that I hadn’t torn my ACL, as I had been so worried I had done only a couple of days before. Instead, wearing my new knee brace, I was accepting that my body was going through what it needed to in order to transform itself to withstand the grueling nature of this adventure. In other words, Trail Legs, I will find you! .
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We ended the day down near Hogpen Gap (mile 38.2), filled up on water, crossed the highway, and talked to a guy who had thru hiked Southbound a few years ago. .
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The challenge of this hike is offset by the wonderful community that mills about these parts, people who have tasted life on the AT, that want to help and talk to those that are doing it right now. Everyone eats, sleeps, and breathes the trail out here, and there isn’t talk about much else. It’s been a nice change of pace. .
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We stealth camped just past Hogpen Gap, where we were able to make dinner just before our brand new stove malfunctioned and broke. I also discovered that my (at least) 5 year old Lowa boots were shot- really thought they would make it at least halfway! To top it off, Jacob’s lower calf was starting to hurt, and I had poison ivy on my legs and arms. .
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As they say, if it was easy, everyone would do be doing it. #at2019