10-12-12

AT miles hiked today: 13.4
Total AT miles hiked: 1625.7
Miles to complete my thruhike: 558.5

I'm in the Clarks Ferry Shelter, with Eagle Eye, Grand Pooba, Kevin minus Cathy, and Chaingang. I got a bunk again! My tent is hanging across the front of the shelter to hopefully hold in some warm air and block the cold wind. Eagle Eye built a nice, warm fire which is so nice after being in the cold wind all day. At least the sun was mostly out today.

Sometimes the trail would cross onto the other side of the ridge, out of the wind, and I'd start sweating, but enjoy the break from the wind, which dehydrates and sucks the energy right out of me. There was a nice table rock and a view that was sheltered from the wind so we took a break there.

We stopped at the shelter before this for our lunch break, where we met a local guy named Jared, who was hanging out up in the loft. The shelter seems awesome, with that big loft, but it was a wind tunnel, funneling the wind right in. I was warmer when I got back out in the sun and wind.

It was very pretty in the sun, with the leaves changing. They seem to be dying and falling off rather than changing with the season, but there are some very lovely trees with the autumnal colors still bright and beautiful.

Tonight might be the coldest night yet on the trail.