Tumbling Run Shelters 1075.6 to Birch Run Shelter 1095.2 (19.65 miles)
Worst night of sleep yet on the trail. Still would rather be out here than anywhere else right now. I remember why I love my tent, though. Right as I was about to fall asleep at 8, I was woken up by voices, it got real cold early in the morning and I wanted my enclosed space, and the still almost full moon was shining right on me, making it very hard to stay asleep.
It was a blessing when 5:50 rolled around and it was finally light out again, so I could get up. I wanted to get an early start so I could possibly hike 19.6 miles to Birch Run Shelter. I was itching for it after doing such low miles the last two days, and getting to camp at 3:30pm yesterday and wishing I was still hiking.
The terrain made it look possible, and I did save some time not having to take down my tent today, which is the silver lining. Turtle and I had Carnation with protein instant breakfast and a chocolate mint Cliff Bar with caffeine before heading out.
I left first at 7:30, and got the big climb of the day over with in about 45 minutes. It was a steep 1.2 miles up to Chimney Rocks, a gorgeous overlook that was worth the little side trail.
Turtle caught me just as I was heading on, and I told her she’d probably like the view. Our plan was to meet at Rocky Mountain Shelters for lunch, which was 6.6 miles from where we stayed last night.
The day had started very chilly, but it was warming up. I started seeing pines for the first time on the trail as I was hiking, and noticed a few new flowers. The terrain wasn’t rocky at all, and I entertained myself by singing out loud as I hiked.
The trail was deserted except two other thrus who had left the shelter before me that morning. I wasn’t near them, so I sang a bunch of my favorite songs out loud to the trail. Jackie and Wilson by Hozier, 7 Years by Lucas Graham, a few songs from Halsey’s new album, and several more. I was having a blast.
The terrain was easy, and I made good time when I stopped at the shelter sign at 10:30am and saw that it was a .3 downhill to the shelter with water another .2 after that. The shelter didn’t sound impressive so I checked my map for another spot to have lunch. I was feeling in a hiking groove.
I saw Caledonia State Park was another 3.4 miles up the trail, and it was a nice downhill to boot. So I texted Turtle that I was going to continue on there for lunch.
After a little bit it started to get pretty rocky on the trail. I caught up to Indiana Ian who had been in the other shelter last night next to us. Fortunately, as the trail got super rocky and a little tricky to follow I was able to follow a ways behind him and not get turned around. It’s really easy to do when the trail disappears in the rocks, and you have to concentrate on every step instead of looking up for blazes as regularly.
It was only really rocky for about a half a mile to a mile, and as I climbed down out the rocks, I saw Indiana Ian chatting with a couple of day hikers ahead.
They introduced themselves as Lynn and David, if I remember right, and asked if I was thru hiking and where I started, the standard questions. Everyone seems interested when I tell them I am doing a flip flop, I haven’t gotten any judgement about it really.
They asked if I wanted some trail magic, to which I of course said yes. My first trail magic other than fellow thru hikers helping each other out since I started. Lynn handed me a Kirkland bar that resembled a Kind Bar.
I thanked them, and they let me know that the trail gets really easy to the park. I scarfed down the bar as I hiked right away, feeling hungry for sure and having already eating my only other snacks I had in my pockets that morning.
I entertained myself the next couple miles by working on finishing the first Harry Potter book, also in my head, as I went. It helps that I know them so well I can do that, not word for word, but more like scene for scene.
The terrain really was flat and not rocky so I zoomed down the trail to the park, feeling very ready for a break. There was one very sketchy road crossing right before the park, a three lane road that felt like a highway, and I waited a few minutes to cross wanting to be positive it was safe to.
I saw a couple section hikers at the park, and they directed me to the closest bathroom. They also flattered me by guessing I am doing a flip flop because I was in college and my semester had ended. I told them I just turned thirty but I appreciated the compliment.
Feeling like a real hiker, I used the bathroom, dumped my trash, filled up my water bottle in the water fountain, and set up by the creek to soak my feet and eat some cheese and pepperoni on a tortilla. I checked my pace and saw I had done 2.22 mph since the shelter.
I had been to this park before, but hadn’t hiked here, and felt I appreciated it much more now that I had. It is a gorgeous place, and right off the trail. It also isn’t the middle of summer and dead crowded like the last time I was here. It is deserted for the most part and just gorgeous, the weather a perfect 65 degrees and sunny. Time to apply sunscreen and bug spray, though.
I breaked from 12-1pm, then started packing up, hoping to see Turtle before I left. She said she had gotten turned around on the rocks after the last shelter, which apparently I found out later quite a few people did, too. I didn’t because I was following Ian, and also being paranoid about the blazes, having gotten turned around already the other day.
Turtle showed up a few minutes before I left, and I told her of my intention to continue on to Birch Run shelter. I was feeling really good and I had already done 10 miles with 9 1/2 to go. She said she wasn’t sure what she would do but that I didn’t need to wait for her.
As I was hiking out of the park I saw a section hiker I had passed earlier in the day but hadn’t had a chance to talk to yet. He said he was embarrassed that he didn’t have a trail name, but liked to do the sections in Maryland where he’s from. I realize now I should’ve told him “embarrassed” is a perfect Trail name.
He told me he could tell I was a thru hiker by my strong legs and calves. I felt very flattered as it was only my sixth day on the trail but I suppose all the weight lifting and staying in shape I had done had prepared me as I was definitely feeling stronger than I thought I was.
We hike together a little up the steep incline after the park, until he fell back to take out his trekking poles. I continued on, making short work of the incline even though it was very steep, probably because I had drink a caffeinated powder drink mix while I was in the park.
I was surprised to find that I had caught up to the section hikers from earlier who thought I was in college very quickly even though they had continued on about 45 minutes before I had. I wasn’t used to passing people like this and I was surprised how quick and strong I was hiking.
Quarry Gap shelters were two miles up, and I stopped to fill water and camel up real quick. I saw a couple hikers at the shelter talking, no one I knew, so I moved on without chatting. For some reason I just felt like crushing miles. Quarry Gap is pretty, and has a swing, but I liked Tumbling Run better. It has more space to it.
There was a little more incline, and it got rocky for about a quarter mile, then the trail got nice again. I followed stairs up through tunnels of rhododendron bushes that had yet to bloom.
I still felt good, but knew I was going to get tired in a few miles. So I sang Lonely Island and rapped Eminem under my breath instead of out loud to conserve energy, laughing at the lyrics as I went. I also finished both Pirates of the Caribbean and the first Harry Potter book in my head as well.
There was a lot of ridge walking and little ups and downs, but no crazy rocks, fortunately.When I had about five miles left I started to get tired, as I knew I would. My feet were in a bit of pain, but the rest of me felt fine, and I knew it was a mental game from here.
I breaked for ten minutes as it started to rain, to fix my pack liner and on Turtle’s prior advice that stopping to rest every five miles helped her. I stretched a little, and got my head back in the game.
There wasn’t much to be seen over the next five miles, just a few campsites, dirt road crossings, and power lines. I concentrated on one foot in front of the other, since I know the most likely time for an injury is when you are tired and zoning out, and could stumble on a rock or root.
To get me through the next few miles, I started naming all the vegetables I was craving (weird, I know, I crave healthy food), and all the ways to prepare them. I kept snacking and drinking water as I hiked, and the rain stopped after only a bit, too.
I saw a couple people in passing, but I only talked to one. A much older hiker going south, currently named No Worries, who handed me a bit of honeysuckle flower he had picked, figuring he could give it to someone up the way.
I thanked him and tucked the sprig into my chest strap. I told him my trail name and how I was aiming for my first twenty mile day of this thru hike. He said he did a thru 22 years ago (so the year 2000), and he only did two 20 mile days the whole time. He showed me his paper bracelet that said he had just been to Trail Days last weekend. He was hiking around some sections for now. It was nice chatting with him for a few minutes.
2.4 miles out there is a PATC cabin that can be rented apparently, and the green metal roof made me second guess if I had somehow magically reached the shelter an hour earlier than I thought I would. Of course, that wasn’t the case, but I took four minutes to sit on the bench near it to elevate my feet.
It was a steep down and up near the cabin, but I knew I was really close, and I hiked next through an eerie pine forest with stunted branches and dark skies overhead. It was creepy, but cool.
Finally, the sun came out again behind me as I headed down a gradual incline to the shelter, half a mile away. I gave myself one little goal at a time and hiked slow and steady on my throbbing feet from one rock or tree root or blaze to the next.
And then I rounded a corner, and there it was. At 6:03 pm, ten and a half hours later than I had left that morning, I arrived at Birch Run Shelter. 19.65 miles, but I think we can all agree that counts for a 20 mile day. I limped around to some campsites, and settled on a nice flat one right near the spring flowing through.
I recognized Scout Master, who had also been at Tumbling Run last night, although he did have to remind me of that because my brain was toast by that point. There was also another older gentleman who appeared to be on a flip flop too, and someone laying down in the shelter already. The shelter had bunks, but I knew after last night it was my tent or nothing tonight.
It took me a record 12 minutes to set up my Big Agnes, and then I got to work boiling water for my Mountain House beef stew. I had developed a case of hiker hunger today for sure.
I soaked my feet in the spring, and felt the icy water relieve them of their burden for the day. I thanked my body and mind copious amounts today for being so surprisingly strong since I had come out here, but especially today.
Turtle stayed at Quarry Gap today, said her legs were not feeling the extra miles. I miss her already, but I am sure I will see her up the trail. I’m also super proud of us. We are both practicing Hike Your Own Hike principles, neither of us slowing down or speeding up for the other, just following our own little paths on the big path ahead.
I am very proud of myself for what I accomplished today. I don’t think I pushed too hard, since I had taken it quite easy the last two days. I think part of listening to your body is knowing when it wants to both slow down and speed up. I am loving this hike so far, keep the good miles coming.
PS I hiked all day without either of my gaiters on, and didn’t get a single rock in my shoes. Guess maybe I didn’t need them after all.