From Bama to Baxter, day four: more climbs, more dizziness

A good early start from the hostel

If yesterday almost broke me, today it revitalized me. Nancy from Next Step Hostel picked me up at 7:00 am and there was a surprise. I knew Scurvy was waiting for me at the drop-off location, but Sparkle and Rhett were also in the van. It was so good to see them once again; He was sure he had seen the last of them the day before. On the way to the shelter, I asked Nancy about how it works. I am very curious to know how hostel owners run their businesses. She explained her processes and mentioned that she and her husband would be moving soon and that the shelter might be for sale. I made a mental note.

When we arrived at the hostel, Nancy gave me the tour. There was still one hiker, Brite Lite, at the lodge, but she was scheduled to return to the trail later that morning. I took a shower, started doing laundry, put my gear on the front porch to air out, went upstairs and took a nap like I had dreamed of all day yesterday. Today I would be shedding weight from my backpack. That would be today’s task. After my nap, I walked to Burger King and had breakfast. I ordered too much food, I couldn’t eat it all and ended up taking some back to the hostel.

After breakfast and back at the hostel, I began the process of getting rid of things. Some of them were easy. For example, I carried 2 knives; I gave up the larger knife and stuck with the smaller knife that also has scissors and a nail file. I got rid of a collapsible cup that I thought I would need to make dinner at night. I hadn’t used it yet. Then the hard part began. I had to get rid of some clothes. I decided to forgo a fleece midlayer and my sleep shirt, figuring my Marino hoodie would do both. I also gave up any idea of ​​staying civil on the road. What was left of my hygiene kit went to waste. I even had a bag of wipes that weighed almost a pound and I left it in the hiker’s box. (For newbies, lodges often have a collection of discarded items and clothing that are free for other hikers.) When I took everything to the post office they told me that my package weighed a little more than 4 pounds. I felt pretty good about that, since as I walked to the pickup point this morning, I was contemplating not cooking. However, I decided to keep my stove because I still enjoy a hot dinner. All in all, today gave me the rest I needed so I could reconnect emotionally with the trail tomorrow. If someone had offered to take me home in the middle of the day yesterday, I would have said yes. Lihat juga tsn4. But as the sun sets on day four, I’m feeling more positive and think I’ll head out tomorrow to start day five and continue the journey.

I can’t say enough about Jeff and Nancy at Next Step Hostel. They were very helpful people and very nice to just sit and talk to. Something I didn’t realize I’d want until I spent a couple of days on the road with no one to talk to.

Happy trails. . .

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