The one with thunderstorms – Day 32

The day ended with the worst storms and rain I have seen so far. I stayed at the Chestnut Knob Shelter. It is completely enclosed with a door that can be safely closed.

I had to hurry to beat the storms. But there were several hikers who were soaked and braved the lightning to reach the shelter. It was packed in there before it was all said and done.

Route report

I left the Long Neck Lair Hostel early. Overall it was a good day of hiking. I walked through some more meadows. I enjoy the meadows.

The sign for the quarter on the way to Maine took me by surprise. I didn’t realize I was already 25% of the way there. The other side of the coin is that I still have 75% left to do. But I try not to think about that.

As I hurried up the climb to Chestnut Knob Shelter to beat the storm, I ran into a dear young man. He was as curious about me as I was about him.

The view from the shelter is spectacular and the shelter is beautiful. But there is no water. So I had to carry 2 liters with me to the mountain.

Thought of the day

When you have a big goal, like walking to Maine. If all you do is think about that goal, it can be daunting. It is important to set smaller, more achievable goals that allow you to move towards that big goal. For example, simply focus on getting to the next city. That’s not as intimidating as Maine.

The same thing happens in life. You may have big dreams for the business you are starting. Start small. Make a list of smaller, achievable goals that will contribute to achieving the ultimate goal of your business. If you don’t, you may become easily discouraged.

people i met

Blaze and I ended up at the same shelter for lunch today. He is hiking in Virginia. It was great talking to him. I talked about my reasons for being on the road. I think I was encouraging him.

Pilgrim was already at the Chestnut Knob shelter when I arrived. He is retired from the army. I wish I could have talked to him more, but that was cut short when more people arrived from the storm.

Plant of the day

The Common Blue Violet is the plant of the day. These are very common on the road. They look like wild geranium. Sometimes I confuse them.

bird of the day

Today’s bird is the worm-eating warbler. As its name suggests, it feeds on worms and other insects. Their song is a very distinctive trilling sound. It seems to me to be one of the easiest to recognize.

“Worm-Eating Rhinestone | Fall Out | Sabine Woods | TX|2018-04-08|13-19-13-2.jpg” by Bettina Arrigoni is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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