Rhododendron Forest (Day 53)

I started back on the road this morning after a delicious breakfast of gluten-free eggs and pancakes. It was another wet and foggy morning, which I think I’ll have to get used to. It looks like rain is forecast for the foreseeable future. We had a very dry start to the trail and Mother Nature finally came calling.

Wet and walking alone

I spent most of the day walking alone; It was a peaceful experience. All day the trail meandered over Dismal Creek, so there was plenty of water. I walked through tunnel after tunnel of Rhododendron; They were absolutely everywhere. It has become one of my favorite plants since I started AT. I didn’t know anything about them before, but now I can easily identify their flowers and leaves.

At one point, I took a small side path to a man-made pond. It would have been a good place to camp if I had been there at night. I had a snack and looked at the water for a while before continuing. I passed by the Wapiti Shelter, which some hikers say is a good place to have lunch. I chose to resign. As silly as it may seem, I try to avoid anything that might have negative energy.

There is no room in the inn

Towards the end of the day, I walked 0.5 miles down the road to the Woods Hole lodge for a little resupply. It looked very cozy, although I hadn’t booked to stay. I bought some backpacking meals and talked to some friends. In a moment of weakness, I asked a staff member if they had any more bunk beds for the night. He told me I could sleep on the porch, so I decided to keep moving. Two hostel stays in a row isn’t ideal, so I’m glad it didn’t work out.

Delete

I left Woods Hole and walked another two miles to Doc’s Knob Shelter. There were only four of us there and the shelter was really nice. I collapsed on the slippery stairs to the terrace, but my butt cushioned the fall. I think I’ll have a crazy bruise, but otherwise I feel fine. I’m grateful it wasn’t worse.

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