Nimblewill Nomad
Long Distance Hiker/Author
Journal 116-ODYSSEY 2021: Bama to Baxter-Hike On!
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Tuesday–June 15, 2021
Trail Day–116
Trail Mile–-15.6/1,268.6
Location–Dripping Rock Parking Area, Blue Ridge Parkway, then to Wyndham Resorts Days Inn, Waynesboro, AT Mile 850.0
There’s one more long run to make up winding mountain gravel roads to get me back on trail this morning. So, we’re up at five. Safari gets coffee going, followed by a fine (microwave) breakfast. We manage to get out and rolling shortly before six. After only one (short) wrong turn, Safari has me back to the Tye River–crossing the suspension bridge and into my climb well before eight.
It’s a beautiful, cool, clear day for hiking, but I soon discover it’s going to be a not so great hike, what with the unbelievable cobbed-up jumble of rocks and boulders. And the incredibly difficult tread lasts for the entire day. I’ve negotiated some very tough trail this hike, but nothing comparable to the scary and dangerous conditions experienced today.
I’ll not elaborate other than to say I wrecked my trekking poles, took three bad falls–and hiked hard for 12 hours to cover 15.6 miles. Looking forward to a better day tomorrow…
Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear.
If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.
(Thich Nhat Hanh)
5 Comments on “Journal 116-ODYSSEY 2021: Bama to Baxter-Hike On!”
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Nimblewill Nomad 
Are you okay?
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Hope you successfully finished you AT trek…
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My goodness, Nimble Will, what a hard day!
I love your optimism, it has brought you a long way!
Take care of you ❤️🙂
May the Lord bless and keep you safe, and grant you increasing strength.
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Ouch. Hope you aren’t hurt and have a much better day tomorrow.
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I’m sorry to hear about your difficult day. Tread so bad that you are relegated to less than 1.3 mph is crazy and dangerous stuff At least in the Shenandoahs you will have the luxury of much soft tread. More power to you brother.
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