These white blazers mark the entire 2,100 miles of the Appy Trail. It is nearly impossible to get lost.
Taran near the top of Whitetop Mountain...
Views...
We had lunch at Lost Mountain Shelter...
There are signs along the way. Many of them nearly unreadable...
And Saunder's Shelter. Photo taken the next morning because we got there as darkness descended...
Coffee in the morning, oatmeal and off for a long, long day. We started out without water (yet again). And, as seems to be the case on the Appy Trail, we began by climbing a mountain. This was going to be around a fourteen mile day. Taran's feet were battered. More moleskin. Blazers mark the way (see the photo above). Frankly, it would be really, really hard to get lost during the daytime on the Appy Trail. The way is so well marked with white paint blazers. The way to water, or alternative trails, is marked with blue blazers. This eighty year old trail is well maintained and highly developed, which is part of its charm and also part of its non-charmfulness.
Yes, the trail is difficult. Mountain trails are like that because mostly you either go up. Or down. Level stretches are few and far between (at least on this section). The age of the trail makes you think of all those other folks who have hiked it through the years. Tradition. History. The path more traveled.
Back to suffering. I was feeling pretty good, but the child of mine was hurting real bad. He slowed down. Needed lots of water (which we didn't have). Needed rest. We drank some water on Whitecap that came right out of some rocks. We didn't feel a need to filter it. (mistake!).
When we got to Lost Mountain Shelter for lunch (Ramen anyone?), the water there was, once again, in a foul, leaf littered, one inch deep murky puddle. I filtered the water thinking that the best filter in the world couldn't make such water safe.
Six more miles to our destination at Saunders Shelter. And a mountain ridge to climb. Taran's blisters had blisters on them---with more blisters on top of that. He suffered miserably. I encouraged him to "dig deep" and "it's more in you mind than anything". These are awful words of advice I have heard while deeply suffering on the trail from more in shape companions. These words rung hollow with me then--and I'm sure they rang hollow with Taran.
But he made it to Saunders Shelter just as the sun set. We skipped dinner. Both of our tummies were hurting. Taran fell asleep fast. Snoring!
Later I awoke to the sound of wretching. The poor kid was vomiting up the last bit of almonds he had eaten from the trail mix. The emesis passed and he made it through the night.
Mileage 14. Total Miles: 43.
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