Summary: tough 8 miles from Poplar Ridge shelter to Piazza Rock shelter over 3 4000′ summits of Saddleback Mountain.
The night was great. One or two wakes up. But I was warm and comfortable, and my body is rested now.
05:43 woke up when everyone is still asleep. I quickly gather my things.
07:15 ready to depart Southbound. Hardly any memories or mental notes about this next section of the trail. Clear indication that my brain is overwhelmed from yesterday.
08:19 Rain is promised for us for 3 days – Sun, Mon, and Tue. How would I handle it on the trail?
09:05 After 1.27 mi I am at Saddleback Junior (3,640′). Sun is beaming. I am covered in sunscreen. And no bugs. Glorious!
~09:30 On the way to the next camp, I run into Curt and Grady again. They were just gathering their things. What a late start. It means they did not reach the camp yesterday
10:09 -10:21 I am at Redington Stream Camp – my ODO is at 22.2 mi from start. AT calculator shows 23.7 mi. Here at the camp, we all my previous acquaintance met together: Curtis and Grady and 2 older gents from the shelter with one white beard and there were 2 tents here already. My knee is still OK.
11:16 I did not reach The Horn yet but decided to take a break. It is hot now. I am leaning my back against my backpack. I see the mount that I came from just now.
11:39 After 3.19 mi. It was a tough climb 0.7 miles that took over an hour to complete. And again – very little remains in the brain.
12:25 I am at a midpoint between next two summits. I am comfortably sitting on the stones.
13:12 – 13:44 I am at the top of Saddleback Mountain at 4116 after 4.73 mi and 3.5 mi to shelter. Appetite is not kicking in. I am sitting inside a stone fort at the top on the summit.
15:03 – 15:29 after 26.3 mi from start. I am swimming at the Eddy Pond.
17:06 – I am at the shelter – today I will have a few extra hours to camp. There is a person with a dog here. Instead of picking a shelter I pick a platform and hang my hammock over it. Today I’ve completed 8.66 mi (28.2 total).
18:22 stew is boiling. The charismatic dog owner quits now and goes to read inside his tent. There is no one else at the entire shelter right now.
19:44 The shelter was empty till now, but two hikers with headlamps walked in, and they are very happy and surprised to be alone in the shelter. I am hanging comfortably in the air. The dark setting fast. The night is very warm, and I am satiated.
Navigate through the List
- 01 September 2022 AT trip - preparations (2023/07/31)
- 02 - September 01 - be happy when everything works (2023/08/01)
- 03 Sept 02 - catch up to the schedule over non-existent roads (2023/08/02)
- 04 Sept 03 - above and beyond one's abilities over three 4000' peaks (2023/08/03)
- 05 Sept 04 - dander of rain pushes into sudden actions at the end of the hike (2023/08/04)
- 06 Sept 05 Mon - think freedom vs. being busy and write about it (2023/08/05)
- 07 Sept 06 TUE - Glorious rain, glorious day with a proper umbrella (2023/08/06)
- 08 Sept 2022 lessons and amplifications (2023/08/07)
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