July 16th
Miles: 1200.8 to 1225.9

Woke slightly late, got ready and made coffee and got on trail. Long ridge walks that continued upwards for a long time.

Lunch at Summit lake (mile 1211.9) stopping to eat and get water in this dry section.

Saw a doe with twin fawns early on the trail.

Passed a spot for mountain bikers to gear up before heading down.

There are a lot of Indian artifacts in this area, they do not want you to disturb.

There is a tree up ahead ; )

I discovered a new way to hang my clothes. I did this before but remembered it again.

25 miles per day leaves us pretty tired.  I can do more but it is good right now I am not, I need to acclimate to new mileages slowly.

About 60 or 65 miles to Belden, I have packages there with food and shoes. I don’t need the shoes right now but will carry them, after seeing Bugs issues and blisters from a shoe change I am not going to dream of changing.

Talking today about how strange it will be to be back in the world and have clean clothes that smell like laundry sheets and not have to wear socks crusted up and sleep covered in three days of sweat.

The normal world scares us a bit now.

We have become a bit feral I think. Sleeping better on trail than on town and worried about freaking out about cleanliness and smells.

Ahh the world of the thru-hiker.