Heading toward Doyles River Cabin - Southbound Deer
M=18.3; C=857.7
Better miles today. Camping at dusk here at Doyles cabin with Toonman and Curljob. Hiked out of Calf Mtn, really cruised. Rolled into Loft Mt Campground and met Karen from Milford, Connecticut. She's a nurse, biking with work friends the length of the BRP in the Shennies. Was really curious about a thru-hike. Snacked there a long time - belly not feeling too good. Town food withdrawl?
My boots were really starting to show the wear. Most of the hiker stories I had read like Chaos' had said you run through two pairs, no matter what the manufacturer said. I had bought the pair of Sundowners I was wearing back in January, and a spare set of Asolos in February. Broke both in on campus. Both were '2000 mile boots', except my Sundowners didn't have half that. What did Getoverit call it, 'facts on the ground'? The facts on the ground below me were a pair of boots where one toe of rubber had pulled away from the leather, leaving a gap slowly growing with each passing day. Like a lower lip, hanging down a wee bit. It liked to catch rocks, roots and mud as I stepped, so I found myself changing my gait -- and that shifted everything else, so my balance was off, my pace, my rhythm, and a bit of my happiness.
The hiking staff took care of balance. The rest, well, I'd just have to deal. Or get some shoegoo. I had picked up a tube in Harrisonburg when I first spotted the issue N of Tyro. One of the dudes told me to just 'goo' it. So tonight, I'd clean the rubber and the leather, let it dry, and goo it.
Called Vasque (800 numbers rock) and told them who I was, what I was doing, and that their boots weren't going to make 1000 miles, let alone the 2000 miles. Amazingly, the lass on the phone took my information and said a replacement pair would be shipped to my home address. Wow. THAT didn't suck. But I already had a spare pair and I couldn't wait much more for a replacement. So a couple more calls, and I think I have the dudes at the house get my Asolos to my friend Teresa in Narrows, and she's supposed to be in Harpers for a meeting before I get up there. With a little luck, this could work.
Little John and Getoverit rolled into this campground. Guess I loitered too long -- hiked out with them up trail. Finally yakked. OK -- that made the difference. Gotta watch that town food effect. Finally feel like I can walk. Just in time for the cabin.
Came really close to whitetail today. They have little fear of humans in SNP.