Project Eveningland

2/25/2023 Saturday

I slept really well last night, and left a dry patch of leaves under my tent when I broke it down. I don’t think Mitch had a pleasant night. He told me he’d gotten about two hours of sleep because of hellacious snoring and poor shelter etiquette (having headlamp on for a long time at 5AM, not even the red light either). Will said he slept wonderfully on the picnic table (which was under the shelter roof and thereby protected from the rain).

2/24/2023 Friday

The climb into North Carolina is infamous. Mitch and Bill (and to a lesser degree Will) were filled with nervous energy in the morning. I used to feel that way at a hostel on the morning of departure. Still do sometimes. Will and I set a more leisurely departure. Mitch was about ready to crawl out of his skin if he didn’t get going. He and Bill caught the early shuttle. We caught one just after eight. Lennon got a pic with us after he dropped us off.

2/23/2023 Thursday

I spent my morning doing something I enjoy in a way I never get to do. This little hostel has a tiny outfitter. The male half of the couple that runs it was a car salesman, and you can tell, but not in a bad way.

2/22/2023 Wednesday

Early this morning I had to use my headphones as a white noise machine because the snoring nearby in the shelter area was really something. I slept in until just after seven. Most folks had already left or were leaving shortly. I ate my extra hefty breakfast and then set off, in no particular hurry for once.

2/21/2023 Tuesday

Today I’m going to try something different. Give you a day in the life.

2/20/2023 Monday

I want to talk about Bill’s last name for a second. I won’t use it for privacy’s sake, but it starts with a Z and is very Slavic. It’s perfect but if I were commenting on a screenplay I’d say it’s too on the nose to be plausible for a retired cop w a Jersey accent. Not believable, I’d write. He sounds like the kind of character who’s “one day from retirement” only he already is, thank god, or the script would have to kill him in a shootout.

2/19/2023 Sunday

I slept really well at the cabin—I slept on a bed up in the loft. Woke up at 4AM and tossed and turned but then got 2.5 more hours. I used my breakfast sando (sandwich) method: when you can get your hands on breakfast sandwiches, and a microwave, eat at least two in the morning for a fast 600+ calories, tons of protein, tons of fat, over 40 grams of fun.

2/18/2023 Saturday

The winds howled against the thin, old, wet windows of the hostel. I needed a sleeping pill to get to sleep on my top bunk, in between pee trips. When I stumbled out into the common areas in the morning most everyone was already up. Lucky, hostel owner, was cooking massive piles of potatoes and toast. I wondered at the age of the crowd. I don’t know that I’ve ever been in a hostel full of olds. Well, I hope they all make it. The 1940s kitchen vibe (and appliances) definitely matched the crowd.

“We’re breakin’ free.” –Montgomery Scott

2/17/2023 Friday

The promised deluge came last night on schedule.

2/16/2023 Thursday

Bill snores. There is always snoring at night in shelters. Sometimes even an empty shelter will snore if it’s been snored in long enough.

2/15/2023 Wednesday Day 1

It rained, like they said it would. Dad was indignant that the optimistic forecast he and Mom had gotten that morning (and that I didn’t believe) turned out to be bunk.

2/4/2023 Saturday

Two years ago, in 2021, I hiked the bottom third of the AT.