Shaker Campsite to Mount Wilcox South Shelter

7.4 miles

First morning selfie, 2015 (Guess bedface looks remarkably like plastic-surgery face.  Who knew.)

Big County in 2004

Came into a shelter tonight where three northbound thru-hikers (Cake Boss, Eddy, and Mojo) were doing the 24 challenge:  24 beers and 24 miles in 24 hours.  Except they’d given up on the 24 miles after the first five beers.  Big surprise there.  I guess the new thing with Nobos (north bounders) is challenges—tomorrow they’re going into town to do the McDonald’s challenge—one of everything on the dollar menu.

I guess the more things change the more they stay the same.  Thru-hikers getting drunk at shelters never goes out of style.  I feel weird because I’m so old and far out of the game—but in some ways I know more than these people.  I already made it to Katahdin.  Who knows if they will.

In unrelated fauna news, I believe I heard two owls making love last night.  One woke me up, calling loudly and repeatedly over my tent.  After what felt like an interminable time, another answered.  Then came what can only be described as monkey sounds, as made by an owl, harried and rushed.  Then silence.

Today I remembered the reality of the trail, that really it is about pain tolerance.  Endurance o pain.  I know I’m just warming up, but it’s a good thing to remember.  And still I enjoy it:  why is something fun if one chooses it, but torture if one doesn’t?

[Hiking from Mount Wilcox South in 2004.]