Day 105: “The dirt on my legs is sunscreen.”

July 14, 2017

8:21 PM

Total Miles: 1548

Hiking Thoughts:

Planner and I discussed this notion a while ago and I didn’t necessarily feel like I agreed until now.

She had told me how a women I think she talked to or read about mentioned how she felt beautiful on the trail.

I think I am starting to understand what she meant.

I haven’t worn a touch of makeup for 104 days.

I rarely look at a mirror where I could pick and prod at myself and constantly see places that “need to be fixed”

I spend zero amount of my time wondering what I look like because it doesn’t matter.

I will be hiking… I will be sweaty… I will be stinky….my hair will be greasy… I will have hairy legs

And so does the rest of the people out here.

None of the “beauty” that I worried about at home matters. Your beauty out here is truly felt from how you are with other people.

How ever you think you look is how you feel and when you aren’t constantly being negative with yourself in front of a mirror you start to feel differently.

I am showing people the real me everyday. There is no room to try to be something I am not.

My smile feels more genuine than ever. I smile all the time and I mean it.

I feel different about my looks than I did at home and I am not sure it will make sense to anyone who hasn’t been out here on the trail. But I am starting to feel authentically beautiful.

-Brown Sugar

Day 104

I am not sure why… But getting out of a bed so difficult. I wonder if I sleep not as well and am more tired and when I sleep in the woods I sleep better so it’s easier to get up?

Regardless. I wanted to lay forever. But, the no bs, sweet lady wanted us up and out by 8:30 am.

Yes ma’am!

We: Jetpack, Woodpile, and I started walking down the driveway and stuck out our thumbs for a ride.

Immediately again a man pulled over to give us a ride to the local grocery store. he was a fellow hiker who has done multiple sections on the AT.

Ok… I think Great Barrington may be the friendliest town I have walked through.

We resupplied on a few items then headed to The Marketplace for breakfast.

I ordered pancakes, eggs, and a mocha latte. It was to die for. Especially the maple syrup. Hmmmmmm

Woodpile ordered a chicken sandwich, home fries, and a blueberry pie that was heavenly.

Right when my food came out I got up to get a fork to eat with and did a little dance to the music.

I went and sat back down and A woman, maybe a mother comes up to me, looks me in the eyes and says ” You are a beautiful woman” She wasn’t saying it in a sexual manner. It was in a I’m just being honest and I need to say something type of talk.

I bashfully smiled and said thank you.

She walks away and looks back and says ” And I don’t say that to just anyone” and leaves the restaurant.

………

I was speechless, I think I could of cried. Wow. Okay.

I thought about it the rest of the day..

I don’t mean to put this in here to boast… I put it in here because it made me think. Hence my hiking thoughts for the day. 

After I did some blog work we decided we should head out.

Us 3 started walking and stuck our thumb out for about a minute and got a ride from a younger gentleman and he had no worries to take us back to the trail head.

Jet pack had to wait for a package at the post office so Woodpile and I headed on.

Ok. Today I sweat the most I have. 😂 Once again, the humidity was insane.

It started raining after about 7 miles in and we stayed at a shelter for a little bit and decided we still wanted to continue on for 5 more miles.

On the way I saw Houdini who I hadn’t seen in a while. He goes a long with Buffalo and Cashew. I was excited to see them!

Woodpile is a hoot to hike with I spend alot of my time laughing with him. Especially when he claimed “I don’t need sunscreen, the dirt on my legs is my sunscreen”.

Woodpile and I planned to do two shorter days to get to the Goose Pond.

A place we were told we cannot miss.

So we got to shelter early and hung around to see if anyone else would show up. I didn’t want to sleep outside my tent because of the mosquitos but didn’t want to set up my tent in the rain.

No one else came and around 7:30 we decided to set up our tent and hammock inside the shelter. 😁

We fit quite nicely. Booyah! It is best of both worlds since it is still raining.
Day 105

This morning was rainy and cold. Boy. Was I happy to be in my tent in a shelter. But it still didn’t make it easier to get out of my sleeping bag.

We slept in for a good while and slowly got ready for the day. We also knew we only had 16 miles to do so we were in no rush.

We headed out around 9 and made our way. The rain was subtle and eventually cleared off and remained with a steady over cast.

About mid day we came to a road that a an arrow pointed and said trail stand down the road.

Huh? We were both super curious and saw a little red shed with its doors open

Inside it had a bunch of goodies and it was based on an honor system.

How cool is this? Woodpile and I both got a mountain Dew. We thought they should have this everywhere.

It ended up being a good weather day.

We even hit some watermelon trail magic Sitting in a cooler.. It was perfect.

We ended our day with only 16 miles because it ended us at Upper Goose pond Shelter. It was famous for its awesome lake that we can swim or kayak and they have care takers who will serve us breakfast in the morning.

Pancakes and coffee is what we were told. Heck yes!!

We arrived early around 330 and Woodpile and I almost immediately headed out to the lake to take a canoe out.

It. Was. Amazing.

It was actually my first time out on a canoe and I loved it.

It was beyond peaceful.

We headed back after we crossed around both lakes for a while and hung out with the people at shelter.

It was great a ton of familiar faces. Colby Jack, Planner and Alex, Houdini, Buffalo, Cashew, and later Jet Pack rolled in.

It was nice.

I am ready to sleep and slightly hoping for a warm sun shining day and Woodpile and I might head back out on the water.

Iz and Oz