Tumbling Run

Date: 5/27/04

Starting Location: Ensign Cowall Shelter
Destination: Tumbling Run Shelters
Miles: 17.7
Total Miles: 1066.9

This day did not get off to a good start. Just Aussie and I in the shelter last night, so we started walking together in the morning until suddenly I smashed my big toe into a small stump hidden beneath weeds right alongside the trail. It was the first real casualty since hiking in sandals for 300+ miles, and somewhere amidst my blue streak of post-traumatic eloquence, I noticed a nice bright shade of red emerging through my 2 layers of socks. Needless to say, it was a pretty smashed up and bloody mess. Luckily, no broken bones in my big toe and no more disasters throughout the day. But, to add insult to injury, the bite valve for my platypus sack had been silently draining all of its water while I was attending to my toe, so that was another thing to be thrilled about this morning. Not the start I was looking for.

Fortunately, the rest of the day went great: sodas and pizza at Pen-Mar park; crossing the Mason-Dixon line into Pennsylvania (which has been beautiful so far); bottled water trail magic, and only 2 more days ’til my new pack arrives at a hostel up the trail where I’m going to strip down and go ultralight for the 2nd half of the trip. Bad start, but a nice finish to the day!