Midnight on the Appalachian Trail: Six hundred miles.

Give or take a few feet. I am currently (April 22) camped on the 600 mile marker. I mean, there's not actually a marker, just a campsite where the guide book says is 600 miles. Close enough for me.

My tent broke this morning. Minor issue, some of the fabric holding one side of the cross strut that holds open the vents on top ripped. I don't think it will affect anything except that I might get some additional condensation on the inside. C'est la vie.

So at about the 7-8 mile mark today, I came across this lovely river bridge. Really pretty spot. This is also the first water since the shelter, so when I got there four other hikers were already there, all girls. While I'm filling up my water, two more girls show up, six total. I'm the only boy. While I'm treating my water, some of them start talking about bathing in the river. Then they started talking about how much clothing, if any, to wear. I had planned on taking a break there, but I stood up, said goodbye and took off, before my ears could get any redder.

Good walking today, but water was sparse again. Luckily (providently), I had that water bottle the day hikers gave me so I filled it up also and got through with no issue. Came across a trail magic cooler. Was hopeful, but when I opened it only found trash and empty Easter eggs. Figured I'd carry it back to the road so whoever had left it could get it easier, and when I picked it up, one piece of gum was behind it, still sealed in wrapper. That good deed worked out.

Jumped a bunch of turkeys, only saw two but sounded like a bunch taking off. Two hens. Other than that, just a whole bunch of gray squirrels.

The last shelter was at 23.8 miles from where we started. When I showed up there, a bunch of people were already there, but only Violet and Santa who started at the same place as me. Survivorman, Thin Mint, and a few people who I hadn't met were there. Jigsaw, Just Helen, and I think their daughter, and an older gentleman named Lost and Found. I think they all stayed at either the shelter in between or maybe in Bland, VA. I skipped the towns, went right between Bland and Bastian when I crossed 77. I had already planned to walk an additional mile down the road so I could camp at the 600 mark. Violet and Santa thought that was an awesome idea, but they were already set up so I left alone. And still am. In my lonely tent in the dark.

So the other day, Haiku tells me that he knows night hiking doesn't bother me, but that he doesn't like it. He says, "it's not the dark, it's what's in the dark." I'm a bloody Sky Soldier from Battle Co. There is nothing in these woods badder than that... At least, that's what I thought until a couple of nights ago when that second pair of eyes raised up and I realized.. Yes, yes there is something badder in the woods. Mama bears. Probably a lot of other things. So I wish someone else had camped with me.

I'm going to resupply in Pearisburg, if all goes according to plan. Down to packets of tuna, cheddar, one pastry, and some tortillas. There's Trent's Grocery about 5 miles in tomorrow, might stop there for a bite, but it's half a mile off the trail and I am trying to do 20 tomorrow to a hostel that's supposed to be all sorts of awesome. We'll see. I did 24.8 miles on the AT today, 25 something if you count the side trails.