Summer 2019 Hike- Day 28 - Upper Goose Pond Cabin to Kay Wood Shelter

Date: July 13
Total Miles Today: 17.9

Total Miles this Summer: 348.3
Total Trail Miles: 1148.7

Upper Goose Pond Cabin also includes a pancake and coffee breakfast. We added some peanut butter from our food bag. 

Seriously considered taking a zero and staying for another day. But we are both doing well, and we expect to take a zero later this week, so we reluctantly pushed on. Goodbye cabin....we really enjoyed our stay.

Hiking the .5 mile side trail back to the AT.

Crossing the interstate. Much better than playing frogger in the busy traffic. There are a few road crossings that are kinda scary.

We hiked down the trail and hit yet another scenic pond. Comments in my trail app said it is full of leaches, so we decided to skip a swim.

The trail was smooth and fast. Our options for the day were 17, 20 or 25 miles. I was feeling good and wanted to do a long day. But the AT had other plans.

We rolled into the first shelter, 8.8 miles from where we left. Sage announced it was naptime. I pointed out to her that the Cookie Lady is only 2.2 miles away. She said "Let's go!"

We were flying down the trail. Passed 3 thru hikers...do they not realize the cookie lady is ahead?!?

We made it. 2.2 miles in 39 minutes. The cookie lady was out, but her daughter was visiting from Indiana and served us cookies. We also bought cold gadorade and frozen Snickers bars to go with our cookies.

Cold Gadorade makes a nice pillow.

While visiting the cookie lady, some Southbound hikers mentioned 'there is a guy doing trail magic at the next road crossing North of here. Burgers, dogs, cold drinks...an nice spread. 

Let the race Begin again. Except this time...it's 3.6 miles to go.

We weren't quite as fast on this stretch, but it wasn't too hard and we made good time. 

Would you like a Burger or a Dog? 

Yes please. 

After some cold sodas, popsickles, Burgers and a dog, we reluctantly hiked on.

As we looked back, we could see him serving the next group of hikers. 

Well fed, and with only a few miles left on the day, we hiked on.

This was the closest thing to a view all day. Most of the day we were just cruising up and down in the green tunnel, nothing to see, nothing too difficult.

I really like the fields of ferns.

At the end of the day, even the small climbs seem long.

Well before sunset, we hit the shelter. Sage laid down to take a quick break...and woke up the next morning. I hung my hammock, and climbed in to escape the bugs. No need to cook a dinner...trail magic took care of that.  An easy, pleasant day on the trail, I think I could have hike another 8 miles. But it was nice to be done, and have an easy day for a change.