Appalachian Trail SOBO Day 42 – Creating a SOBO bubble
6th September 2023
Glastenbury Mountain (569) - New Seth Warner Shelter (588.3)
Daily miles: 19.3
Total miles: 595.2
I was up and out at 7am, a little later than normal because today wasn’t such a long day so it could be a bit more relaxed.
Toe and May Queen cowboy camped again and May Queen said she woke up at 3am with a slug in her hair. Gross!
I hiked with Lemonhope until we got to the shelter which was 0.3 from where we camped and I zeroed in on the privy because the need was urgent. Especially because I didn’t go at all yesterday.
Following Lemonhope out of camp
Early morning salvation
I filled up on some water at the stream as the NOBOs said there was no water for 7 miles. I hiked on and in about half a mile I saw a bear, right near the trail, and it quickly ran off into the woods.
It was 20°C /68°F in my tent this morning and it was only going to get hotter, it was ridiculously humid and I was a sweaty mess already. It was a relatively gentle up and down with some patches of mud and some board walks. I got to the river and saw Lemonhope and gave him a little fright as he was filling up on water.
We hiked a little while together and then he stopped at the shelter to eat and I kept going. I wanted to carry on because there was a descent to the road and a steep ascent on the other side of the road and I wanted to get it over and done with as quickly as possible.
Peeking through the trees
Bog boards
Power lines
I also needed to have another poop and I knew there was a nice pit toilet at the road. The downhill was quite steep and it took me a little longer than I had anticipated. It was a touch and go ad to whether I Was going to make it to the toilet in time but thankfully there were no horrible accidents. I ended up sitting in the loo for about 15 minutes, mostly because it was in the shade and I was trying to cool down because I was so sweaty and it was just pouring out of my face.
My escape from the sun and my saviour from a nasty accident
I climbed up from the road and it was steep, but it was mostly a giant rock staircase. It was still a struggle though because of the heat, so I stopped multiple times on the way up.
At the top there was a stream and I sat there for about half an hour, drank a bunch of water and ate a few snacks. Onwards to the next shelter.
An electrolyte kind of day
It’s too hot
The trail was a little muddier than expected and it was slower going. Thankfully there was a path through the mud mostly, with stones and logs.
When I got the the shelter I just sat on the edge and then lay on my pack for a moment until another SOBO arrived - Crunchy. He started on 7th July. He’s moving kind of slow.
Before I arrived at the shelter I had been having some trouble with trapped wind causing me quite a lot of pain. I loosened my hip belt to see if that would help, but no. So my plan was to lie down and wiggle it out but of course I got the company of Crunchy so I didn’t have time and I couldn’t just let go in front of someone I had literally just me so I felt it all go back up inside.
I carried on at 3:45pm and I only had 4.5 miles to go so I knew I could stroll and I didn’t have to push it. I don’t think I could have pushed it anyway, it was too hot and I was too sweaty, and there were some more big patches of mud.
The forest being foresty
Out of the trees and into the heat of the sun
Grateful for the bog boards through this section
SNAKE!
Consultation Peak
Bog
I continued to be uncomfortable with trapped wind although I was able to release a little as I hiked.
I came around the corner and this guy was stood basically in a tree. Creepy AF. He said creepily “I didn’t mean to surprise you”.
Shortly after May Queen appeared and she must have run down the trail. She also said the man was creepy. We hiked together for the last mile which was nice.
Evening light
Almost at the shelter
When we arrived at the shelter there were 3 people already there. We thought there might not be enough room for everyone. Gradually people arrived - Crunchy, then Lemonhope and Cal, then Toe who heard us all laughing - and we were laughing about her being loud.
I’m not going to name who but one of the girls there started their period and no one had any period products so she’s using a sock!
We all had a story about the creepy guy in the tree. Weird that he was still there when everyone went by.
We are all sardined into the shelter. Hopefully I don’t have to get up and pee in the night because I am in the corner. This is a new shelter, but it’s definitely not finished yet.
It’s been a fun night. A good group of people. And we have formed a SOBO bubble with 6 SOBOs here!
SOBO bubble! Lemonhope / Cal / Toe / May Queen / Puff Puff / Crunchy
Now, lying in the shelter, I’m listening to the gas gurgle through my body. I wonder if anyone else can hear it, or if I can just feel it. I’m trying to release it silently into my sleeping bag. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to smell.
We are all hoping the creepy guy doesn’t show up.
Living the shelter life
And the privy life
Extra thoughts:
I squashed two caterpillars on my neck today with was particularly disgusting, and I can sense the caterpillar guts still on me.
We have heard there are two more SOBOs just ahead.
The smell of the decaying fungus is often quite overwhelming, and it smells disgusting.
