Miles Today: 14.5
Mile Marker: 1,161.9
No one wanted to leave the comfort of the AC this morning. We all slept in and took our time getting ready. Hop Along and I finally headed out around 10:30. Einstein was waiting for the Doyle to open so he could get his package. They didn't get going until noon.
Halfway through the day I stopped at a shelter to get water and heard a familiar voice. I rounded the corner and said “Dr. Stretch”? He turned around and said “Slumberland, I thought I'd never see you again.” Apparently he got off the trail for a while to visit his girlfriend and his family. We haven't seen each other in about 900 miles. We caught up for a while and then headed down the trail. He hung out awhile longer waiting for the permethrin treatment of his cloths to dry. (Helps prevent ticks and thus Lyme Disease).
The heat is unbearable right now and the terrain is challenging. It's nothing but rock fields and boulder climbing. Around 6:30 we all met up at a shelter. It was the only place with water for miles. The spring was 0.30 miles down the hill and had 300 stone steps to get there. Worst water source yet. Cheese and Einstein stayed there and Hop Along and I hiked on until about 8:00. We found a decent camp site and called it a day exhausted from the heat and the challenging trail.