Appalachian Trail (day 15) - Elmer's Sunnybank Inn to Little Laurel Shelter / mile 295

I've said goodbye to people at the Sunnybank Inn, had a breakfast at the Diner, consisting of hash brown, eggs, bacon and biscuits in white gravy and drunk a white coffee (waitress was running around constantly topping it up, which was great). I've paid 22$ including a tip and hiked out back on trail.

Here's a picture of people I've had a breakfast with (from left): White Wolf, Cold Case, Board Walk and Joker.

Day was cloudy but still quite warm, perfect weather for a big climb ahead. My leg wasn't giving me any problems first time in a week (it's amazing how a comfortable bed and good food can heal your body) but I was taking it slowly today just to be on a safe side.

Sun poked out from the clouds around midday and it was sunny and humid from then on. I must have drunk over six litres of water throughout the day to keep hydrated. At about 2 pm I stumbled upon a trail magic run by Calamity, she hiked the trail in 2021 and was doing trail magic ever since. Today was her Polish food day! She was delighted that she can offer it to a Polish person. It was kiełbasa sausage hot dog, with grilled onion, cabbage and lemonade. We talked for a while about the trail ahead and the one last permit we will have to obtain before finishing.

After fifteen minutes I said my goodbyes and thank yous and carried on up the path, it wasn't long until another little trail magic happened. It was "Cookie Lady's" house, she was living beside the trail and for the last four years baking delicious peanut butter cookies for the thru hikers, all you had to do is to come to her front porch and grab one, first one was for free the second one would cost you $2 dollars. It was a great little encounter.

Trail continued up for the rest of the day and I decided to stop at the campsite at 5 pm. Next campsite was seven miles ahead which was a bit too far for me at this point. Since I had a lot of food on me and there was a bear box here, I didn't want to lose it camping somewhere in-between.

I've met here Sweets from Germany and had a chat with her while cooking the dinner. She was a diehard Nick Cave fan, following his concerts all around the world, she recently went to Łódź in Poland to watch his show. Apparently Nick knew her name and she would be invited into a narrow group of fans to chat with him online. She said that he is just starting his US tour but she probably won't see it, not because she's hiking Appalachian Trail but because she saw that show twelve times. We also talked about trail injuries, Australia and New Zealand which she also visited and her fear of spiders.

Soon enough the hiker midnight (aka 8 pm) came and we all went to bed.