Appalachian Trail (day 94) - Shaw's Hiker Hostel to Barren Ledges / mile 2100

After another hearty breakfast, I've packed my heavy backpack to Poets van and got a ride to the trailhead at the start of Hundred Mile Wilderness.

There was only four of Nobo hikers leaving today: myself, Trademark, Diehard and Diesel, everyone else was taking a zero day which made me mildly jealous but also it was time to move on.

First fifteen miles were quite easy and I spend them walking with Diesel, we talked about previous trails and we worked out that we not only hiked PCT the same year we were only a day or two away from each other the entire time without meeting a single time! Fomo my other friend from PCT hiked with Diesel for several days in Sierra Nevada mountains, then he got a day ahead of Diesel and met me in Kennedy Meadows North the end stop of that section. Fomo was hiking with me ever since then and Diesel stayed ever so slightly behind, I finished the trail four days before him. It's crazy to think that you walk so close to someone for several months without meeting them once. I took a picture with Diesel and was planning to send it to Fomo at the first convenient time.

Day was very hot and humid, we had two fairly easy river crossings to ford as well. I've managed to slip on the rock (again) and fall into one of the rivers, luckily it was quite shallow at this point and I didn't get overly wet. In the afternoon trail started to climb onto the Barren Mountain, going through Barren Ledges with some good views, I've decided to stop and set camp half way through the climb as it was getting wet and stormy and the area looked really peaceful and protected from the elements.

I've ate a ramen bomb enriched with some dehydrated vegetables and beans I've found in the hiker box. Trademark, Diehard and Diesel went past me as they've been planing to stay at the shelter few miles ahead, hopefully I could catch up and meet them tomorrow morning.

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