May 31st- And we thought yesterday was hot. The temperature reached 93 degrees. Shadow's cool watch showed 99 degrees at one point! At 8:30 this morning I had sweat dripping off my face. It's going to be a long summer like this. Flute, Shadow, and I have been discussing options for summer hiking. Some hike all night long, but I feel that we need a good sleep schedule. If we start at 5am, we could be finished by 3pm. Shadow had a great idea to cool off. Every time we pass a creek or stream, he gets a liter of ice cold water and we take turns pouring it on the back of each others neck. The water is so cold it takes our breath away. Flute tried to do it her self after lunch and she dropped her water on the ground from the shock of the temperature.We passed a settlement of freed slaves from the 1900's today. It was a beautiful valley with a perfect creek running through it. The only thing left were 2 stone laid chimneys and a long stone wall.After a 12 mile hike we got a shuttle into the town of Buena Vista, VA. It's funny how my sister and I are rarely in the same town, but today we are both in the town of Buena Vista, only hers is in Colorado. She heads to Germany on Monday for her kayak competition.Looks like the Shenandoah National Park is next week. We hope to make Harpers Ferry by June 17th. That's the town hikers call the psychological halfway point. The real halfway point is about 75 miles north in Pennsyvania.Now for some trail vocabulary:White Blazes = How the AT is marked.Blue Blazes = Are trails to water and sheltersYellow Blazes = Are those who bypass sections of AT in a carRed Blazes = Where your blood has been left on the trailAnd my favorite is:Brown Blazes = When a hiker goes #2!
Country Mouse and Shadow
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