Samwise Hikes the Appalachian Trail! - Trail Journal -
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May 12, Iron Mountain Shelter - mile 428.8

A big thunderstorm just rolled through and now the world is clear and beautiful! So nice, in fact, that I've moved out of the shelter and set up my tent. I can tell a crowd of snorers when I see one!

    The hiking today would have been near perfect were it not for a persistent pain in my ankle, that started soon after I hit the trail. It is my left ankle again, though on the inside of my foot this time. I don't think it's related to the infection and I'm pain free the moment I change into my Tevas so I'm questioning if I may have a boot problem going on. If it continues to drive me crazy tomorrow, I plan to hike in my Tevas, because I can't walk with the kind of pain again. It was really intense.

    Otherwise, the day was pretty nice. It started raining about 7 and stayed foggy all day, though the rain never got strong til we got here around 3. It was one of those jacket - on, jacket - off every 10 minute days. Jacket on when the wind picked up and blew all the rain off the leaves, then get too hot and sweaty underneath and pull it back off.

    Lots of new faces here tonight - I guess a lot of people are getting on the trail in time for Trail Days in Damascus. I will be getting in by Monday afternoon, and then I need to decide if I want to just spend Monday and Tuesday there, mostly seeing all the vendors and then move on - or move right through now and hitch back for the major festivities on the weekend.