I'm dirty, sweaty, chafing

and i love it, ok well not the chafing but i'm working on that. Fortunately i made it to mountain crossing shelter in time to get a bunk, a shower, and a meal. So here's the scenario for you readers: It's the second day and after spending the night at a shelter with justin and linda i had made it 5.5 miles to the next shelter, it was only 1 p.m and they wanted to stop there for the night, so i ate lunch and set up my sleeping bag. But at a point i realized its 5 hours till dark, i wanted to tent and i still had some more hike in me. So i notice the next campsite is 6 miles away, hmm i usually average close to 2 miles an hour... challenge accepted. So I head out. However i hadn't yet been familiarized with the elevation chart in my book. So it turns out i had to hike 2 gigantic mountains. I reach horses gap, the spot between the two mountains and its right next to the road. Hmm momma always said not to camp by a road, i notice 2 guys sitting in there truck in the parking lot. He asked were i was from and we started talking, i realized the guy in the drivers seat was shooting something up and i saw the fresh needle hole on his forearm. "we'r pickin roots out of the ground fer the park. We get 20 bucks for erry hundred" . So either i could stay here and risk them finding out the sticks i was holding was worth 130 or hike up the next 3,300 ft mountain. .... So i reach the next gap and decide to camp at the next spot i see. It just so happens that is this:

3,300 feet on top of justus mountain. There was still some daylight left and so i could see an entire town (insert name here when remembered) unfortunately a picture couldn't do justice to the glory of the view.The best part about this is, i had it all to myself. My fear of the trail being crowded was apparently quite unfounded. I have just about as much time alone as i do with friends and i can choose more or less of either. The days usually end up with me and the group of 4 or 5 people i started with getting our gear un-packed, trading moonshine (thanks sink!) and stories around a fire till we are all so exhausted we curl up in our bags and fall instantly asleep. So its been 4 days and i can confidently say that i love it out here. It's also fun to adapt to the ways of living in the woods. Because the woods are definitely not going to adapt around you. Bugs trying to get at your sweet eye juices at night? Put a bandanna over them. Is your ipod doing barrel rolls in your tent? Put a bandanna on that bitch! As you can tell my bandanna has become a part of my head.

^this is my kitchen sink, mind you this is not some run off down stream this water is literally shooting out of this 4,400 ft tall mountain. I have yet to encounter any terrible weather while hiking (although about 20 minutes ago it was hailing out). So maybe the gods will stay on my side and not serve up anything terrible.. that would be nice. maybe some offerings to zues so i dont get struck by lightning. Anyway, i could sit here and write for hours on all the people i've met and things that have happened but its time to get back on the trail. It also appears this computer has managed to pick up every virus ever made since 1999. But i'm alive, i'm happy, and i'm ready for whatever the trail has in store for me next. Bring it on.