May 21: Matts Creek Shelter   Miles Today : 22.7 Total Miles : 221.2

Now, walking in the rain is not the real problem, the real problem for me is wet feet. Walking in wet feet causes all sorts of problems because your feet get all soft and mushy. As your feet sit in wet shoes and socks for the whole day, they soften up and get extremely pruned. Then it gets worse. They turn white and start to expand. Now, your shoes can not longer hold your soggy feet in place, so new blisters are quick to form. Even if you manage to escape the blister bug, your soft, fat feet rub against your shoes and your toes become raw and chaffed, sometimes to the point of bleeding.

9:00, I finally put on my wet socks and slipped my blistered, chaffed feet into my damn sneakers. I tied the laces, which are also soaked and smell worse than my dirty socks. So now, my hands smell like dirty feet as well. My feet are already sliding around in my shoes, and the tops of my toes hurt from rubbing.

9:10, I leave the protection of the shelter and head out into the mist. The rain has stopped but everything is wet, and water is falling from the leaves at every wind gust. Its cold and foggy.

9:30, the wind blows and more water falls on me, but this time it is not just falling from the leaves. The rain has returned and I am now walking in a full downpour. I am glad I waited for the rain to stop.

10:00 Damp shoes and socks have once again been upgraded to soaked. Same is true for shirt, shorts and hat.

11:00 Rain stops once again, but the damage has already been done. It will be yet another tough day for my battered feet. I am not happy about this, but putting up with pain and discomfort is all part of the game out here. If backpacking were easy, everyone would be doing it. It is only those perverse people that get enjoyment from this kind of torture that keep coming back to the woods.

1:00 Caught up to Beer Master at Apple Orchard Mountain, a partial bald with views to the west, on a good day. Near the summit, the fog was so thick that I could barely see the next marker for the trail. Just after the summit, we passed under the "Guillotine", which is a three foot long rock suspended in the air, wedged in between two very large slabs of granite. Briefly considered having Beer Master chop my head off and ending my pain. Settled instead for a picture.

2:45 We arrived at a shelter on the trail, and we stopped for water, snacks and a much needed shoes-off break. I have to take my wet shoes off several times a day to de-prune them. I am not sure if this helps or not, but it is satisfying to see my feet turn from shriveled to somewhat normal in 20 or 30 minutes.

3:15 The sun comes out briefly, and I lie in the sunbeam to try to warm myself.

3:16 The sun goes away

3:30 I head out from the shelter alone to finish eight more miles today. The sun actually came out a few more times, and a few patches of blue sky appeared overhead. This would prove to be a big tease, however, as the sky would once again turn completely gray and dismal.

5:00 Less than four miles to go, and I take another shoes-off break. My feet are really hurting, and every time I stop walking, it takes all the strength I have to just get going again. First I shuffle my feet, trying to ignore the pain, then I take a few baby steps. Finally, after 30 steps or so, I have deadened most of the pain and I can again walk at a normal pace - as long as I don't stop.

6:45 I arrive at the shelter, more than ready to remove my shoes for the last time today. As I peel the socks off my feet, I see the usual white, boated mess, and receint chaffing and now blood underneath several toes. I have worn my own skin off in the last few days, and it is not at all pleasant. I put my flip-flops on and go stick my feet in the creek out in front of the shelter. It is painful at first, but the cold water numbs my feet and I begin to feel much better. Now its time to think about dinner.

7:45 Gypsy, Beer Master and Springer have since shown up and are going to stay here for the night. I just finished eating a delicious meal of two Lipton Instant Dinners with a health dose of chili powder. I finish with a Little Debbie Fudge Brownie and a big gulp of pink lemonade. I am warm, dry, well fed and in the company of good people. At bad day turned good once again, such is the magic of hiking and of the Appalachian Trail. Still, my feet are in pretty sad shape. I hope to see the sun tomorrow. For more than one minute anyway.

-Chomp

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