even though I was by the road I slept well but woke in the night saturated in sweat not good when your bag is down.
I tried my self down a d went back to sleep walk g at 6.30. I was in no hurry as breakfast wasn’t until 8 am.
But I needed the loo. So unzipped my went and groggy made my way to the porter potty as I walked. Zippy past me by all packed.
Fuck your all packed.
I did my chores then hurried back to my tent dropped my food at and began stuffing items into my bag.

I actually impressed myself ,as  i managed to be  packed in 25 minutes a record for me.
I swept my tent space  before slinging  my pack onto my back and walking  the short way back to the hostel.
My eyes were not REALLY awake but as  iapproached the hostel , I could see two people waving to me ,speaking to me……. Omg it was Dan and Beth.
I dropped my pack at the hostel and went and gave then  botha a huge hug, It was so nice to see them again. they had  stayed in the hostel in one of the nice beds,  picked up by friends at the trail head and had been for beer and food (Envy envy) . They arrived late last night .
I said I would catch uplater as there was coffee being served downstairs. I drained two large cups flowed by a few Danish.
Then breakfast was announced as .much as you can eat for $12
I am. not familiar with the foods and all of their names. But I left with a very large plate of food that i quickly devoured. washed down with lots of orange juice cranberry juice and more coffee.
I was then ready to head out.i filled up my water then flavoured it with lemonade. I just needed more gas. So had to wait for the store to open.
I went and said goodbyes to Dan & Beth. they were still waiting for laundry and so would be a while..

I hoisted my pack and set off , as i walked toward  the gate a pickup stopped an d offered me a ride back to the trail head oh yes please .
I hit the trail at 9am , I  wanted 17 miles  but allready it was hot and I knew thatthere were  several smallish climbs first  thing  and then it would be reasonably flat.
I started in the forest then exited into lush fields ,the trail wound its way across and up.
Once again  when you leave  town or  have resuppled you are heavy so my back ached as It grew accustomed to the new Load. The fields made a nice change ,as I wound my way across I came to a very well-kept cemetery. I stopped and looked at a few graves more out of curiosity before returning  to the trail.  Theforests are l changing , flowers are coming into bloom and the birds are  singing away.
I stopped and tried for 10 minutes to try and get a photo of this bird called a Cardinal.
It is the size of an English blackbirds but it is bright red. But he did not t want his photo taken.  The chipmunks also  seemed much tamer here , as i walked on a red squirrel shot  out in front of me making me jump.

But best of all the trail was nice, no big climbs, no big decents , just a gentle roller coaster trail , I loved it as  I was in no hurry I decided  to  get to the first shelter  then see how I feel.  I shortly vame  to a signpost  that  pointed to a waterfall , as i was in mo hurry  i thought that i would go take a look
Oh wow it was lovely, Well I loved it.
I stopped and stared at the gusiing watrer   for several  minutes  before  heading back to the main trail. Several miles  later i came to another watefall ,but not quite as grand but still good.
As I stopped to  get water ,  I accidentaly dropped  one of  my  bottle tops  that  was quickly  washed away. Dam that was careless I said to myself. Luckily I carry a spare. I walked on knowing that the next shelter was very near and I was in need of a break.

The shelter soon appeared and it was fairly new. No one was there so I ate lunch alone signed the shelter log and stuck a sticker on the graffiti board.
Okay  on to the next shelter, yes  I can do that.!

I set off the sun getting hotter and hotter, i should have  started earlier, but i was looking forward  to that famous breakfast. The trail continued as the morning , a lovely gentle trail  with no rocks .  I love  and so was able to push the miles. . Once  again the forests  were alive with bird song. Most of  the singing  was  from  tiny birds called warblers.
It  was roasting as i pushed  on so  soon neded to take 10 minutes  so at at 4 pm i found a spot  and  collapsed into  the warm grass to rest . I ate the rest of today’s snacks glugged my lemonade before  checking  my map. It  was  4 miles to go.I guessed i would be  there by 6.30. I packed up and set off again, As I had a few  hills to climb I  didn’t want to carry any extra water up them . Once  up  the second climb I  pushed on  my bladder was getting low but I didn’t want to stop.
My plan was to fill up every thing at the next  water before the shelter, as the shelter had poor water and it was far.  I crossed over a rushing creek , should I get water? but decided  to pushed on . I did this scenario at every  water source  I came to but still carried on .Then I  began to panick  that the last water may be crappy so I decided  i would fill up at the very  next water . As I was getting water a young hiker came by , she too stopped and watered up. (Speedy)
Okay I mile to go but I was now  hauling 4 liters which was heavy and of course UP-hill.

At last the shelter came into view. I quickly found a tent spot and put up my tent and got organized. I was just getting g my cooking gear when Bob arrived and OMG He had packed me out a beer. Good man, we toasted. each other than necked them .
I made tea then realised my Chilli Mac that I was excited to eat for supper was actually Mac cheese, bugger oh well my fault eyes test.
I cooked it up added bacon and pine nuts and it really was good but  i  had a lot  of it and was struggling to eat it.
As I’m eating Zippy arrives  shortly followed by Pig-Pen.
I offered  Pig-pen the rest of my dinner but  then realise i have bacon in it thinking that she  is a veggie
Sorry  I say  its got Bacon  in ,
No  its okay snail  i  eat bacon,
Then I add  ” Oh and its got  nuts in !
She imeaditly spits it out,
What sort  of nuts SNAIL !!
Pig-pen is allegric   , OMG i am so sorry  , Its pine nuts ,
Who puts fucking nuts  in Macky cheese  ,
Luckily  shes okay  and  we can laugh about  it, although i feel so bad and keep apologising  OOPS !!!!!!!

We carry on chatting but it is late so we hang our food then turn in. night all

Start 395
Finish 413
mileage 18 miles
Remaining 1777 Miles