It's very challenging: quite a bit steeper and more rugged than I'd guessed; quite a bit of it would be better described as climbing than hiking. I mean, I knew there would be some of that, but I thought it would be more like bits of steep, rugged, and rocky interspersed with lots of rolling and hilly. But it's good.
Did some pack reorganizing while I was resting here. I've got a better idea now what I do and don't need. I brought too many warm clothes; was okay on a windy 19-degree night without even getting into some of my layers. So they're going back home to save weight, along with a few other items.
Sleep is a challenge, because of my apnea. I'm getting enough to keep functioning, but only just. I think it's getting a little better, but as the days without good sleep stacked up, my body started to rebel: I was falling asleep on the trail side when I paused to catch my breath. Had one really bad day, when it felt like I was coming down with something--flu-like weakness and fatigue. But I pressed on through it and whatever it was passed.
Overall, it's going quite well, and I'm feeling good.
Some pictures:
I was fortunate to get the ones from the top of Blood Mountain. It started out as a very cold, windy, and foggy day with some snow and ice. The other guys I'd been hiking with decided to take the bypass trail around the mountain because of the ice. But I took the straight route over the top. It was a hard, freezing, miserable climb most of the way. But then just before I reached the summit, the wind died, the fog cleared away, and the sun came out, and it was all worth it. Then, after making the extremely long, arduous, and difficult descent, I got to my first night indoors: a hot shower, a pizza, and an evening with Shrek and Princess Fiona, then a real bed and some decent sleep.
I've had the very distinct impression continually that Someone is looking out for me.
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