Miles: 1,970.6 — Cold all day and my feet were wrecked, but 14 town‑bound miles flew by. Parents scooped us up: fish & chips, laundromat “showers” (hi, Dr. Bronner’s at the utility sink), and loaner pants I ultimately sent back because… heat wave. We got dropped at the trailhead, found a late stealth by Sandy River, slathered Bag Balm on my toes, and prayed for scabs by morning.
We got up early, again! We kind of had a streak going. The 14 miles into town weren’t too hard and we cruised through it, listening to music and podcasts most of the way. For the first time since early April and maybe one day in the Whites, I actually felt cold. I woke up cold and the entire day I had goose bumps on my bare, harry legs. The only pants I had at this time were base layer wool leggings. I wouldn’t mind hiking in them, except that I wouldn’t have any dry pants to sleep in if I did. I sweated so much, even when it was this cold, that I couldn’t trust them to be dry for when I went to bed. And with my sensitive skin, that sounded like a rash waiting to happen.
Speaking of rashes, I started developing a rash on my toes the day before. My socks, shoes, and feet hadn’t been totally dry in about 4 days. I needed to do laundry and a get a clean, dry pair of socks on my feet. In the parking lot at the trail head we plopped down on the grass and waited for my parents. I pulled off my nasty socks and put my feet up on my pack. The cooling air felt so good on my raw toes.
Mom and Dad picked us up around 3pm and brought us ‘round to the nearest hostel. She said she couldn’t offer us showers without a bunk and we hadn’t planned on staying. So the four of us went straight to lunch. Fish and chips were had all around. After an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, Miles and I both had been craving fish and chips. We craved really any food we heard mentioned on a podcast.
After lunch our photo was taken in front of the famous Doc Grant’s sign. Then, the four of us took over one of the local laundromats. My mom even brought us ‘loaner’ clothes from home! There was no sink in the bathroom, but there was a large rinsing sink in the lobby. I used a camp towel and some Dr. Bronner’s to take a make-shift bath with my clothes still on. Luckily my mom had brought me pants. But, the forecast for the next week was a heat wave. I didn’t want to risk carrying a pair of pants I’d never wear all the way through the Hundred Mile Wilderness. I thought about my goose-bumped legs that morning. It wasn’t so bad, right? I told myself I’d be ok and left the pants with my mom.
After a quick stop at the grocery store, Miles and I were dropped back at the trailhead once again. In the dark, around 8pm we found a spot to camp. It was right on trail, but we figured that would get us up early. I walked into the woods with only my Crocs on that night. I slathered my toes in Bag Balm and left my feet out of my sleeping bag, bare, even though it was kind of chilly that night. I crossed my fingers my bloody toes would at least scab up over night. My experience on trail, thus far, was that Bag Balm was like a miracle salve that could heal any wound. Thanks, Mom for that.