Day 32
Miles today: 15.6 miles
Miles so far: 505.8 miles
Campsite: Tinsley Campsite

As the Proclaimers’ song goes ”
But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more…” today I finally reached the 500 mile marker! Almost at the halfway point 🙂

It was still raining pretty hard this morning around 5. I’ve decided to give up being on the trail before sunrise on this trail for a few reasons. 1: it’s getting too cold (yeah Florida gets cold!) 2: I like to pack a dry tent.  3: I like to see whatever it may be on the trail… Wisconsin doesn’t have venomous snake I could walk on nor is under water. 4. I like to sleep in a bit.
So now, I typically get up around 630 and on the trail before 8am.

Last night Syd the sloth made his way to the shelter after me, so we started hiking within minutes of each other. His alarm went off around 5am but he decided not to get up as it was still raining. There was a lot of trail registers on the trail, that even Joey commented on the same finding. Joey is the same hiker we hiked with for a while. Now he is a few days ahead of me.

There was a ravine next to the trail. Florida has been flat so far but looking down, it showed some depth. I’m sure if I would of fallen, I would of breal a leg. That’s high enough for me.

Thankfully whoever was doing the rain dance must had stopped, today has been sunny! I made it to camp with many hours of sun left so I have been soaking it. Been a while I’ve been waiting for a nice warm sun on the trail might as well enjoy it now. The nights have been cold since the rainy day a few days ago and the days have been cool with a slight wind. A few road walking today with some loose dogs. I have learned to do the road walk with my trekking poles, I typically don’t, because of the dangerous dogs. One tried to get me today so I had to face it and hike backwards… I didn’t get bite thankfully.

I set up my tent behind some bushes as to not be in sight from the trail. Appears that I didn’t do it well enough when a dog came sniffing me. An elderly couple and their dog had spotted me. It’s quiet and it feels nice to be solo hiking. Haven’t had that chance on my thru-hike yet. I had spent a night or two alone but have mostly been with others. Now I was actually getting some solo quality time. I made some ramen for dinner, a piece of tree fell in it and I continued eating… I guess it’s the trails way of saying “the trail will provide…” haha or maybe I was too lazy. Hmm

Syd did find some trail magic this morning. The section hikers gave him a bunch of their extra food and informed him about a few mountain house meals tucked next to a post on the trail. He grabbed them all. He asked if I wanted some? Thanked him but I had all the food I needed already and homemade cookies. Mmmm.

That’s it for tonight, Happy trails!