Sunday, March 6th

Standing Indian Summit to Betty Creek Gap Campsite 

9.8 miles

Total miles 97.2 

I saw the sunrise from the top of the mountain this morning. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a picture of it. I was packing up my tent and the optimal picture was over before I finished. The glorious red light of sunrise lasted all of a minute before the swift moving clouds covered it.

I was out of camp by 7:15 and moving along quickly over the terrain.  Everything was going splendidly until it wasn’t. I fell, I just stumbled over a rock or root on the trail. It’s a good thing there wasn’t a steep ravine right then.  I could have really hurt myself. I was helped to my feet, after lying there for a couple of minutes, by two very kind section hikers. Their names were Rusty and Josh. I felt fine at the time. Only my ego was bruised. About fifteen minutes later I felt pain in my left knee. I have had pain there on and off since. I took 3 ibuprofen tonight. I haven’t taken any ibuprofen this trip. Hopefully, it works.

I met some cool hikers today. A guy named Boomerang from Southwest Germany. I hiked with him for about a half hour.

A hiker named Michael from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 

Anthony from Ohio who is in pharmaceuticals.

John from Cincinnati who is a sushi chef.