It started raining around 0600, and I slept in thinking the rain would stop, only to realize that it would rain for the next few days pretty much non-stop. I had a sad looking puppy sitting out in the rain, waiting for me to finish tearing down camp.

“Mamwich” told me that I would love the Roan Highlands… and I might have…if I ever got to see any of it, lol. Today, the fog was endless, and there were huge wind gusts that kept blowing me over and out of the trail. Sheets of rain beat down on Bo and I. It rained down, it rained upside down, and it rained sideways. The rain pierced my skin like needles, and I could barely open my eyes to see where I was going. The wind kept threatening to blow my hat into the abyss. I made the mistake of yelling at the wind, “Is that all you got!?” It was, in fact, not all it had because the wind retaliated instantly by blowing me off the trail and nearly knocking me over…I did not yell at the wind anymore.

I took my hat off and had my hood up, so my wet hood suction cupped my ears, and I had rain going into my ears. We passed Round Bald, Jane Bald, and Little Hump, then Hump Mtn. Going up to Hump Mt. was brutal. The trail was a river. It was a narrow trough that was filled with water that was higher than my boots. My feet squished like Squidward with each step I took, and I was drenched from head to toe. There was no point in trying to wear any rain gear. Without my hat, the rain in my hair kept dripping into my mouth as well.

I found a rock overhang to quickly eat some breakfast. I felt like Gollum hunched up under the rock, scarfing down my peanutbutter tortilla. Of course, two people had to walk by and witness it. They must be just as crazy as I am to be out here.

On the way down the mtn, I ran into “Poptart” and “Thirsty Boy.” I called a hostel around mile 6. I decided not to go as far today to meet Syd tomorrow because all my stuff is wet and it’s too cold to be wet in this weather. Bo and I ran down the mountain to try and get out of the weather as fast as we could. We walked on the road to the hostel, only to find out we went the wrong direction and were at the wrong hostel. Had to wait to try and get a ride to the correct one. I was starting to get hypothermic and could not stop shivering. I needed to get out of my wet clothes quickly. “Magnum,” “Uno,” “Leapfrog,” “Weast,” and “Two-Timer” were all there, and I hadn’t seen them for a long time.

A lady was finally able to drive me to the Refuge Hostel, which was way way cheaper than the place I had made a reservation at earlier in the day. The hostel had lost power in the storm, so I met “Loose Screw,” “Button-up,” and “Willow” in the dark. I got into dry clothes, and we went into town for Mexican food and beer. We ate and chatted by the wood stove and the power cut back on, so I was finally able to see everyone’s faces.

Day: 38

Date: 5/12/2025

Miles: 16

At Mile: 395.6

Camp: The Refuge Hostel