This morning I was up around 4:30am and made a hot caramel latte and added a caramel hot chocolate packet to it too. It was so dang cold out! We wound up laying there until almost 6am before we actually got packed up and started to move.

Today we’re going to be doing about 30 miles to the Hearn Inn in Cave Springs. Which is a super cool spot that I stayed at back in 2023 on the Pinhoti trail. We haven’t called yet, so I’m just hoping that they have space available for the night. Otherwise we would have to stop short and camp somewhere on trail. Because after Cave Springs there is a long road walk with a lot of private land. So camping really isn’t an option for tonight. It will be nice once we’re on the AT and can basically camp wherever we want all of the time. All of this road walking has definitely meant more nights spent in motel rooms than is typical for a thru hike. But this isn’t your typical thru hike! The eastern continental trail is its own beast. Once we’re actually onto the triple crown trails things will be more flexible in other ways that they haven’t been so far.

The morning was cold but our day began with a long climb. Then we were up top of a ridge and it was even colder. I had kept my alpha 120 layers on because of the cold. Which meant I had done a whole lot of sweating, which was now making me cold as we leveled out for a while. But I was glad to have the layer on. I even wore my gloves this morning, which was a great call. There is alot of cold weather passing through this week. I’m hopeful though that it won’t get too bad and the weather will mostly just be cold. I don’t mind the cold at all! It’s just the mixture of cold and rain which can become dangerous. If you get wet and the temperatures are low enough it can certainly pose a risk while thru hiking.

We had more rolling hills to climb as the morning continued. But today I was feeling really strong and had no issue moving up them. It feels great to be growing stronger every day. I missed the delightful challenge of some elevation gain. It’s a wonderful feeling charging up a mountain or hill without stopping. By the time that we hit the AT I think we’ll have conditioned just enough to be ready. The only benefit to taking the longer ECT route toward the Benton Mackaye trail would have been the additional conditioning with climbs. But we’ll save a lot of time by bypassing that and heading straight to Amicolola instead. I’m sure it will be a transition getting onto the AT  will be hard. The Appalachian trail is incredibly difficult. But we’ll be ready! I’m looking forward to the challenge of hiking the AT again.

As the sun rose it landed perfectly between the branches of this tree.

After about 8 miles of trail we popped out onto a main road. Then walked along it for a mile or so before the trail picked up again into the woods. Which was the start of another gradual climb up toward a shelter. We entered into the section of the Pinhoti trail which brings you through a private ATV park. But the trail passes through freely, and your only limitation through this area is that you have to camp at designated sites. That won’t be an issue because we’re passing all the way through here today and continuing on to Cave Springs.

When we got up to that next shelter we sat down briefly to stretch. The climbing had warmed me up way too much to keep the Sambob alpha layers on. So I stripped them off and packed them away. Then I was a bit cold, but it was comfortable compared to the immense amount of sweating that I was doing in the layers. The climbing would continue over the next 5 miles. So I knew I’d be nice and warm soon enough.

We passed the second shelter of the day around 11am and decided to stop off there for an early lunch.

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Leaving there I turned my audio book back on and continued listening to Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. So much of what he talks about in that audio book really hits home for me. The desire for a challenge, the exhilaration you get from beating yourself down and struggling. I love the struggle and the fight. That’s why I’m out here. I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t adore it so much. Last year on the continental divide trail my main goal for the hike was to push my limits and boundaries past anything I’d done before. Of course I was also hiking the trail as a bit of a recon mission. Knowing I would be doing the CYTC this year. But after completing all 3 triple crown trails over the last 3 years I hadn’t found my limit yet. I didn’t find it on the 5,600 mile Eastern Continental Trail in 2023. Instead I finished with the thought that if the trail had continued even further, I would have kept going.

This year I wanted to attempt a hike that seemed impossible. Something that would truly test me and toy with the question of “What am I capable of?” On the never ending search for my try limit, attempting to reach the ceiling of my capabilities which I have yet to find on one of these trails. It resonated with me as he spoke about fighting through intense pain and continuing on regardless. This year so far has been a great hike. I don’t have any pain other than the mild tinge here or there of something flaring up. But nothing concerning and nothing persistent. I’m always reminded of the ECT in 2023 when I tore a muscle in my calf about 3,000 miles into the thru hike. Then continued to hike 30 mile days for the next 12 weeks as it struggled to heal. Typical heal time for an injury like that is 4-6 weeks. But I learned quickly that heal time seems to double when you continue to hike 30 miles a day as you “heal”. That didn’t stop me though. Even with excruciating pain from sun up to sun down, I continued to walk. And I think often of that pain as I hike freely along trail without issue.

Punisher walking up ahead along the Pinhoti trail.

If tearing a muscle in my calf didn’t take me off trail, then what would? I hiked nearly 1,500 miles that year with the torn muscle. Before it finally healed under pressure and no longer caused me constant agony. And since then I haven’t had an issue in my calf. Though hiking nearly the entire length of a long through hike in constant pain certainly taught me something. That even if I was broken and beaten down, I could still complete a thru hike. That’s a fond memory now of something that made me stronger mentally than anything else I’d ever endured.

After another hour or so of climbing we finally reached the top of the hill in the ATV park. Typically there is a flag adorning the hill. But today it was gone and there was actually a group of guys out trying to put a new flag up. They talked to us briefly about what we were doing before we continued on. The climbing continued for the next mile or so as we made our way toward the Alabama and Georgia line. Then we passed by the iconic flag pole which marked the end of Georgia. Another state down! 2 done, and only 22 to go. Alabama was another one of the longer states that we’ll pass through this year. And I can’t believe that we’re already in Georgia. Time sure does fly when you’re walking about 30 miles every single day.

Crossing out of Alabama and into Georgia!

Once a crossed into Georgia we enjoyed a bit of downhill and flat walking. Then continued through rolling hills on and off for the remainder of the day. But there wasn’t anything sizable like we had done earlier on. It was pretty cruisy and we only had about 10 miles to go. Plus, we got service and managed to call Callie at the Hearn Inn. She had a room open for the night and it was only $65. There’s also a full kitchen in the building and laundry. So we can just get food at the grocery store for dinner to save a buck. Then hang out and get our chores done for the night.

Those next few hours went by quickly. The trail was nice and easy and we made good time. I continued listening to my audiobook which was fantastic. If you’ve never listened to David Goggins speak, I would definitely recommend a podcast or one of his books. The man is an absolute legend and a master of the mind. Listening to him describe pushing through pain and obstacles, primarily mentally, is something that honestly makes me emotional. It’s crazy what your mind can do. Every big challenge starts and ends there. You can silence so much pain and discomfort with your thoughts. And he is truly the master of that skill.

Heading toward this long walk way before the road.

Just before we got to the road we hit a wide river with no way around it. Prior to this we had to get creative with a river crossing or two today. We passed a large river when it was still really cold this morning. And had to walk around for a few minutes before we found a log that wasn’t iced over which allowed us to pass. But this time we were out of options! We had to just get on in there. The water was cold but it wasn’t too bad. And knowing that we’d be in town soon made it much easier. There were a couple other crossings after that. But nothing above the ankles.

Then we just continued along the trail until we got to the road which went into Cave Springs. Right before the road there was a large sign which indicated cities and towns. It had Mt Katahdin and Key West! That was cool to see. Then we hopped onto the road and continued into town. There was absolutely no shoulder so we had to walk right in the road. Which wasn’t ideal, but there wasn’t much traffic. We just got out of the way when we needed to.

This cool sign had indicators for mount Katahdin, which is about 2,300 miles ahead!

On the other side the sign indicated Key West, which is over 1,200 miles behind us now.

After another mile or so we got into Cave Springs and headed to the Hearn Inn. Callie told us how to open the lock box and get the key out. Then we headed inside to drop our stuff. After that we walked to the store to grab food for tonight. Before returning to chill out and get our chores done. Even though we just zeroed a couple days ago, there wasn’t any laundry there. So it’s been about 5 or so days and our clothes stink. At least mine do. I could smell my shirt all day long. I took a hot shower, got some editing done, and then started laundry. Then we headed to the kitchen to make some food and relax.

The Hearn Inn! An old school house which is now a motel with a bed and breakfast type feel.

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Our cute little room at the Hearn Inn.

I ate a buffalo macaroni and cheese microwaveable bowl, then some pizza, and drank a half gallon of chocolate milk. That’s my new staple. One small bottle just isn’t enough. I want to drink 1600 calories at a time if I can. There is truly no quicker way to take down so many calories! It’s incredible. Then I made chocolate chip cookies in the oven before we headed up to the room to lounge for the rest of the night. Upstairs I got more writing done and video work. Then called it a night later on. Because of the time change today I’m a little messed up. As I was getting ready to go to sleep it was 11pm! When to us, it’s really only 10pm. Which is also quite late. But it didn’t feel nearly as late as it was.

This inn is a very unique spot with lots of old photos and furniture inside.

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We couldn’t resist baking cookies in the oven!

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