Wednesday may 15

Today was hellish. Physically. My body is SO tired. I guess from 2 big-ish mileage days and some long climbs mixed in. It wasn't bad first thing this morning, but when I got to the lunch shelter, I couldn't laid down and slept for a few hours. I rested 1.5 hours...I never do that (that could be a contributing factor). The tough climb wasn't until after lunch...hadn't even done that yet and was already whooped. I've been trying to drink plenty at each stop...I fill up my 2L platypus, attach my Sawyer squeeze filter and drink all I can hold. I have a gatorade at lunch and an electrolyte tablet in the evening....so I shouldn't be dehydrated...I'm urinating enough. Zag and I are both just tired and miserable today...not enjoyable.
I passed a guy hobbling along with a sprained ankle..his name is Greyhound. Nice guy with a kind demeanor. Since he was moving along so"carefully", I asked how far he intended to go..he planned to stop at the next water source (which just happened to be a creek one mile short of our shelter destination (which was 0.3 off the trail & the water source was another 0.2 miles down a steep incline)...sounded like a good idea to me to stop at that creek, too...so I did. And I soaked my feet, rinsed my hair (I do that every chance I get when it's hot), did my bath and laundry routine...then I spread out my tent footprint (I also put this down under my air mattress in the shelter..establishes a "clean field"in my mind...)...I laid down in the shade and rested..waiting until zag arrived. (I didn't want to assume and set up my tent...)
When she showed up, she was so happy to see me she cried (again). Happy that I had stopped early because she was exhausted, too..and hot and thirsty..and there was a creek RIGHT THERE...so we tented along with greyhound. some others camped on the bank of the creek...it was great. We decided we needed to slow down a bit as our bodies were revolting. ....tomorrow we will walk to the road that takes us to 4 pines hostel and spend the night there. We will get to Daleville on  Saturday instead of Friday taking this slower pace..but we'll feel better!

Pics: morning view from ridge; greyhound; pink lady slippers; zag & some wild flower...
Passed the Audey Murphy monument today..I never knew he was the most decorated WWII vet..I just knew he was in cowboy movies...