We each travel the world in our own unique way. Our footsteps cross and intertwine, sometimes even traveling side by side for a time but never quite matching perfectly. Most of us wear blinders so we will only see the footprints near us without having to look at the footprints further off that aren't so similar to ours.

I woke up early because we had a big day planned: 21 miles including about 13 miles that is aptly named "the rollercoaster". The twelve steep hills aren't the biggest on the trail nor even the steepest but they are significantly large and significantly steep and they hit you one after the other without any breaks. It had just rained the day before and with the heat rolling in the humidity soared until the sweat poured down like a river. Soon, my clothes were soaked through and I fought a continuous battle of slapping at bugs that flew into my face. I yo-yo'd with a German hiker called Bilbo for most of the day until a few miles out from the shelter when we decided to encourage each other by hiking together. Once we reached the shelter we ate a late dinner and went to sleep as soon as we could. A hard day but rewarding in that we had finally passed mile 1000. Yes, you heard that right: I've hiked over one thousand miles of the Appalachian Trail.

There are more road crossings now and we dip in and out of trail towns all the time it seems. The flora changes slowly so that you only notice something once it's gone and some other plant springs up to take its place as the prominent green life on trail. There are lots of deer now and even reports from other hikers of seeing little fawns wobbling along near their mothers. I take less photos these days but of those I do take, more are worth uploading. The sweeping landscape vistas all start to look alike so the photographs I search for now are of people, places, and things that stand out as special or rare.

And now to rest my weary feet. I've found a hostel with cozy bunks and warm showers and I will give my body a chance to recover somewhat from the aches and pains. I will take off my pack, lie down, and remove the weight from my bruised and callused feet. Tomorrow, or the day after, I can hike some more.