Day 34

Today is Sunday and Mothersday. We still do not have cell service. I, Daniel, was sure I would have service in Marion VA where we went to Walmart to resupply. After resupplying a guy offered to give is a ride back. We didn't even need to hitchhike!  After we got back to the trail we sat down and ate our cookies with milk. I was able to borrow a hiker's phone to call my parents. He had Verizon. I have ATT. I realize that ATT isn't so good down here. Anyways, I talked to them for only 5 min since I was borrowing a phone. Just long enough to tell them where we are at and happy Mother's Day. We had a difficult time walking after eating our cookies. Normally we average 3 mph, but I'm guessing we were going 1.5 mph for the last 5 miles. 

We are getting better at buying food. We are finding cheaper foods (with the same or more calories) and more compact foods. Oatmeal is a good example of something that is cheap/light/compact. 

We put in good miles the previous 2 days. 22 miles and 24 miles. 2 days ago was pretty neat. It was like walking through a zoo. In the morning there were some cows in the path. In the afternoon there was a wild pony in the middle of the path. And then there was a long-horned bull in the middle of the path. See below for pictures. As usual, we saw snakes, squirrels, groundhogs, etc. 

Yesterday we got amazing trail magic. A hikers mom came and met him at the trail with 2 large bags full of mcdonalds biscuits, orange juice, and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I got 3 of each. About 10 minutes after that we passed 2 day-hikers going the other way who have us Snickers and told us that there was soda in their truck, 1 mile down the trail at the parking lot. After the our normal breakfast and the trail magic, Danae and I figured out that I consumed over 3,000 calories before 10:00 AM. And I'm still loosing fat. If you want a diet plan that is guaranteed to work, try the AT trail. Bring as much food as you want, but you gotta carry it.