It is Hot!

The average temperature during the day has been around 85 degrees. I have learned I do not deal with the heat well, It zaps the energy out of me. So I've made some changes to my hiking style. Mainly I take a longer lunch and hike later into the evening when it is cooler, sometimes.

This is a picture of my camp on a clear night. My hammock with my sleeping pad and bag in it, has replaced my tent. I also have a camouflage rainfly to go over me in case of rain, it is much more durable than the blue tarp. The red bag on the ground is my food bag. Hiking poles and my blue bandanna are seen on the right of the photo. Spare clothes, rain gear and first aid kit are in the pack. the pack is leaning on my boots. Green nalgene bottle is also shown. That's pretty much everything I own on the trail.

 Picture of me Wed May 30, 2012 at 11:30 in the morning. I've been on the trail for two full months and as you can see my beard is thick, and way too hot.

Picture of me Wed May 30, 2012 at 12:20 in the Public Library in Bland, VA. Since it's not even summer yet, I decided to shave the beard. There was no reason to stay miserable just to grow a long beard.  Plus the rain kept running from the brim of my rain coat, down the beard and inside the coat; making my rain jacket very ineffective.