We spent most of our morning today hiking with a hiker from New Zealand we met a few days ago. After about 10 miles or so we took a break and then hiked on our own, leapfrogging with other hikers for most of the afternoon. The deer in this area are not afraid of people. Today we encountered several walking on the trail ahead of us at various times. They keep their distance but they certainly don’t run away.
We took a long break in the afternoon at the McCloud River before heading on another 7 miles to camp. Today was hot and humid again, but at least we spent more time under the canopy of the forest. The days and miles are starting to blend together, as the monotony of walking all day every day sets in. We break it up by listening to music and podcasts in the afternoon and taking long breaks if we get to a nice view or a place to soak our feet. Today we walked 26.8 miles.
Nothing beats seeing a deer to keep your spirits up and the tree canopy!