7 August 2015

I wake this morning having slept amazingly well. My back is only mildly
achy. It’s 6:45 am and O is already getting dressed. I manage to sit up
and begin to rearrange all my gear so I can fit it back into my empty
pack. As I reach into my pack to pull out the green pack liner I
burst out laughing uncontrollably. There are tears in my eyes I am
laughing so hard. I can hardly speak! O looks at me like I’m crazy.
My hand emerges from my empty pack holding my missing neoair x-lite
sleeping pad! I swear I felt all over in there last night – So much
for small, lightweight sleeping pads!!  Perhaps it was a worm hole?

Breakfast is leisurely. It is a warm and humid day. We hike through
rhododendron and laurel tunnels with oak, beech and hemlock. We see
only 2 other hikers all day. We make it to our next camp early, with
time enough to soak our feet in the icy stream flowing by. One of the
rhododendrons by our camp has decided to bloom in August.

The tent is set up quickly, now with two sleeping pads in our system. We will sleep well tonight.