Miles: 23.6 

Total Trail Miles: 1342.7 

Ascent/Descent: 3146/4731 ft 

Start Time: 05:46 

End Time: 18:45 

Temperature: 30°C (86°F)

When I woke I could feel my shin a bit, I decided in my head I was assess how it was when I got to town in 13 miles and decided what I do from there, but first I had a midpoint to hit! I packed up, took some ibuprofen and painkillers and got on my way. Hot Pants had already left about half an hour before me and with my leg being sore I wasnt sure if I would catch him today. I started off slow as I was in a fair amount of pain but after a while the painkillers set in and I lulled myself into a false sense of security thinking I was okay. I hit the midpoint shortly after 7:30 and took a pretty long break there, getting the obligatory photos, signing the log book and taking it all in. It felt good to be there and although I still have a really long way to go the enormity of what I had just done started to sink in a bit. I left in good spirits trying to push any worry about my shins aside. It was pretty much all down hill to the road to Chester and near the bottom I caught up with Hot Pants and a hiker we past yesterday called Texas. We all walked the last mile together, as we approached the road I could see a car coming so I ran the last couple of steps to get my thumb out in time and the car pulled over! Quickest hitch yet, Hot Pants and Texas couldn't believe my luck and we all hopped in. They headed for brunch but I couldn't eat anything at the restaurant so I headed to the supermarket to reaupply and bought some food there to eat. The supermarket has a little seating area by the doors where I sorted my resupply and ate some lunch. I bumped into Boot Scoot who i had met a few days ago, she was part of the group who were hiking 30mike days - she has sprained her ankle so was having to take a few days off. I also got chatting to a lovely elderly couple who wished me luck on my adventure. I then headed to the laundromat so I could charge my devices before heading back to trail, I called Marcus and handwashed a few things in the bathroom. My hitch back to tail was almost as fast and I got a ride within a minute - my first solo hitch! It was hot when I started walking and before long my shins started to bother me. I took a break 3 miles in at the first water and soaked my shin in the cold steam for a bit and then sat with my Cnoc on my foot for a while. The next section of the hike took me into a alive forest which was such a nice change from the burn scar we had been in for days. Hiwever my shin pain started getting unbearable, I took e painkillers but worry creeped into my mind. The last few miles were really hard but I knew there was a proper campground s few miles ahead which if I could get too would mean a potential way back to town so I pushed on. I hobbled in just before 7 and the campground host saw me and offered to drive me to town in the morning. He also told me two other hikers and pitched up in the campground so I could share their pitch. I walked down to find them, Spliffy a 35 year old from the Czech Republic and am older American guy doing a section hike in preparation for doing the whole thing next year. They were really nice and the company i needed after a difficult afternoon. I ate dinner with them and we shared stories.