Day 3: Douthat State Park Campground to Jefferson National Forest | Let's Delay Reality



After a warm shower and a pleasant social dinner by the fire, Sharon said, "I got a good night's sleep last night and I'm thankful for that." She also made the discovery that hammock sleeping eliminates her back pain. 

We took our time, having coffee with Lisa and leisurely packing up our camp. Sharon optimized her handlebar roll, shrinking everything into a single stuff sack. We departed Douthat at 11:20 and enjoyed the next 25 miles climbing and finally descending along the scenic Ponding Mill Creek.

We took a resupply break in Covington, where Karen found the delicious Snapper Tacos at a food truck. (After a few days of eating cold-soaked food, hot food is a spectacular treat!) Sharon had another of her pre-packed meals, since she was carrying so many of them... After leaving town, we remembered that we had forgotten, once again, to purchase Fire Whisky to fill the titanium shot glasses that Sharon also had in her pack from Day 1.

After climbing out of Covington back towards the mountains, we rolled through miles of scenic farmland. We came upon an open field filled with yellow flowers blowing in the breeze. 


After a pause to take it all in, Sharon said, "I finally feel like I am decompressing, I feel like I can breath, I don't want to go back to reality." We decided to slow down and smell the roses even more than we already had been... and spend another day and night outside.

In the early evening as the sun was getting low, we scouted a perfect campsite tucked far away off the gravel road along a small stream. 

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