Today was the summer solstice. For the uninitiated, this also means that today was Hike Naked Day. And, that's exactly what I did.
I awoke at 4:30 AM, after a rather restless night. I had sent my sleeping bag and air mattress home, when I was in Lexington, so my sleep system is now comprised of my liner and a 5'x5' piece of fleece. I'd anticipated warmer weather. Unfortunately, the nights have been anything but warm.
I broke camp and began hiking in the buff. Standing naked in the woods, I felt a bit self-conscious at first, but I soon became very comfortable with the situation. On most days, I go commando, anyway. Today, I just felt much cooler.
I tied a camp towel to my hip belt and would cover myself when I encountered other hikers. Though, sometimes I zoned out and didn't notice people until they'd probably seen too much. Luckily, this was not the case with the ranger that I encountered.
Donning my shorts, I stopped at a wayside for lunch. Along with my black bean burger and sweet potato fries, I drank two of Shenandoah's legendary blackberry shakes. And, they are AMAZING. If you ever find yourself nearby, you MUST get one.
I camped at Pinefield Hut for the night. Gandalf, Jungle Jim, Groundhog, and G Money were also there, as well as a Boy Scout contingent. Honestly, it amazed me how little these scouts knew about Leave No Trace and camp courtesy. They burned plastics, urinated in the privy (instead of the woods), and were rather loud until late into the night. It certainly wasn't what I recall of my days in Boy Scouts; that's for sure.
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