Derrick Earls, More Heart than Scars tackle the AT together and in Spirit!: Day 80, August 3, 2014

Planning for slack packing was crazy, but it's great to work with a veteran on the AT my mother.

We scouted out a side road to Brink Shelter. Mike Dalton took us there the day before and we hiked south to Mohican. I used my iPhone and dropped a pin for the address. Again, I am thankful and blessed for technology. Past thru hikers decades ago definitely had it harder.

We drove to Sunrise Mountain State Park. The night before mom realized she needed nine more consecutive miles to connect Springer Mountain GA thru New Jersey. She dropped me off at Sunrise Mountain, gave me a spare key and drove back to Brink Shelter. The goal was for me to hike nine miles to the car and move it back to Sunrise Mountain. I completed approximately 5.5 miles and met her 3.5 miles into the nine mile hike. She was beasting the trail and we stopped for a ten minute break. We shared information on the upcoming terrain and I definitely got the easy hike. She had some several short inclines before her day would be complete. I finished my 9 miles and drove the car to Sunrise Mountain. I arrived around 2 and made some hearty avocado, salami, pepper jack cheese and heavy mayo wraps. I smashed protein bars and drank plenty of water.

My next goal 18 miles by night fall to arrive in Unionville, NY. This would total a 27 AT mile day and allow me to make up the 10 mile day I did twice with mom. If you think about it, it was basically a zero mile day as far as forward progression for me when I rehiked it with mom. Again, I would do it 3 days in a row if I had to for my mom!

I smashed the total 27 AT miles and arrived at Unionville, NY at 9 p.m.

I saw deer, rabbits, a few garter snakes and had an amazing encounter with a bear. I caught up with my hiking group and partner Yukon. I had to catch up due to my extra day with mom that I lost.

Mom and I had a large specialty pizza and a tossed salad at the restaurant in Unionville. Thank you mom for dinner.

We went to the bar, had a few drinks and played pool to celebrate my long day. My buddy Monkey Man and Redfoot played the yuk allele and flutes all night till 3 a.m. What an amazing experience that was. Monkey man even played two flutes at a time!