Trail Magic - Day 3 - June 19, 2026

Those of you who dream of a quest like this will enjoy this post very much because it contains a mix of beauty and delight, with a couple of reminders of just how daunting the task is. This first picture shows a big pavilion overlooking what I call a gorgeous "vista". Where we live we don't have vistas like this. It's all flat. The ocean and intercoastal waterway make up for it of course, as does all the fun wildlife, but sometimes you miss LOOKING AT hills and valleys. (It's only the crazy folks that want to get up close and personal with them by going for a very long walk).

Anywho, one of the things that happens on the trail, as I mentioned last year, is "Trail Magic". These are food and beverage arrangements provided voluntarily by people who want to support hikers. Perhaps they hiked the trail before, or they volunteer as a trail maintainer, or they live nearby, or they are just nice folks who want to do something nice. Giving to others is a blessing to the giver. So here's what Bob happened upon in that shelter. If you scroll in you'll see what looks like salad fixins (which helps offset all the junk they have to eat to keep up their calorie count) and probably burger toppings, and a lot of portable snacks and drinks. There's also a guy charging his phone at an outlet on the left and some kids playing in the background with their parents. For those solo hiking, like Builder, any company is delightful. I know he has had more company than on his last leg last year, so that's made a huge difference already.

The trail is very different in different parts. He's experiencing some nice, flat grassy areas. These pics will give you a feel for what he saw on day 3.

As blogger, I am going to add commentary on what I see when I see those pictures - wet, slippery rocks and an opportunity for me to fall in water (pic 1), piles of hay possibly harboring snakes, field mice and ticks (pic 2) and a log that people might sometimes sit on to take care of bathroom business (pic 3). He doesn't give me a lot of details about the pictures but that's what I see. Still - very pretty to look at.

And there are reminders for thru hikers everywhere -- of how far they've come and how far they have to go. That's why this is not for wimps like me. You gotta really want it. When I asked Builder his "why" before he left, his answer was "because it's there". But I'm sure there are lots of reasons he's doing this such as "because he can". Life and good health are gifts you start to pay closer attention to when you are on the statistical down slope of your own life, after all. So I'm glad he CAN do this.

He had one final surprise waiting for him at the end of day 3 - a cold beer, provided by a trail maintainer who was at the shelter when he finished his day. The little things matter!