I was only able to get three hours of sleep last night. It took me an hour to fall asleep last and my body just can’t sleep past 7 A.M.

I didn’t really eat properly yesterday and it was such a long day that I was pretty hungry this morning, so I ate a large breakfast. I have many chores to do this morning and I need to get an early start.

The first chore is getting the package that I mailed to myself. The package is not at the front desk, but after a few questions here and there, the clerk and I figure out that it might still be in the mailbox out by the road. When we checked the mailbox, it is indeed sitting there waiting for me. So the first problem is resolved.

The next order of business is getting fuel for my stove. There is a sporting goods store two blocks away, so I decide to try there first. As a luck would have it they do have the fuel and they also have dehydrated dinners. So I pick up a lasagna and a pair of sunglasses since I forgot to bring mine. Chore two and three resolved.

Next up is to see about shoes. One pair of shoes is not going to last for the entire trail. There is a shoe store nearby that carries a brand that I’ve been wanting to try, and it’s only two blocks in the other direction. So I go there next.

They measure my feet, which I know will have them trying to put me into shoes that are too small. That is exactly the case, and they finally give in and try the sizes I was asking for. They fit much better, so I buy a pair and they will ship them to me later up the trail. Chore four is resolved.

Chore five is to find lunch and with a barbecue restaurant across the street from the hotel, this one is easy to solve. Chore five complete.

The only chore left for the day is to catch my shuttle which has been arranged for 4:30, but it is only one o’clock. So the next chore is to try and sleep for an hour or two. That chore fails, but at least I got some time to rest. I’m packed and ready to go buy four o’clock. So I run to the Starbucks across the street to grab a quick cup of coffee.

The shuttle arrives right on time, and it’s a quick one-hour drive to the trailhead. We talk about camping and hiking for the next hour and it goes by very quickly. Before I know it, I am on the Eastern terminus waving goodbye to the shuttle driver.

For such a horrible travel day yesterday, the first day of the actual trip has gone far better than anticipated. Other than not getting a nap, all of the other chores were far easier than I thought. I didn’t have to go three and a half miles to Cabela’s for stove fuel and everything I needed was within two blocks. I picked the perfect hotel site to stay at.

The Eastern terminus is quite nice. There is a very large parking area with one picnic bench and the obligatory terminus monument. Off into the distance you can see lake Michigan and a huge meadow far below the bluff where the terminus is located. I take a few pictures and then head off into the woods. My trip has officially begun At 5:45.

The first three miles are through the Potawatomi State Park. It is heavily forested and offers views of the lake for most of its length. I guess technically this is Green Bay and not lake Michigan.

There is just enough undulation to the trail to slow you down a little bit. If the entire trail were like this it would be absolutely perfect. I am not looking forward to so many bike trails and road walks that are totally flat. When it’s easy, you tend to go too fast and push too hard. I need to fight that urge for at least the first week so that my body can acclimate slowly without abusing it.

The next three miles are road walking through the town of Sturgeon Bay. The sun is setting, so it is a beautiful hike through the city next to many restaurants and little stores. My destination is a Quality Inn on the other side of town. I badly need to catch up on sleep, as I’ve had a low-grade headache all day from my body being so out of whack from the travel day.

This is Wooly in downtown Sturgeon Bay.

There is a very large Kwik Stop next to the hotel so that is where I will get dinner. A pizza wrap and a chicken sandwich with chocolate milk is the perfect dinner for tonight. Now to see if I can get some sleep. Real sleep.

Emotion of the day, Elation

Today couldn’t have been any better. I completed all of my chores within a quarter mile of the hotel. The shuttle went perfectly, and I am actually starting this trip earlier than I expected.

The trail, Including the road walks, is actually really nice. And I’ve not had to combat mosquitoes or horse flies yet, so I am elated to have a far better than expected first day. I know the misery is coming at some point, but for today everything is perfect.