On the beaten path

The last time I was here, (last fall?) the weather was divine. Today? Not so much. Foggy and chilly and rainy. Rained all the way up from home.
Still, I donned my hiking clothes and struck out a few hours ago. My old "waterproof" Patagonia jacket covered me up well, but is drying next to my room heater, along with my soaked socks and soaked pants. I told my husband he married a crazy woman. But he knew that going in.
"On the Beaten Path" is also the name of a new book I bought today, about the Appalachian Trail, naturally. It's by a '97 thru-hiker named Robert Alden Rubin.
The AT approach trail is quite close to where I'm staying. Yet, some parts of it today more closely resembled a stream.
Also close by: the Len Foote Hike Inn where I've also stayed. It's a pretty easy trail of about 5 miles; and you're supposed to honor your reservation, regardless of the weather. Yet some guys who struck out turned up this afternoon back at the Amicalola Visitors Center. Said they wanted a refund because of the weather. I wanted to tell them: Dudes, first of all, wear something other than blue jeans.