Its been a while

So I've been through several towns since my last entry. Lucky for me most of those didnt have internet access... The one that did, Duncannon, PA, the library is only open for 6 hours per week. Yeah. Not 6 per day. I ended up being an hour late. Awesome

So some thoughts so far. Harpers Ferry= awesome. Maryland= awesome (the shelters are great, terrain flattens out, etc). PA= not so awesome.

My experience so far (and it could very well be that I'm getting burned out or something) in PA has not been too great. There is lots of big rocks that you have to jump from one to the other. This slows your pace quite dramatically. As a result you twist ankles, stub toes, and almost fall several times a day. Twists, stubbings, and falls I can deal with on any normal day, but when its hot as blazes, the flies and gnats won't leave you alone, and there are snakes all in the rocks; thats when it gets under my skin. Then to top it all off I can't get a hitch 2 miles in to town! Yeah, its been a tough few days.

On a lighter note, Boundless is taking some time off with friends for the 4th of July so I should be able to catch him. I think that will be the incintive enough to get my butt in gear and get out the move on. I have a lot of support from friends and family (and previous employers) for which I'm greatful. Now it's just a matter of me finding the gumption and pushing through this mental "wall".

Night Hiking

Its 2200 hours. I leave the diner. I say "goodbye" to the other hikers staying in town. I walk to where I know there is a spigot and top off my water. 10 dry miles lay ahead in the darkening hills. Up the road I go seeing few white blazes. I remember a left turn on the map so I cross the street just in time to be blinded by the brights of the oncoming cars. I pass a dimly lit house and thank God the dog is on a chain. Two white blazes! I turn left.

Into the woods I bravely step, pushing the little button and cutting a swath of light into the darkness. The path is wide and flat. I move faster. A few twists and turns and the trail begins to narrow. I stub my tow distracting me from my next step that rolls my ankle and slams all my weight onto the outside of my right foot causing a sharp pain that elicits a sharp phrase. An expletive. The first audible word since "goodbye".

I gather my wits, subdue the pain, and start walking again. Fireflies and the moon work on spreading the evening light. still not enough to see the roots and rocks. I break out of the forest and stop quick. Not the bear or snake I fear to see, but the moonlight hitting acres of wheat about ready to harvest. The farmhouse sits lightly on the far side with its solitary porch light/ I see storm clouds off to the south and east lit in random places and times like the fireflies in the the forest I've just left. I'm glad it's not raining too. I soak up the peace, majesty, and wonder of the moment.

Pressing on. I see the gradual increase in elevation. I feel my heart rate climb until i can hear it in my ears. The sweat starts to pour despite the chill on the night air. It is summer after all. Into the forest. Into the field. Into the forest. Into the field. Forest laden with flickering flies. Fields lit overhead by the waxing gibbous and ursa major. Farmhouse after farmhouse I pass thinking of the people inside; sleeping comfortably, hear the ones they love. The thought makes me smile.

Often tonight I will feel like I am lost. Maybe I took the wrong trail. That last flash of paint was so long ago! Then, each time, just before panic reaches in to take control, I see another blaze, bringing peace to my wildly pounding heart. Its 2300.

Shenandoah

So I have kind of mixed feelings on the matter of the Shenandoah National Park.

Day1: Started off great! nice cool morning, met some cool people, etc. There were 2 water sources. One at 8 miles in and one at 9 miles in. I was skipping right along "in the zone" and all and passed the first water source. So thinking the second was the first, I passed that one by intending to get water at the latest possible place for the next 10 mile dry stretch. Bad choice. The sun started blazing and the trees became more sparse. I kept sweating like crazy. For a while. I definitely was severely dehydrated by the time I rolled in to the shelter where there was a little spring. Luckily Dewlap and Rainer were there and had just filled up their water and offered me some. I put a liter of water away while i was filling mine up. Oh was it delicious! I swear to never say "water is over-rated" ever again. It isn't. But yeah, that was rough. In case you're wondering, when you get dehydrated your brain doesn't function quite right- you get disoriented, paranoid, then apathetic. It's an interesting process I don't recommend to anyone.

Day 2: Came nose to nose with a Bear. I was walking down the trail, still a bit dehydrated (even after downing 3 liters the night before and 2 more at breakfast) and "in the zone", when I heard a twig snap in the woods. Now you hear lots of twigs snap in the woods while you're hiking the trail, but this one felt different. It snapped me out of my daze and right on the side of the trail not more than 5 feet away was a full sized black bear. It just looked at me. Then went back to eating berries. I backed off and waited for LJ to come up. He came and suggested we just walk by (considering the brush was way too thick to bushwack a wide berth) . And of course I was in front. I walked first with LJ right on my heels, or so I though. I locked eyes with the bear as I went past. What an interesting feeling! I got a safe distance away and stopped. LJ was back on the other side of the bear looking pretty nervous. Having seen me make it, he started his attempt. When it didn't do anything to him, he decided it would be a good photo opportunity. He grabbed his camera and brought it around for the photoshoot and that bear turned around like LJ was a matador holding his red flag. You should have seen the Englishman run! Point of the story: I saw a bear, and bears are not supposed to be so comfortable with humans.

So there is some beautiful scenery in the Shenandoahs. The Mountain Laural is out like crazy. If you're going to do a weekend trip it's great. Anything more than that and you're criss-crossing roads, staring down bear, etc.

More details...

So our group has tripled in size. I can't help it that we're so fun to be around! But this poses some new problems. I don't really like big groups. There isn't room for everyone in a shelter and sometimes not even in the camping areas around it. It sure makes for a good time though! There is always someone coming up with something witty to say or something crazy to do.

Yesterday evening I was able to break away for the night while 12 others cowboy camped on top of McAfey's Knob to wait for the sunrise. I saw 3 more bear. I was speeding down the trail trying to beat the setting sun the .6 miles to the next campground. I came to a switchback and saw what I thought was a charred stump start to move. I realized that it was a cub. First instinct then is to look for mama. There she was with her other cub. I reached for my camera but that noise alerted the mom and she called back her curious cub. I stayed for a few minutes and watched them breaking a log looking for grubs to eat. As I passed on by I had a cool experience. At the risk of sounding like a hippie, I had the most amazing feeling of peace come over me. I think, for the first time I embraced the Earth instead of fighting her. I realized that all that I have been given, allowed to experience is for me but that from this I have to do something. I don't know what that is but I will know before the end of my hike.

The Modest Mouse song that says "someday somehow something's going to steal your carbon" came to mind. The interconnectedness of everything is astounding. I wonder why it is so easy to forget just how much we need this Earth and how we can take it for granted. A good friend of mine scolded me once for referring to something as "man made". Everything is already here and we decide to make some interesting combinations or alterations without thinking about the consequences. So I have resolved to think about ways to conserve what I use.

For more story-like reports please check out Stucco's blog.

Quick update

Yesterday I passed the 700 mark. Today was my 25th birthday. I've seen some of the best views yet over the past couple of days. I'm running with a fun crowd. My family surprised me by showing up today. Life is splendid.

The temperature is climbing quickly. My pores are leaking like a sieve. My clothes are soaked through several times a day. I can feel the plastic shank in my left shoe. It's making my 3 middle toes go numb. Life is splendid.