Date: 2003-06-08
From: Rocky Mt Shelters

To: Pine Grove Furnace - Ironmasters Hostel
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Firs of all, I must say: I have walked half the Appalachian Trail. I am halfway! In point of fact, 1,086.3 miles.If I think about it too much, it wears me out. It will whip me. Only halfway? What effort, discomfort and strain there has been in the last three months and one week! How am I ever going to muster the same energy and enthusiasm for the next three months, the hardest half of the Trail?But there I go again, trying to walk the whole mess at once. I know I can handle any given day, so why not take it one day at a time? I have no desire to leave Trail, even with all the filth, rot and wet of late. In fact, when the sun shines, I am downright ecstatic out here.My day started early. I woke at 5:30 am and when I got back from the privy Turnaround was up. I wished her a Happy Birthday.We set off together, and for awhile it looked like Turnaround might get her birthday wish. A red sunrise over the cliffside rocks to the east. Cloudsmoke layered the valleys below. I shot some fantastic pictures here.But alas, the clouds won the struggle, and it remained cloudy all day. We hiked the first 3.5 miles down to Caledonia State Park. We took a break to make coffee and eat breakfast on a picnic table. Sitting down, like civilized beings. There is a phone there, and bad news. Turnaround's sister wrecked her car while she was on the Trail, and Turnaround reports the insurance company totaled it, upsetting as it was a reliable thing and she won't be able to replace it for the settlement. Happy birthday, indeed.To make matters worse, the trail was a mudpit and a running river all day. Dry socks are a thing of the past; though I have quick-dry shoes, there is no sun to quickly dry them. They have been wet for days, and smell sour. My "new" shoes look pretty battered.Walking is a trial, a chore, unpleasant to have cold, muddy water soaking the feet all day, to step in mud over the ankle, over and over. Wet socks rubbing the skin raw. Grit in the socks like sandpaper. Boots or shoes, everybody's footwear is sodden. Our feet are starting to split and peel. "Trench foot, we called it in the army," says Commander in Chief later in the day.But... at least it's not raining. The earth is saturated, and she is draining with a fury. The rivers run full and muddy, the creeks are noisy torrents and any self-respecting fold in the earth sports a rivulet or three. Step off the Trail you say? Where, into the poison ivy, scratchy smilax or thorned barberry? Even here, the earth is swampy and draining. It makes you welcome the rocks.We follow a deep set of muddy tire tracks, utter back glop, for a miserable half mile to Birch Run shelter, where maintainers were building a gorgeous new shelter. The builders gave us each a cold Coke, which we accepted gratefully. I needed this caffeine jolt to get me the next 10 miles. I was craving a hot shower and clean, dry socks. Not that dry socks would last long...Three miles from the hostel, we run into Itchy Foot, Commander in Chief and Just Do It at Tom's Run shelter, and we are glad to have caught up with them again.Finally, we passed the Halfway Point on the road to the shelter. Halfway finished with the Appalachian Trail. We're glad, but mostly fixated on IronMasters Mansion hostel after 23 deep and filty miles. We are covered in mud. Shower, laundry and a cheeseburger later, today's slogging 23 miles feel like nothing.Dirty Bird and FidoDido are here, and make pancakes in celebration of Turnaround's birthday. Prince William played the house piano for entertainment. SunPig and Crow rounded out the hiker contingent.My longest day yet, and it ended at the Halfway Point.(Note: If you've been reading along and enjoying the journey, but didn't start at the beginning, you may be unaware that my local Hospice organization is using my hike as a fund-raiser. Over $10,000 has been pledged so far, and EVERY PENNY goes for DIRECT patient care.I know many of you have pledged anywhere from a penny a mile - about the cost of a good book, $21.73 - to an astounding dollar a mile. Believe me, your generosity keeps me motivated.I won't keep hounding like NPR, but I will pass this along: if you feel moved to make a pledge to Hospice, send an e-mail to Carole White at:cwhite@firsthealth.orgwith your name, address, pledge amount and phone number.Any amount is useful, and Carol will also send you a note when I update the journal.Our Hospice is awesome! They are giving, kind people doing a very difficult job. If your life has ever been touched by Hospice, you know what I mean. Thanks! Jan)