Date: 2004-09-13
From: un-named campsite

To: Winturi Shelter
Miles today: 15.2

I¢ve heard the term ¢blessings in disguise¢ so many times. Today I saw real life examples of what this really is. Sometimes it¢s not the size of the blessing, but rather how much the root of the blessing seems almost dismal that makes what unfolds so special. Tonight I¢m in a shelter with 4 friends wrapping up a ¢bad day¢ that now seems quite nice.I woke up feeling apathetic. My desire to walk was nearly non-existent. I did not leave my tent and pack up until almost 11 a.m. When I finally did unveil the front cover of my tent I realized just how beautiful the spot I had chosen to camp at last night was. On my right stood a large boulder 20 feet high shading the pine needles below. I was camped in a grove of tall pines, the sun just barely sneaking through the trees, and the air crisp and fresh. While I was stunned by just how gorgeous it was as I stepped into the late morning, my legs were still sore and I did not want to walk. On the AT however, ¢not walking¢ is not exactly a viable option. With this in mind I slowly began my day over gradual terrain. After about a mile of easy and beautiful trail my spirits were picking up. I sang to myself and the trail hit a road. Off in the distance I thought I saw a woman with a pack. As I walked down the road I caught up to the woman, as I did I realized that a baby rather than a pack rested on her back. I love babies and this one was adorable :-) . Her mother, Elizabeth, was a sweetheart. Her husband/partner(?) was just behind and she walked with me down the road. As we walked she told me just how beautiful the trail ahead was (she is from Maine and hikes a lot). After interacting with an adorable baby, talking with an earth-child who looked like a shorter blonde version of my friend Gordy, and hearing of beautiful foliage ahead, I was stoked to keep hiking. Sometimes the trail seems to not want me to remain happy. Where all had seemed so gradual and beautiful, the trail suddenly shot uphill and seemed to never end. I tried to keep my smile, I tried to focus on the little chipmunks and frogs that would pass, I tried not to stop. I succeeded in climbing the mountain but I was pooped. As I took a break Elizabeth¢s family passed¢¦all I could manage was a wave. As I started again I was struggling¢¦that is when Colin came up from behind. Colin is a miler who told me how he was ¢slowing down¢ and hoped to finish October 5th. If I take no zeros and push my body I can¢t see being done before the 10th¢¦doh. This little conversation did not help as I collapsed into the shelter 5.5 miles in at 1:45 p.m. (Colin kept hiking).At the shelter I took a nap. When I awoke I saw a note from my friends Tombstone, Peanut, Crank, & Sarvis that they were doing 22 today. I had really hoped to catch them and now it seemed hopeless. Frustrated I hiked on (there was a beautiful clear brook). The trail immediately shot to a steep uphill. I pushed on and was just stating to feel good when it happened: I tripped propelling my body face first toward the trail. I broke my face plant with my water bottle. The lid popped off and a rock pierced a hole in it 3 inches from the bottom. All of my water poured out and the bottle was shot. As I sweated through the rest of the uphill I drank my last smidge of water. As I neared the top a sobo, ¢Plainsman¢ passed me. He asked how I was. ¢Pissy,¢ I replied. He proceeded to tell me that my last 8 miles would be hard, it was 4 p.m., but he thought their might be Nalgene water bottle in the trail near ¢The Lookout¢. It seemed to me a collection of horrid news. In reality, my day was about to get a lot better. Because of the ¢water incident¢ I received a shot of adrenaline that really carried me. While my mangled bottle could barely carry 12 liter of water, the trail seemed to cross a stream every mile. With hydration from the stream I was pushing for what I expected to be ¢very difficult¢ trail. In reality, that 6 miles was far easier than the start of my day. It was both more gradual and more pleasant. In addition the heat was going away.   I flew over an easy 6 miles and sang praise songs to cheer me up. Just past 6 p.m. I reached ¢The Lookout¢. At first I was going to pass it, but what about that Nalgene that might be in the trail? In order to look for the Nalgene bottle I walked up ¢The Lookout¢ side trail. I found no water bottle, but I did find a cabin with a ladder to an overlook. Atop the cabin I found the most beautiful view in months. I sat in wonder for near 45 minutes staring at mountains all around all in the direction of the Whites in the distance. The sunset behind me and the sky was gorgeous. My stupefaction was increased when it hit me ¢I never would have seen this amazing view if I had not busted my water bottle making me wander a side trail looking for a Nalgene.When I started the day I wanted to do more than 15 miles. As I walked tough climbs and busted my water I gave up on catching my friends. Where I never would have even dropped into Winturi Shelter, now it was my destination. I finished the last 2.5 miles into the night expecting an empty shelter. Instead I heard ¢Who¢s that?¢ as I approached. There around the shelter were Tombstone, Peanut, Crank, and Sarvis. They had only hiked 10 miles, had a fire roaring, and greeted my roundly. My bad day had led me to them. Tonight we chilled around the fire laughing and joking. I felt like I had found my lost family. It¢s just the 5 of us and we can be as loud as we want. Tombstone gave me some whiskey (just a nip) and an extra Gatorade bottle. I now have no water problems, no stress to ¢catch up¢, and no reason to hike alone. I feel so blessed and so happy when so much of my day seemed rough. The view from the cabin alone made it all worth it and the view of my friends has me smiling as I go to sleep. God Bless,BEATBOX   ttt