Date: 2003-08-10
From: Graymoor Friary

To: Dennytown Road
Miles today: 8.1

Okay, soooo...sleeping on tables outdoors is NOT the best place to actually get sleep. I knew that last night, but we didn't have much of a choice. It ended up pouring all night long...if we'd tented, we'd have been floating in puddles in our tents! As I predicted, however, the bugs were bad in the pavillion. I ended up wrapping part of my piece'o'flannel around my head (I'm sure I looked like Little Red Riding Hood) and spraying my head with DEET. I still sustained several bites to the face and shoulders. Randy had the best solution...he got in his tent, sans poles and pegs, and at least had mesh covering him. Needless to say, not a lot of sleep was to be had, although I think I got more than either Randy or Gerri. We had breakfast, while everyone but BackDraft attended Mass. We packed up, and got on the Trail just a bit before 11. It was very humid, and the temperature was higher than it had been for a few days. It had rained one last time before we left, and thu!nderstorms and showers were predicted for the day. We did get sprinkled on a couple of times, but it didn't actually rain while we were hiking. None of us had any energy today...I suspect it had a lot to do with the lack of sleep, in addition to the less than hearty dinner we'd had last night. We were hiking at 2 miles per hour, but certainly no more than that. We took a break after 5.5 miles, and I have to admit, I didn't want to get going again. The terrain was much easier today...ups and downs, but they were smaller, and there were a lot more flat stretches to be had. We got going again, with plans for another break in 5.6 miles. I had also planned to stop in 3 miles to refill my water, which I was drinking like crazy, to replace the sweat that was pouring off of me. Randy and I got to the water stop first, and were filling up when we heard a strange noise from the direction of the Trail behind us. Randy wasn't sure if it was some type of bird. We heard it agai!n, and I thought it might be a whistle. Just then, Gerri came out onto the road, and said she couldn't go any further. It had been her blowing on her whistle. We made her lie down in the shade and slowly drink some water...she was overcome with heat exhaustion. I put a wet, cold bandana on her forehead, and kept replacing it...she was burning up. There was definitely no way she was going to be hiking anymore today. Randy gave her a PowerAde to drink as well, and we looked at our options. There was a campsite just up the road from where we were standing, although Randy really wanted to get Gerri into a motel where she could rest. She insisted on the campsite, though, and said she was feeling better. She did seem slightly more lively. Randy told me that I could keep hiking, but I didn't want to leave them, in case anything happened. I told him that if they didn't hike out tomorrow, I'd go on without them. We set up camp at 4:15, and got Gerri into her tent. It was actually nice to have some sit-around-camp time. We washed out some !of our socks and other clothes and hung them on a clothesline. We talked about possible plans for the next few days. I restrung my necklace with dental floss (I am such a trendsetter!), as it broke a couple of days ago. We made dinner at 6:30...I had a combination of rice and beans and a sauce of tomato, green peppers, red peppers and corn. I put this on tortillas with some cheese...not too bad for a camp meal! I was stuffed by the time I was through. We went to tents early, as the bugs were out, and I listened to the radio and FINALLY got my journal caught up (except for the June part). Now it's 10:15, and time for bed...hope Gerri is feeling better in the morning. Goodnight...