Date: 2010-03-11
To: A Few More Days
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday's hike with friends was great. Parking is at the top of the mountain, so all the early day hiking is down and all the end of the day hiking is up up up! So we hiked down along a lovely mountain stream through my favorite spot, a place of tall hemlocks and a rock wall with a seep spring that very quickly turns into a crik feeding the stream. I love hemlocks. We got down off the mountain to the river and hiked along the bank, around the end of the ridge, and stopped for lunch at the last little beach, before the big climb up. One of the hikers had an idea for a shortcut so there we went off-trail to find the fastest way up the mountain. Well, faster for some! It may have been the slowest ascent ever. While the others waited I ever so slowly, side step over side step, made my way up the hill through a rock scramble. At one point the friends wanted to help by dragging my pack up by a rope, but I was stubborn and refused. I felt like if I stopped to take off my pack the very action itself would send me tumbling back to where I had already been. They're good friends. They waited. I was hiking with my full pack, they in day packs. This has been my training process for the last several months. I confess, I am slow on the steep uphills, so for the other hikers out there, if you see me on the trail and there's a climb ahead, you might want to get out in front of me. Just sayin. So, the financial thing is still going on and will over the next several weeks at least. Me and Uncle Sam don't see things in exactly the same light, but I believe this will be resolved with much aggravation yet little expense. Naive? Perhaps, time will tell. It will be a hindrance during the early days of the hike to deal with this, but I hope it will be manageable. No need to postpone the go date because of this.Another issue came up last night. The little dog is not settling in well. He's bitten two visitors this week, one while I was still there and once since I've returned home. I adopted him from a shelter, he has some anxiety issues, and we've bonded really strong. The poor little guy just does not understand what's happening. I left him with my parents, a most loving home for a dog to stay at, so his issues are most definitely not due to any issues there. Fortunately it seems both of the people he bit will be fine with no doctor visits necessary. Mom described the biting as a glancing blow, he doesn't grab on and try to shred or anything like that. Still, 3 bites and I am out. This could kill my hike. I don't really have any other options for the little fellow. And I hate that he's so stressed. As of now, the plan remains to go for it on the hike. Today, finish up stuff here at my desk, a small grocery trip, pack and ship my first two maildrops. Things have a way of working out that I cannot understand until after they happen, the dog may be fine, another solution may present itself, perhaps he will hike with me. I don't know. The point is, I am doing what I can. I am planning to hike the AT, leaving Monday, 3/15. I am focused on that. I am working hard at not being bummed about this. Is there a 12 step program for family and friends of troubled dogs? Hmmm.