Date: 2018-05-20
From: FS 293

To: Dennis Cove Road 
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Papa Big Swig was due to leave today, but graciously agreed to slack pack me through Tuesday because of all this rain. So I moseyed around this morning and got a late start. No big deal, I had a short day planned anyway. So we pulled up to FS 293 around 10:45am just as two hikers popped out of the woods. They were nice guys, I believe a father/son duo originally from Illinois. We had some brief conversation and it was time to get going.  They stepped aside for Seylor and I to take the lead. Seylor would not walk past them. She has such a fear of men and especially men with hats. They both had hats. We¢re certain she was abused before we rescued her so she gets extra space with new people. Anyway, I told them to just come on and she will follow. She did. At one point the young guy turned around to let her pass him and get to me, but she freaked out! She ran all the way back to FS 293! We were more than a quarter mile in when this happened. So they went on, and I went back. There she was scared to death and so happy to see me. Something about them just didn¢t sit well with her.  So at 1100am Seylor and I re-started our hike. There was a little bit of up this morning and a little bit of down. Nothing too rough. It was a pleasant first 5 miles.  We did come to a small waterfall around mile #4. Seylor and I both love to sit by waterfalls, but there were three other people and a cute little terrier already catching the cool mist. The other pooches mom said she¢s afraid of big dogs, so Seylor and I moved along.  Another mile in was my planned lunch stop, Moreland Gap Shelter. To my happy surprise there sat Just Kelly! Granite was there too. He¢s leap frogged with me a lot the last few days. There was also some ladies who are part of an Appalachian Trail club. They do weekend sections when the weather is good. These are retired ladies well into their 70¢s. It was so much fun listening to their stories. Just as we finished eating our lunch the terrier family arrived. Again I was informed of the fear of big dogs so we moved on. It was time anyway.  I had about 6 miles left for the day when it started to sprinkle. I was so excited to pull out my new rain gear! Exactly 45 seconds later...the rain stopped. I¢m SURE there will be more opportunities to try out my new rain gear.  Right after the rain episode. I heard large animal movement from the right. There was an UP on my right that summited, then a big down on the other side of it. I could not see beyond the UP, but the noise was obviously a large animal. Thinking it could be a bear I clicked my trekking poles together to scare it away. No sooner than I did that Seylor ran up the Up, growled, and proceeded to go right on down the other side!  NO!!! I yelled and called and ran up the UP as fast as I could. There was no path. I just ran up the rest of the side of this untouched mountain through trees and weeds and I¢m pretty sure snakes. I reached the summit and could see nothing. No Seylor, no animal, nothing but trees and foliage all the way down, way way down the backside of this mountain.  Forever I stood there and called her name. I listened for the jingle of her tags. I looked for the color of her neon green backpack... nothing. I could not go down this mountain side. I¢m sure no human has ever been down it before. So I called her name, I prayed, and I called some more. I was about to go into hysterics when way down there out of a clump of trees she popped her head out. Thank you God!  It took her quite a while to work her way back up to me. When she finally made it, she was panting hard with her tongue hanging out. She just plopped herself down on the trail looking a bit disappointed. I gave her some water, and we went on our way.  I still have no idea what she chased.  I had 3 or 4 miles left to go and Seylor had zero pep left in her step. When we arrived at our end point Papa Big Swig showed up with Trail Magic (soda & poptarts) so we hung out at the gap for bit to catch the thru-hikers. There was a swarm of yellow butterflies all around us while giving out Magic. Seylor climbed into the backseat and slept. When we got to the campground she crawled into the camper, and slept... right now, Seylor is sleeping!  I¢m about to sleep too.  Until Next Time Blue Raccoon (2018)Where¢s your faith?