Date: 2009-05-06
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: moderate rain

Single Speed was the first one up on this damp and foggy morning, followed by me. The entire group at the shelter planned on hiking the 19 miles to Jenkins shelter. I was glad to get moving and have a bit of solitude. As I passed over a wooden bridge spanning a pretty creek, I saw a nice campsite on the opposite side that I would have enjoyed staying at. I wondered if Mischa had spent the night there.   Awhile later, I passed the "offensive" hiker. I missed my old friends-Truckin', Skip, Hellbender, and Bound. I caught up to Single Speed, who I was glad to see, on an unnamed mountain on the way to Chestnut Knob Shelter. It had started to sprinkle, so he stopped to put his packcover on. I decided to keep going. As I approached the stone, enclosed shelter at the top of the bald, which was socked in with fog, the rain fell harder, the wind increased, and the temperature fell. It was cold! The Smith brothers all arrived before I did and were trying to get warm inside. I broke out my food bag and iPhone, sat down at the table, and was happy to find that I was getting a little signal. I had received several guestbook messages, which I happily read, until I came to several (unsigned) ones, criticizing me for thoughts that I had written about. Several of the messages pertained to Spike. I read through the registry and became even more alarmed and frightened, as I read an entry talking about Spike coming into the shelter the night before with his wife, cooking dinner, and moving on to hike in the night! That meant he was 1/2 day ahead of me! How in the world...?! The combination of the guestbook messages I had received, telling me to do something about him myself, or to stay away, combined with this new information, propelled me to e-mail a supportive reader of mine for a bit of help. I felt relieved about both taking action on this negative situation, and believing that I would be aided and eventually protected.   However, the combination of the stormy weather, having no people around who showed any concern for me, and constantly hiking all by myself with a threat hiding out in the woods around me, made me feel extremely unsafe and unpeaceful, which is exactly the opposite of how I should be feeling out here. I started to cry a little. One of the three Smith brothers came down the hill behind me and wondered in which direction was "God's thumbprint." I told him I had not heard of it, and was interested in hearing the description given to him by his brother at the shelter. Apparently, it is an 8 mile wide crater that can best be seen back at the shelter, where unfortunately we had no views. We both hoped to catch glimpses of it farther ahead, however, as the fog was lifting. This interaction calmed me down for a few minutes, but unfortunately, it did not last long. I called four people that I knew, but none of them answered, so I left 4 messages, explaining my unnerved state, and moved on. The 10 miles to Jenkins Shelter were long. I was lucky to see some views of the thumbprint, but due to the rocky trail, and my mood, the shelter seemed like it would never come.   Finally, I neared it with birds singing, as if to help me along. One flew directly above the sign for the shelter, seemingly to welcome me home. It was 7 pm and Sky King, Single Speed, and Almond Joy were already inside. I was tired and couldn't wait to get settled and rested. Immediately, I was bombarded with questions about the plans and whereabouts of the two couples behind us (I had no idea...), the location of the privy, etc., etc. Almond Joy stared at me from his sleeping bag as I cooked dinner and asked more questions to which I was in no mood to answer. Sky King wanted to know what I did when I was not hiking and "taking pictures." (another of my not-so favorite topics... I just want to enjoy what I'm doing now- hiking, taking pictures, and writing, as I am a lot happier doing this!)   Sky King and Single Speed talked about no longer writing in their journals, as each day was too similar to the last...Single Speed wondered how I kept my entries new and fresh. To me, every day is so different that I find it easy! (In fact, I am writing this 3 weeks later, but I can remember the day, the people, and the feelings so well...!)   I was happy to go to sleep, and even happier that I decided to stay inside the shelter when a huge thunderstorm hit around 4:30 in the morning! It thundered, lightening struck incredibly close to us, the ground and shelter shook, and the rain came down in torrents. I know that a shelter is no protection from lightening, but I felt safer inside it, and happy that I was not out in the pouring rain. I felt a light spray on my face, so I turned my sleeping bag around so that my head was now at the back of the shelter. Single Speed turned on his headlamp to see what I was doing. "I'm okay," I replied.