Date: 2005-06-20
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

A couple of weeks ago, when I was having dinner in Damascus with Phoenix and Ned the Fed, Phoenix asked me if I had had any particularly new thoughts or personal insights as a result of my AT journey so far. "Yes", I answered - somewhat facitiously. "I never really knew before how very much I hate rocks!"Today that could have been my theme song. Pasin' Through and I were both going to do a relatively long 18 miles, which included up and over two fairly significant mountains, both over 1,500 ft. in elevation gain (and loss). What we didn't realize is that the story of the last six miles into camp would be a "rocky mountain horror show"!There were two different sections, each with their own brand of hellacious rocks. The first was along the ridge of the second mountain. The guide book referred to a number of "slanted slabs" over a 1.6 mile stretch of the trail. What it meant (and this will be clearer from the photos, if they turn out) was that we would get to traverse one slanted section of the trail after another, with the tredway consisting of a solid slab of rock, one end jutting magestically into the air, the other end promising a major slide into oblivion - or at least a couple hundred feet slide down the hill - if one's feet faled to maintain the necesary traction.There were two problems with this for ol' Private 2nd Class Longhaul. The first was that manouvering aross these huge slabs demanded both sure-footedness and absolute confidence in one's agility. That would include, of course, confidence in the critical joints upon which said agility depends - namely, ankles and knees. Knees, you say? But his knees are trashed! Ok then, we'll just have to go very slowly and follow the three point rule: you must have three sure points of contact before reaching out for a new, fourth point (two feet and one hiking pole, then reposition the other pole; then two poles and one foot while reaching out to reposition the other foot; etc, etc., etc..You can imagine the amount of concentration this takes, not to mention how long such a process can take if you have to repeat it every ten yards for a mile and a half!! This is especially not helpful, at best, when one is trying to complete an 18 mile day.The second problem is that it really hurts my knees to walk on an uneven surface. It just throws them out of wack, and they do not like that. But, like all good things, even my slab walking excursion finally, mercifully, came to an end. Then the second stage of the tortue began: 2.4 miles of steep downhill, over what was essentially a boulder field! "Trail descends steeply over uneven rock" was how the guide book characterized it, with uncommon accuracy.Downhills are hard on my knees in the best of times. Throw in some rocks, and ol' Private Longhaul is just in for a really good time!This, too, passed, after what seemed an unreasonably long time, and I finally reached the shelter where I collapsed in a wimpering heap.The only thing that sustained my energy at all was my very strong anoyance at the lack of trail maintenance over the two sections of rocky trail described above. There is no excuse for a lack of clear white blazes over those slab rocks, so that you don't have to try to guess which route to take. And, during the ensung downhill section, there was no evidence of any maintenance for several years, judging from the number of aging blowdowns that should have long-since been removed. If I had the time and energy, I'd figure out which club is responsible, and report them to the ATC - but, alas, I'm just too whupped to bother with that tonight. And tomorrow I'll be on to other concerns. Still, that's just not how it should be.Today's hike is once again dedicated to all those volunteers who DO maintain their agreed section of the trail - and that includes almost all of the sections I've hiked since Springer mountain. My hat is of to them. Brickbats for those in charge of today's section!Stay tuned, Longhaul