Date: 2004-07-23
From: Peter's Mountain Shelter

To: The Good, The Bad, and The Subtle
Miles today: 17.5

Early this morning, I sat at a picnic table inside the large shelter and looked into the forest. A fog permeated the woods. Rain was forecast for the morning. Accordingly, I put on my sandals and stored my hiking shoes into the backpack.I hit the trail and within minutes, the rain arrived. At about the same time, the horseflies attacked. This had to be the worst horsefly assault so far. Those bugs have a knack for landing on a person and biting quickly. I used a bandana to brush them away from my neck and head; the tactic worked. Up ahead, Wipeout did not fare as well. The horseflies bit her several times.Wipeout and I agreed that the last few days have been especially trying due to the high temperatures, excessive humidity, insect problems, and tiredness. We discussed the fact on a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, mental toughness is just as important as physical stamina.I crossed paths with two local hikers who warned about rattlesnakes along a particular stretch of the trail. When I got there, someone had placed a sign indicating a spot where he had seen a rattlesnake. The sides of the trail¢and potential snakes¢were somewhat concealed by mountain laurel bushes. I dangled a bandana from my hand as I walked along this section of the trail. If I happened to startle a rattle snake, it would hopefully lunge toward the bandana instead of my legs. Fortunately, I passed through this area without incident.After hiking for seventeen miles, I ended up at the Raush Gap Shelter which was occupied by Gather, Wipeout, Tex, and Baloo. It was a tiny shelter. A thunderstorm struck and the ground in front of the shelter became flooded. A leak in the back wall caused water to flow across the floor. We wondered how it would be possible for us to sleep on the floor, make room for each other, and remain dry.The outhouse was also a problem. The pile of excrement had risen close to the bottom of the toilet. The smell was so bad that I had to place a rock at the bottom of the door to keep it open and enable fresh air to enter the structure. I told the other hikers that I would string up my hammock and tarp in the nearby woods, thus opening up some room on the floor of the shelter.I have been wondering if my journal entries overemphasize the negative aspects of this journey and not say enough about the positive things that happen. I pondered over this notion while hiking and came to some conclusions; here they are:On this journey, there have been more unpleasant experiences for me than pleasant ones. Every day offers up all kinds of hardships; some of them are common and obvious, like having to climb steep ascents, dealing with the heat, bug attacks, being filthy and smelly, hiking in the rain and wearing wet clothes. There is sleep deprivation. There is seeping malnutrition. Because these discomforts are so frequent and impact me so directly, they are often mentioned in my journal.There are nice experiences that I write about, although with less frequency. Recent examples include the lighting of sparklers with my fellow hikers to celebrate the half way point, the generosity of those people at family reunions who offered me food, and the wonderful scenic overlook in Maryland called Hi Rock.What I have not written enough about are my nuanced reactions to the Appalachian Trail. Here is an example:Last evening at the shelter, I relaxed at the picnic table and enjoyed the view of the forest; it was shrouded by a mist that was hauntingly beautiful and mesmerizing to view. The trees appeared like gray silhouettes with varying shades of darkness. Tex, a hiker in the shelter, remarked that the scene appeared medieval. I told him that as I stared into the mist, I wished the silhouette of a dark knight on a horse would approach into view. This morning, the same mist permeated the woods. The view from the shelter was the same but my reaction was different. I regarded the mist, or fog, not as an object of beauty, but as a harbinger of rain. And I do not like hiking in the rain.Something else I have not mentioned is the positive aspects of hardship.When I endure the hardships on this trail, there are other hikers feeling the same pressures. This sharing of hardships creates a bond between hikers. It promotes fellowship.These hardships are strengthening my character. Just today for example, I was hiking the last few miles when I heard the distant rumblings of thunder; this usually means a thunder storm is approaching. My usual reaction has been a growing sense of anxiety and nervousness, and a strong desire to seek shelter as soon as possible. This time, I felt a sense of concern, but with less anxiety.Perhaps my exposure to all of these hardships is strengthening my ability to handle stress with greater calm, which is something valuable I can take back home with me. The hardships that I am enduring on trail seem to take the center stage in my journal entries. But there are good things happening to me on this journey, some of them are obvious and some of them are subtle.