Date: 2003-06-04
From: Sarver Hollow Shelter 

To: Mountainside above Trout Creek
Miles today: 0.0

11:00 a.m. - Today, so far, ranks up there as fairly crappy day. It starts with me getting my period and feeling starved since I left the last shelter two hours ago. But the biggest grievance I have today has been the trail, which runs along these nearly vertical slabs of rock. About the only thing (ok, two things) about them that were good were the views of the valley below and the fact that it wasn't raining. I couldn't imagine doing that in the rain; they were slick enough as it was. I think I reached my penultimate level of frustration when I reached the last one. I was at my wits end, sliding down, negotiating each step to ensure my safety, trying to find alternatives to the path at the edge of the rocks - where vegetation was struggling to grow. At last, I lost it, and yelled, pronouncing each syllable carefully and loudly "Mo-ther ****-er." I felt a bit better after my release of anger at the trail. And I've snacked so I don't feel as hungry. It's another couple of miles to the Niday Shelter for lunch. Perhaps my spirits will improve. 9:30 p.m. - I'm tented up here just above Trout Creek where Steamboat, Sings-a-Lot, Windtalker, Pipes, Two Dog and Hot Rod are also camping. It was another SLOW day of hiking for me. The day just seemed to drag on forever. I was so happy to finally reach the creek. If yesterday was cold, then I certainly got what I asked for -warmth - and lots of it. Temperatures today had to have been in the 70s or 80s. I hadn't carried enough water with me to keep me adequately hydrated, so I was really hurting making the climb to the Audie Murphy Monument. Thankfully, there was a bench at the top of the climb where I could sit to eat a second lunch and watch others come off of that beast of a climb. This evening has been wonderful. I lounged by the creek with Sings-a-lot for a while, while Steamboat did some fly fishing. It's nice that he makes the time to do those things along the way that he enjoys. When I went up to camp, despite the abundance of huge ants, I cooked an awesome dinner - consisting of ramen, cheese soup from a hiker box (which has made every meal I've added it to better) and dehydrated veggies from the ramen pack. We enjoyed beautiful views of the sunset dropping behind the mountains we'd just climbed. We were threatened by a storm that never arrived. And conversation by many of the women got in to the graphic detail about underwear and chaffing. My tent is pitched it such an angle that my head is slanted downhill. I have no doubt that it won't matter once I get in and relax. Today was the first time I heard the Cicadas. I was going to use the privy at the Niday Shelter and while I was sitting there in the dark, I heard sirens. It was almost like I was back in my apartment in DC listening to the ambulances and police squeal down the streets ¢ sounds echoing off buildings. As the day progressed their droning sounds played tricks on me, sounding very different depending on my emotion. Sometimes I was so irritated by the constant noise I imagined crickets on crack¢¦whining in their pain. Other times it sounded like dial up internet access - my need to connect with those I love? Probably.