Date: 2005-04-09
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

Ahh... a 14+ mile day. My longest ever! The day started with Kelly and I hanging out again after everyone packed up and left the shelter. I'm having a blast with this guy. We listen to the same kind of music (jam bands and such). After our hanging out session he of course took off and left me in the dust - as does everyone. I took a blue blaze to the top of Indian Mtn and talked with some weekenders. Then I mosied on down the mountain and met two guys who've been behind me, Brad and Dirty Harry. Both of them were like "You're Saxy Lady!" I'm famous now. :-) They'd seen my name in the registers and were wondering who I was -kinda like with Sunflower. It's some female ahead of me that I've heard about and been dying to meet (probably because there's not many of us out here). Anyway, the point is I'm famous ;-). I still had no water treatment stuff so I was very careful not to overdue the drinking not knowing when I'd run into kelly or Mr. Fusion. I came upon Mooney Gap (83) and sat down to have half a granola bar. this family was unloading their car to camp for the night.   The man came over to me and asked if I was thru-hiking. Then he offered me all these snacks and drinks. It was amazing. I can't remember their names at all so if it's you then make sure you sign my guestbook. I also didn't take a picture. I'm such a poopoohead. Anyway, I got a bunch of little Snickers bars and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups (my favorite) as well as the best Pepsi I've ever had. cold soda is amazing out here after a long day of hiking. They also gave me bottled water. How sweet of them. Next stop - Albert Mountain. I've been hearing about this for days. You have to climb 500 feet in three tenths of a mile! Killer. Before I got to the base there was some trail magic going on. I had heard about it, but honestly didn't believe it would still be there. Yah! The previous magic had pushed me this far and now this magic would push me up Albert. this guy Barry (and Terri who I never met) set up camp to feed thru-hikers. It was originally a burrito station but after almost a month of chilling there they were all out of tortillas and cheese. The vergetarian fare made me more than excited. It was such a cool setup. I finished off the beans and rice so Barry could wash and season the pans for tomorrow. (as usual i was the last one through) Barry is from Maine and followed around the Dead for a good part of his life. No wonder he looked so natural out there on the trail. I hung out for a while and listed to some great music from the 70s on his XM radio. I didn't want to leave but I still had to get over Albert Mtn. After all the trail magic, Albert Mtn was more exciting then ever. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster while approaching it. I don't really know how to explain it, but when I was walking up to it, and the road that skirts around it, it was as if I was walking up to the rollercoaster, examining it on the way as well as what the line looked like. As I got in line (just past the road at the official base) I walked slowly up to the ride itself (a gradual ascent). Before I knew it I was thrust into the cart (this is where the rocks appeared). I was barely crawling up this gigantic never-ending hill - you know, where you can feel every clunk as the grooves in the cart and rail connect. I was constantly tossing my poles up and using my hands to climb. It was so much more entertaining than I thought it would be. At the very top is a firetower. I was already really high in the air, but I get to climb a tower too?! So I rest my pack down against the official sign and head up this metal monster. As I take each turn I'm enthralled by the views. I look down and notice all the initials and names carved into the steps. So I keep walking and staring at each step before placing my foot down and WHACK! The top of it was closed off and I whacked my head on the sliding locked floor panel all because I was staring at my feet. It was pretty humorous. The climb down was not nearly as steep. It was quite pleasant actually after the excitement of the climb. I eventually made it to Big Spring Shelter that evening where I shared my story of bonking my head. I would say today was a magical day considering I started the day off puking. I forgot to mention this at the beginning but I think I O.D.ed on vitamins. I had forgotten to take my nighttime vitamins last night so I took them this morning along with my morning ones. Kelly let me use his waterpump so we went down to the creek together to pump. I felt maucious all of a sudden. After I mentioned my state Kelly made some comment about bulemia. We ended up going on this long rant about how gross that disease is and how it's all society's fault and how unfortunate it is that young people fall for it... and when we get back up to the shelter I give Kelly and Mr. Fusion a strange look, run behind the shelter and puke. Lovely isn't it? Especially after the coversation. Apparently Kelly was trying to make light of the situation. I just found it humerous (besides my embarrassment of course).