Date: 2017-06-06
From: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center Picnic Pavilion

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: mist

It rained off and on during the night which made the 7 of us all glad to be under a pavilion and out of it.  Because it was so gloomy last evening we were all in our bags by 7 pm.  Thus at sunrise 5:30 am everyone was getting up to go.It was mostly dry in the morning with occasional  drizzle.  I was coming down Canopus Hill about 4 miles into the day when the Big Adventure began.  The trail being wet made everything very slick as usual.  Somehow when coming down a steep section I stepped on a very small root which possibly broke or slipped on me, but in any case my footing failed me and I did a head forward full fall on a down-hill slope.  The first body part that made contact with the ground was the forehead, and it hit a small rock in the trail covered by leaves and trail debris.  I heard (and felt) a cracking thudding sound, but did not go unconscious though I had blurred vision for 30 seconds.  It took a while to stop the bleeding, but finally things were organized, I could get to my feet without problem, and could continue the hike 15 more miles to this shelter.  What else was there to do?  No point sitting in the rain and pouting.A few miles later I passed a state park with a building that had a faucet on the outside for hikers to use.  I cleaned up my handkerchief and my dew-rag, and saw that quite a bit of blood had come out.  Oh well, facial injuries can be bloody, and otherwise I feel fine.Upon arrival at this shelter, Medicine Man took a long look at the wound (remember, I have no mirror so cannot see what's there) and said that it was very scabbed and probably a very deep wound.  He strongly advised me to get into town and get this taken care of, for infection if nothing else.  And he thought it might take a stitch or two.  Being in a remote shelter (there WAS a country road immediately at hand which is very unusual), this was going to be a big hassle and very expensive.  How about if I hike another day and then go into Pawling to get it looked at, a town I could reach in 20 miles?  Medicine Man remained insistent.  Without asking me, he called his wife Ginny on the cell phone (who happens to be a nurse) and put her to work.  She researched an urgent care facility in the area and several transportation options until she found a taxi company willing to come out and get me.  Then Medicine Man told me it was all possible and that I REALLY should go get it looked at.  So I gave in.  It took 20 minutes to go the 20 miles to Wappingers Falls NY urgent care facility ($35).  The doctor flushed the wound (that was the most painful part), put in seven stitches, and gave me a tetanus shot and antibiotic prescription.  When she told me she could see my skull, I knew this was the right decision.  $210 at the urgent care facility, $45 for a taxi to get me back to the shelter which was very difficult to find in the dark.  Everyone except Groceries was asleep when I got there.Two awesome trail angels made it happen. Medicine Man persistently said I should really go in, and he took the initiative to get things lined up by way of his wife Ginny.  The other angel was Ginny herself.  She got on the internet and located both the urgent care center and a taxi company that would come get me.  None of that was possible for me to coordinate which is what made going another day to Pawling seeming to be the best solution.  I owe you two a lot!Reviewing it all, clearly God's mercy was a work in a major way: the accident itself was phenomenally minor, all things considered (billions of rocks... could have broken ribs, teeth, face...); it's a shelter with a road at hand (rare); Mr and Mrs Medicine Man; urgent care and a taxi nearby.  Thanks to everyone who has been praying for me.  I have such a sense of God's hand over me.  And I haven't lost an extra day hiking!`Days since last shower: 2