Date: 2004-03-04
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Justus Creek
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: overcast clouds

An owl woke me at dawn this morning. I didn't sleep well but Ifeel well rested. I walked down to the water source first thingand it was a short but awesome journey. I slept beneath a groveof bare trees, but in the walk down to the creek the foilagechanges into a lush green forest of rhododendrons and mountainlaurel. These are TREES with large 8" trunks and so beautiful. I'm trying to develop a system for packing up because I am amongthe last to leave here today, not that I'm in a rush, but I'dhave gladly skipped the sermon from the gabby character that Ifirst met yesterday. He made LOUD conversation with anyone hecould corner and spoke a lot about scripture in the "Bawbul". Hepondered about the source of Long Creek Falls, saying that "thebawbul says that God placed the waters above the sky". Someonesaid, "So, God lives on Mars?"A British man named James passed me on the trail and asked if Iwas the preacher's friend and then another hiker passed me and saidHappy Trails. The "preacher" had set up camp so close to me and it seems I'm guilty by association. Later in the day he offered me a portion of his rice with butter and sugar lunch. I didn't want to listen to a sermon as a token of payment so I reluctantly walked on.Later on I met Warren and Guiness. They are experienced hikers and they said that if we can get through these PUDS with a good attitide then the rest is easily doable. As I sit here on the bank of Justus Creek, where I'll camp tonight, there are a lot of US Army Rangers hiking by in full combat gear-guns included. As I was walking off Justus Mountain a few rangers passed by with less gear, but rifles. Moments later they spent there magazines in a matter of seconds. Very exciting and they are very polite calling me "sir". I'm a little nervous because there are stories about the rangers creeping silently into hikers' camps and playing jokes on them. What more, the creek makes funny noises that sound like voices, both men and women voices! Maybe that is why they call this hollow the "Devils Kitchen".I took a bath and washed my clothes and thoroughly enjoyed the quiet seclusion of my campsite. Then my own comedy of errors ensued. First I had my pocketmail in my shirt pocket and went to the creek for water. Yep! you guessed it. My pocketmail slipped out into the stream. I grabbed it quickly, afraid to turn it on. When I did, it looked fine. I set it down on my tarp and let it dry. A few moments later it turned itself on and there were odd parallel lines filling the screen. I turned it off, then on, and it was fine again. Then it went nuts. I felt so stupid. After worrying for 15 minutes I replaced the battery and it seemed to be ok. If you are reading this... all is well.THEN, I tossed a rope over a branch to hang my bear bag so the bears can't get to my food. Easy. Then the bag was too heavy, breaking the branch. While trying to toss a rope over another branch, I got my rope tangled so I couldn't retrieve it. I then tossed up another rope to try to get it down and it got tangled too. I pulled very hard, but the branch wouldn/t break. Finally the ropes unwound and simply fell down. I'm GABBING way too much.Tomorrow will be a good day. Each day is getting better and I am really enjoying being out here on the trail.   <>