Date: 2007-08-11
From: Hall Mtn Lean-to

To: Bemis Mtn Lean-to
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Diesel pummeled by Appalachian Trail.It started just like any other day. I woke up around 5:30 and laid in my sleeping bag gathering my thoughts. By 6:00 the group of kids were up making lots of noise. I just stayed in my tent until they left around 7:00. I eventually packed up and headed out at 8:30. A few miles down the trail I started passing slack packers heading south. Rockman was among them. I stopped and talked to him for a while. He was staying in Andover again tonight. Once again I considered the possibility of going to Andover at the next road. I passed Ben and Amanda slack packing with Amanda's parents. A lot of the trail was steep and rocky today. I was hiking along a ridge on a flat section of trail when my hiking pole and my foot got tangled up. I am not sure how it happened, but the next thing I knew I pole vaulted over my other hiking stick and dove face first into the trail with my 35 lb. pack pounding me in the back of the head. Everything went black for a second then I started to think things through. I freed up my hands and lifted my face off the ground. I could see blood as I tried to wipe my face. Fortunately the trail was the flattest clearest trail I have been on in weeks. There were no rocks or roots where I hit. I figured out that I only had a busted lip and I was okay. I left a 3 inch deep crater in the trail.I now reconsidered going to town again. I am running low on energy and just don't seem to be as alert and able to react as well as normal. It almost seems like similar affects as when someone gets hypothermia. When I got to South Arm Rd there was a sobo there finishing lunch. I talked to him then considered town once more. I decided I should go to town and eat for a day. I pulled out my cell phone and turned it on to call the hostel. There was no reception. I could try hitching but there weren't many cars on this road and my hitching luck hasn't been to good. I decided to cook some mac & cheese then continue hiking. It was 8.7 miles to the next shelter. I only saw 4 other hikers all afternoon. I passed a couple north bound hikers and then two sobos, Runway and Roy. Roy actually flip-flopped at Damascus, VA. It was after 6 PM and I was growing weary. I stepped on a tree root and as I transferred my weight to that foot, my foot slid down the root throwing me off balance and onto the ground. Fortunately this time I was able to use my hand to break my fall and didn't hurt anything. Another half mile later I was slowly making my way down one of those sloped wet rocks when my foot again slid out from under me. This time my knee crashed into the rock and then I rolled hitting my elbow and forearm on another rock before coming to rest in a large mud puddle with my face just inches from a board walk. I don't know what is happening these days. Am I just be careless? Is my visual perception impaired? Is my balance and coordination out of whack? I don't know, but I better get back on track. I am fortunate these falls occurred where they did. There are many places on the trail where a fall like these could cause serious injury or worse. I really hit the ground hard with my forehead. If there had been a boulder there instead of dirt I wouldn't have been able to brush off and keep hiking.I hope to make it to Rangeley tomorrow where I plan to stay at least two nights and eat lots of food. I felt much better after doing that in Glencliff. I plan to stop about every three days now, instead of going 6 days between stops. This should help me get more calories and rest.I am doing well in spite of my worst day of falls on the trail. Only 238 more miles to go.