Date: 2003-06-18
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Jenning's Creek
Miles today: 16.9

My cough was horrible last night. I took Nyquil and two hours later I was coughing like crazy. It went on and on forever. I ended up taking a second dose of Nyquil hoping it would help me sleep. I was worried about waking everyone in the shelter, but I heard alot of snoring even when I was coughing so I didn't feel too bad. Until Tom, one of the section hikers woke up and told me he had some tylenol and I could have some if it would help. What I wanted to say was give me a couple shots of Jack Daniel's and know me out.The second dose of Nyquil seemed to help. In the morning Tom gave Wood's Dragon and I each a huge beautiful orange. It tasted soooooo good and I took at least a half an hour to peel and eat it, savoring each bite. I must uncover a secret. That was the first orange I peeled and ate the whole thing - ever in my life. My first orange eating attempt was one of the oranges from the convict trail magic, but I got frustrated and gave half of it to Tuscon. I don't know why I had a thing against oranges for 28 years, but it has been resolved. I must have had a seed or skin phobia or something.Deer, mice, snakes oh my!We had the most interesting rattle snake encounter today. First of all, this dude was on the trail. He was big, fat, black and grey. He was stretched out mostly on the AT and his head was off the trail. It wasn't moving, breathing, twitching his tounge or anything. We stomped our feet and hiking poles hoping to get it to move off the trail. Nothing. Maybe it was dead???? ha ha ha haWe then had the great idea of throwing sticks and small rocks at it just to get some kind of movement. Nothing. Wood's Dragon walked around its tail end, a little too close for my comfort, but she did give it some distance. Well, that got the snake to move its head in my direction. So Wood's Dragon started banging her poles again to get it to move or at least divert its attention away from me so I could walk around it. Wellllll................all of a sudden it took a breath, rattled and coiled. We both screamed and took off running in opposite directions. I then cried out to her, "Don't leave me!" She ended up wathing the snake from a safe distance while I took a long detour around it. Retellin this story makes us both laugh really hard. Today we learned how to piss off a rattle snake, and that you really shouldn't do it.But our snake encounters weren't over. Next was a long, but not fat black snake. Wood's Dragon talked it into moving off the trail. As I passed it decided to swing back towards the trail and I knew it wanted a piece of me. I ran. We know that the black snakes aren't poisenous, but they will bite. Several other hikers have told us about running into some mean black snakes that have actually chased them.Ok..some are we done with the snakes yet? No way. We got to a shelter for a break and read in the shelter register that a couple nights ago a copperhead spooned with Aftershock in his tent. Now I don't know anymore of the details like if his tent was open, or if he sleeps in a tarp. What I do know is that there was no way I was going to stay at that shelter knowing a copperhead was lurking around.Despite being sick today and all of our snake encounters, the hiking was good overall. I didn't have any major aches and my feet felt fantastic.We are camping at a large creek/swimming hole. Turns out this area is also the local hangout for teenagers, on a rainy night??? At least they aren't finding fun in harassing hikers. We all kept to ourselves and there were no conflicts.We thought we may have a break in the rain today, but no. When we got to the creek it was drizzling. After setting up the tents and eating it was raining. After walking to a picnic area to get real good tasting water, it was pouring. So now I am in my wet tent with wet clothes, wet rain jacket, and wet shoes that I somehow have to arrange to dry out and leave enough space for me to sleep. Will it ever stop raining??