Date: 2008-04-26
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: few clouds

Had the whole shelter to myself last night. Kind of nice. Got to sleep early and got plenty of sleep except for waking up a lot to turn over. I have lost so much weight that my bones are close to the skin and I wake up hurting and have to turn often. Today was interesting. Much better than some of the last week or so. A rather tough climb early put me on top of a long narrow ridge with many boulders. Hiked this ridge for 5 or 6 miles. The boulders, some huge, are positioned in a slant from west to east. The west side is a sheer cliff and drop from about 25 to 50 feet while the east side is slanted about 30 degrees downward, and this is true of the entire ridge. The white blazes are painted on the rocks. After walking this for an hour or so I came to an almost level area about 1/2 mile long and 100 to 150 feet wide. This area was dirt. In this area was many piles of rocks. These rock piles were about 3 feet high by 12 feet across at the base, on average. Most were just piles of rocks but some were carefully positioned almost artistically. They looked as though they could have been there for hundreds of years. There was no sign of habitation. Interesting to wonder about. I paused to examine some and take some photos. The trail finally began it slow descent, winding back and forth, back and forth into the green farming valley below. Once down, the pasture fence crossing began. In one pasture, a farmer was tending to his cows and the were bawling as they always do when the farmer is putting out hay. I love this farm music. In one of his pastures there was 5 burros. When they saw me cross the fence, here they came. They checked my pack out carefully, probably smelling the salt from my perspiration. I petted them and took more photos and left the pasture for the road crossing and the climb up the other side of the valley. This climb took a good two hours. Thought I would never get to the top but I finally made it and began the long walk along the rigde top, this time on a road of sorts. This road led me to the Audie Murphy monument. who was killed there in an airplane crash in 1971. Murphy was the most decorated soldier of WWII and was also an actor. I have seen many of his movies. My favorite is a movie titled "To Hell and Back" where he plays himself. Near the monument is a meditation bench where I paused for a moment of silence in his honor. I have a special respect and appreciation for those who find the courage to push beyond their own fears to risk or give their own life to save the lives of others. I truly believe this is an instinctive act and normal thinking has little or nothing to do with it.As I left the mounument it was about 5:00 P.M. and I still had almost 5 miles to go to reach my planned stop at the Pickle Branch shelter. It began to rain and within 1/2 hour it was an out and out down pour. To make a long story short, I got soaked even though I was wearing a rain suit. I don't know why they make those things because they do very little good. I guess they make them because numb chucks like me are willing to buy them. Anyway, by the time I got to the shelter the rain was pretty much over. There were several college students already there. One of them had his little dog named Gidget who begged me for food as I cooked and ate. I thought of Max my own dog. We all turned in early.