Date: 2005-04-28
From: Rich Mt Campsight

To: HogBack Ridge shelter
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: overcast clouds

OK- I went though and updated yesterdays entries for the 26th and 27th and so everything is up to date as far as what I ahve written so far, and so now I still need to write about the 28 through the 30. Thursday April 28:Wow. What a beautiful morning after all of this rain I have been getting pounded with. Literally pounded, by the way. When you live outdoors, you just cannot escape the rains sounds as when you in a shelter, you hear the pounding on the roof, and when you hiking, you hear the pittering on you rain coat hood. It is everywhere, and there is nowhere to hide from from it- But this morning there was an amazinlgy blue sky and so I ate a long breakfast with everyone at the shelter who was surprised that I waited around and ate with everyone since they all classify me as an ultralighter, (person who packs,lightly and moves quickly), and so they all joked on me again this morning around the fire they had rekindled. Mr. Fusion pulled out a Pabst Blue Ribbon that he had packed in and so I took a drink to start off the day in a laid back fasion. I ran across many interesting things over the course of this long and interesting day. I saw some bear tracks and scat, two turkeys, two different civil war era graveyards, an abandoned log cabin village, and a few bunnies. My tent was still a little wet when I packed it that morning but it wasn't that bad. While the skies were still clear I trekked up to an amazing rocky outcropping this morning that offered amazing 360 degree views of the surrounding tennessee and north carolina countrysides and the villages they contain were visible but distant, as if they were in snow globes or something- you could see them, but knew you couldn't actually touch them.I saw a hiker named lightfoot bouldering on some nice rocks (practicing rock climbing) after I decended from the view.I took a nap when I got to the first shelter after lunch and it was nice, but then the clouds started rolling in and we were all somewhat shocked.It rained all the way to the next shelter and so I took another nap when I got there holing it would stop so I could hike on because I needed to make big mileage that day to compensate for my short day previously. It didn't stop raining and I was in a daze the whole day anyways so I went ou8t and started hiking to an unknown location, trying to get as faar as possible with plans to probably stop at a campsight where I could tent and that would out at a 19 mile day. I started thinking as I hiked in the rain about how I should somewhat unhappy about the rain constantly falling on me for all these days. And then I started trying to think about if I was even happy and I realized I was still joyous even in this rain and I wondered why! I thought about what else I could be doing, like sitting at home warm and dry, watching tv, and eating good food, and I knew I would rather still be doing this! It feels so great to be beating all of this crap that mother nature can throw at me! Rain and snow hasn't stopped me and it makes me feel great! I thought about my nephew Todd who asked me a few times, "Who would you do that!?" when talking about my hike, and being in the fourth grade, his expressions are so vivid that you can really since his bewilderment about why I would want to leave the nice civilized living I was used to behind to go live in the woods and hike. I realized this is an amazing opportunity to get to know myself better and the more we know ourselves, the more we can reach happiness because we can know better how to direct ourselves. It is hard to explain how knowing yourself helps you to avert misfortune and and melancholy attittudes, but knowing ourselves and being in tune with ourselves is the greatest tool we have in achieving happiness. That is why i love hiking at manageable paces and not rushing to quickly, because I can think a lot. It is also a good feeling that even in this bad weather, the trail has tought me that things continuously keep working out in my favor since I have been open to anything and so it has been so awesome and enlightening as to how to not throw in the towel and to keep positive spirits because things change quickly, and sunshine can always be right around the corner. It is funny how I have been so comfortable mentally and physically out here as oposed to how uncomfortable I thought I would be physically and mentally. It has been so freeing and great being out here. Don't get me wrong, this hike has been REALLY hard, but I am not feeling like total death yet, I think maybe because I am learning so much out here about life, and mentally I am doing so wonderful. I think the reason why the bad weather hasn't brought me down is because it is an obstacle and I have overcome them all, snow and rain, and so it is actually good and it builds positive pride in myself. I got to hike past some really beautiful waterfalls in the rain that afternoon, and i started to realize how hard it can be to hike in a land that has had so amny days of continuous rain, and even though I was doing great, I did realize finally how bad the rain can be and how after a long time, it really can start to moralize someone, and even though I knew I had beaten it so far, I began to thank god I had made it this far, with such a good attitude anout it because I the many blessings I have received so far that make it all worth it. I finally got to the campsight I was planning on staying at that night, and since it was still raining and the sight wasn't that scenic anyways, I decided to go ahead and push on to the shelter and make it a huge day of over twenty miles. I finally made it to the shelter and it had stopped raining long enough to set up my tent and cook dinner all in a few minutes, and then I hit the sack as I was tired and it was really late. I stayed dry and comfortable in my tent and I was glad I could sleep in the following mrning since I did so many miles today, and so I slept good in the thunderstorms that rolled back in after I was inside my tent.Take it easy everyone!