Date: 2004-04-21
From: Shelton Groves

To: Hogback Ridge shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: overcast clouds

10:00 PM Hogback Ridge shelterLast night was the most peaceful night I have experienced since beginning this long walk. There were no machine noises or airplane noises that I noticed. It was like heaven for me.The site where I am tonight is a significant contrast. There is a tree creaking above me that sounds like someone moaning when the wind blows just so.I forgot to write about the stick yesterday. I was climbing over a blown down tree between Blackstack Cliffs and Jerry¢s Cabin, and I leaned on the stick the wrong way. The moleskin supporting the cracked handle ripped a little more. I performed orthopedic surgery on the stick while at Jerry¢s Cabin. Mouse graciously supplied a piece of duct tape for a splint, which I secured with various pieces of string and line. It is not a permanent solution, but it will do for now.I finally got my laundry dry this morning while I made breakfast and packed up my camp. The tent campers that I had passed in the evening went past while I was packing up, then Poppins and his dog Riah, then Mouse, before I got on the trail at 9:05. I made really good time to the Flint Mountain shelter where Mouse and Poppins had stopped for water and lunch. Poppins had more macaroni and refried beans than he could eat at one time, so I gladly accepted his generous offer to share. I saw my first tick of this season, right behind Poppin¢s right ear. I had been doing perfunctory tick checks on myself every few days. I now plan to be more scrupulous about checking every night.The walk today was lovely. The flowers seem to be more glorious in their display day by day. The trilliums are coming out, most are white and some an intense maroon or magenta. There are more trout lilies that I can count. On the slopes of Sugarloaf Mountain, I saw so many different wildflowers that I was overwhelmed. I saw squirrel corn and dutchman¢s breeches growing side by side. Periodically, I start to weep with gratitude at the opportunity to experience such splendid scenes. That¢s why I need so many bandanas, and why I need to do laundry so often.I took a long time getting up Sugarloaf Knob and over Frozen Knob, partly because I wanted to gawk at every single flower, partly because there was a lot of uphill, and partly because I stopped in the shade of many, many tree trunks. It wasn¢t as hot as two days ago, but I still want to avoid sunburn. There was a lovely waterfall as I started up Sugarloaf Knob. I couldn¢t resist taking off my boots and socks for a little wading in the water.I saw no hikers from the time Poppins and Riah passed me shortly after I left Flint Mountain shelter until 6 PM at Rice Gap. Warren Doyle was looking for his son, Manzooka, to bring him some food treats. He had walked up to the Hogback Ridge shelter looking for him, and, not finding him there, was planning to go toward Big Flat until he found him. I greeted him enthusiastically, saying he was the first person I had seen since noon. While I was talking with him, M.C, Brian and their dog Dexter came down the trail. Since I was just putting my backpack on after a potty break when Warren Doyle came down the trail, and then the couple with the skittish dog appeared, I got distracted and left my stick again. I had traveled up the trail for 5 minutes, then I stopped to let the couple with the dog pass me. That¢s when I noticed I didn¢t have my stick. I set my pack down and started to run down the trail. Bad decision. I tripped and fell. I was very lucky I didn¢t really injure myself. It happened so fast. I went down, rolled over my right shoulder and was back on my feet in a flash, but I jammed my right fist on the trail as I rolled. I was afraid I might have broken it at first, but after a while I could tell it was just bruised. Needless to say, I walked the rest of the way to retrieve my stick. Not having any ice on hand, I held my right hand up in the cold evening breeze coming up Hogback Ridge. By the time I arrived at the shelter, shortly after 7:00 PM, I could use my right hand almost normally. I did decide to forego hanging the bear bag tonight. I hung my food and trash from a mouse rope in the shelter.The path to the water from this shelter is 0.3 miles. By the time I had set up my tent and gotten back to the shelter to cook dinner, it was nearly dark. I ate my mashed potatoes and drank my hot chocolate by headlamp. But I wasn¢t the last person to arrive at the shelter. Tree Frog was just starting to cook his dinner when I was finishing mine. Manzooka had to take his headlamp to get his water. Mouse and Poppins had arrived much earlier and were all squared away. MC, Brian and Dexter had their dinner by their tent.Drew is coming in the morning. I hope to get packed up early to get on the trail sooner than I normally do. I did it that morning that I wanted to get to NOC first thing. I suppose I can do it again, but I really need to eat breakfast before hiking 2 miles to Sams Gap. Drew may come up the trail to meet me before I get there, but I could just as easily get distracted after meeting up with him and forget to eat properly. I forgot to put some things I should have on the list I gave Drew. I talked about needing alcohol, but I forgot to write I down. I have about 4 oz of alcohol now. If he doesn¢t bring any, I will be having mostly cold food the rest of the way to Erwin. But that would not be a tragedy. At least the weather is generally warm. But I would miss my morning tea.