Date: 2004-08-11
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Melville Nauheim Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: haze

Start Seth Warner ShelterDestination Melville Nauheim Shelter Vermont has not impressed me yet. For the most part, the trail has been one big mud bog after another. At one point I was literally walking on water. Well, the bog boards under my feet were right at the water's level. I was glad it had not rained. From early this morning the clouds were grey and the skies overcast. I hiked along most of the morning just waiting for the rain to come pouring down. You know, I think sometimes we get our mind on the dark skies that threaten us and we lose sight of the shelter that we have in the Lord. We spend countless hours, yes even days worrying about things that for the most part do not ever come to fruition. Or we worry about things which we have absolutely no control over. We lose sight of the moment we have, as we worry about what might or might not come to pass. I spent all morning worrying about the rain that never did materialize. Yes, the skies were dark, sometimes so dark it seemed like I was walking at dusk, the wind howled through the tress, with each burst I knew rain was imminent. I took no pleasure in the coolness of the forest, or the lack of biting bugs kept away by the breeze. Instead, all I could focus on was the fact that it might rain. And so what if it did? Just what exactly could I have done? Not a thing, except maybe set up my tent and wait out the rain, or stop at the next shelter. By lunch time I was sufficiently aware that I can get caught up in worrying too much, and therefore miss the comfort and provision of my heavenly Father. I was tired of watching the sky and worrying. I stopped at a beautiful stream and decided to eat lunch there, rather than go onto the shelter. I mulled things over in my mind, things in my life that I have been worrying about. Things I can do-nothing about, things that may or may not ever happen. I had a" come to Jesus" meeting right there on the bank, confessing my lack of trust in him for my life's concerns. I gave him all the issues that I am hopelessly inadequate to deal with, much less know what to do if I could do anything about them. Then the sun came out, basking the woods and the stream in rays of light. I fixed lunch, got my book out and took me a long break. I have not been able to read at night because the new batteries I bought for my headlamp are not any good. I have to watch how much I use the headlamp, so I don't end up without any light at all at night. By late afternoon I was slowly picking my way down to the road crossing. On the profile map, this dip in the trail looks like a "V" .For just under two miles the elevation drops 1000 ft. That in it self isn't too bad, except that on the other side of the highway, the trail goes right back up the 1000 foot elevation. I had entertained the notion of maybe going farther today than I had planned, but with the steep descent and equally steep assent, I decided to call it a day. For the first time since I have been out here this time, I am alone at the shelter. I fixed my supper, mashed potatoes, hot spicy tea, and chocolate chip cookies. I would have loved to have sat outside to eat, but the black flies decided to use me for their all you can eat buffet. Their bite is worse than yellow flies, so I finally took refuge in my tent to finish eating. I have hung my food bag up in a tree tonight, not so much from the bears that might be around, but from the resident chipmunk that scurries here and there, eyeing me, looking for a dropped crumb outside my tent. The wind seems to have dropped the temperature a couple degrees. Maybe the rain is on its way in tonight. I staked my tent side down close to the ground just in case it does rain. Total miles 13.1