Date: 2013-04-15
From: Knot Maul Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I'll try to frankly describe a hard day on the A.T. It rained steady for about five hours during the night. Those in the shelter were dry, but my tent allowed in a significant amount of water. Several times I shifted things around as best I could, but my sleeping bag did get wet. It wasn't a great night's sleep. In the morning, I packed up a wet and thus heavy tent. The rain had stopped but cold, damp clouds settled in for the day. We hiked in a soggy gray-ness. Several times I wasn't sure if it was actually raining, or if the branches were just dripping on us when the chilling winds blew. The trail had large sections with numerous large rocks that we had to step over, around, or on. The rocks were very slick, as were the wet leaves. I lost my balance and skidded on the leaves or mud several times and my hiking polls prevented many falls. Late in the day, Hoosier and I both took serious falls. Mine came within a half a mile of the shelter area that we stayed at that night. I was hurrying recklessly and paid the price for not being more deliberate and careful. I am grateful that neither Hoosier or I were injured but are only a little sore. Earlier in the day we had lunch at a shelter that was dry and protected, and we enjoyed boiling water and making a cup of instant coffee. The group we were with the night before arrived and left at different times, but through the lunch break we did see everyone.The morning featured two significant climbs. We were anticipating an easier afternoon, since the A.T. elevation charts showed little elevation change for the first seven miles of the afternoon's hike. That proved to be very misleading. The trail followed the ridged line, and it seemed like it was always going up or down with sharp, rocky 20-30 yard inclines or descents. It was hard work and slow going on the rocky, slippery terrain. At one point, we came to a wooden sign that said, "views" with an arrow pointing to what should have been a beautiful view. Our view was only more gray-ness (although I think that the forest shrouded in gray has a certain kind of eerie beauty). We found a cooler beside the trail full of soda-pop and Little Debbie Snack bars. A note on it said it was from a 2006 thru-hiker who wanted to give back since so many had been so kind to him on his hike. After a very long, tiring day on the trail, we arrived at the shelter and found it completely full. There are 20 thru-hikers at this site tonight. So I put up, and am staying in, my wet tent again tonight. Hoosier's tent is close enough to mine that we can converse while still in our separate tents. He just told me, "I'm tired. My body hurts. My leg aches, but I'm loving it. It was a hard day, but I'm singing when the evening comes." I understand and agree. This is exactly where I wanted to be today, and I never lost the joy of the journey even as a blister formed on my foot and my legs grew heavy. When we arrived at the shelter at the end of the day. Rash, Caribou, and Dovetail told us their plans for tomorrow and asked us to join them. Dovetail said we were their favorite people on the trail. You can't imagine how much that means to us. (I hope it's okay for me to share that). Hoosier is respected and well liked by all. He is in his element out here. He can move smoothly between talking about the Lord to quoting all the lyrics from all of Bob Dylan's songs. I'll share another special moment around the campfire that perhaps will give you insight as to how Hoosier reaches out to everyone. I won't use the hikers name but we had often come in contact with a hiker that it seemed was trying a little too hard to be accepted and be "in". Nickelodeon (not his real trail name) had done some things that were frowned upon by many. At one point around the campfire something prompted Hoosier to say in front of everyone, "Nickelodeon, you are a good man." Things suddenly got very quiet and Nickelodeon mumbled a response something to the effect that he was not good and there was a little forced from the group. Hoosier walked up to him and looked him in the eye and steadily said, "I think you are a good man." No one laughed and after an awkward silence the conversation moved on. I am in my tent now thinking about what Hoosier said. I know, and everyone else knows, Hoosier was not endorsing Nickelodeon's behavior or choices. I think he was simply speaking into him words of unconditional love and acceptance. Words of belief in him and who he could be. I am guessing that Nickelodeon will never forget that brief interaction with Hoosier.We'll be up early tomorrow and back at it, smiling and ready to go.