Date: 2004-07-19
To: Jamaica Plain
Miles today: 4.4

Jamaica Plain {home}4.4 miles,mile 1502.8 on ATWell it was not a great night and it was not a good day. Last night I wascooking dinner and just as the water came to a boil the pot fell over and thanmy stove went out because it ran out of fuel. Than, this guy stayed up late inthe shelter than around 11:00 PM he starts getting his bed roll ready frist onone side of me and than after making all this noise and waking me he decides tomove to the other side of the shelter with an equal amount of noise. Now I amreally awake and he falls right to sleep and imediately starts snoring. Nowthere are 10 other people in the shelter and no one but this guy is snoring andit takes me forever to fall asleep. So things were not going well and in themorning it was still raining and I could not make a cup of tea. But I figured I had only one long day today and than a short seven miles tomorrow and I wouldtake five days off and be in my own place in my own bed. Well it was just likeyesterday lots of slick rocks and a few slips. Hobbes had left just ahead of me and I was supprized I had not caught him, but I knew I was moving slow and was already thinking that 22 miles was going to be hard to make. I was getting impatient to get off this mountain as its steep slippery rocks were getting just a bit much. It finlly looked like I was headed down and was negotiating another big rock when I saw sme people comming up the trail. I heard a guy say "OK kids step to the side of the trail a hiker is comming down" and than down I went. I lost my footing and slide down the rockand when I hit the botom I rolled hitting my head and knee. I was a bit stunned but my knee was in excruciating pain. Than I noticed blood dripping down my glasses. I put my hand to my head and it was just dripping with blood. The two leaders of the group that was in front of me came running forward. They looked about 18 and quite scared but they said they were trained in wilderness first aid and they performed well. The pulled out their first aid kit put on gloves and gave me a bandage to hold it to my head. I was still much more worried about my knee but at least that was not bleeding much. I started to feel a little faint but the image of me being bundled up and evacuated by helicopter was scarry enough to wake me. I knew ifI "passed out" these two kids would freak out. So, I said "I am ging to laydown for a bit" and they immediately understood that that might be a good idea. I felt much better as soon as I layed down. In a few minutes I was sitting again and the bleding had stopped and my knee even felt better. About that time Hobbes, who is a physicians assistant, came by said that he had fallen also and scrapped up his arm. He looked at my head and said it looked to be only a half-inch cut. He would walk with me down the mountain and we both agreed that we would go into town when we hit the first road and take the rest of the day off. I would see if there was any way to get picked up today rahter than tomorrow. I thanked my rescuers, they looked very ! happy to be rid of me. We made down the rest of the mountain without incident. My knee was sore but if I was carful I could walk. Hobbes and I walked into South Egremount. At the first store we came to we got coffee and the woman atthe counter loked at me and said "are you OK" I said I thought so, and sheseemed to not want to know more. I asked Hobbes if I looked that bad and hesaid "You look a mess". Well to make the story short My friend Dave was freeand could come and get me. I was relieved as I knew I did not want to bewalking around much and wanted to be clean and in bed. Needless to say that wasa quite enjoyable showere getting a weks worth of dirt and all that blood off of me. I got fed by Dave and Michelle and Consi and Marten and drifted off to sleep in my comfortable bed with my knee up on three pillows.