Date: 2016-06-01
From: Daleville

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

The day started out very nice. I started the trail at about 7:45 am and like usual made good time for the first 3 or 4 hours. After that things always seem to slow down. I wonder if it's the same way at work - you know my production falls by 50% in the afternoon. I don't think so but I'm obviously a better hiker in the morning. As I crossed the trail near a highway I saw a nice big sign that listed the 10 Hiking Essentials for Safety, Survival and Basic Comfort. Well your probably not too surprised to hear that I'm missing 5 essential items. Who really need a compass - we discussed this in previous journal remember? Who needs to start a fire - the last I heard Smoky the Bear was against forest fires. The other missing items aren't even worth discussing. I left town with 5 days of food so my pack weighed about 28 pounds. I met a young woman who's hiking with her dog. She said when she started her pack weighed 58 pounds. She is so small I don't know how she did it. By this time the hikers who started in Georgia are doing 15 - 20 miles a day. I don't quite yet have my trail legs so I have to stick at the 10 mile mark for a few weeks. Today I plan to do about 11.5 to Wilson Creek Shelter. After hiking 9 miles in about 5 1/2 hours, I was getting water out of the creek. I slipped on a rock and I hit the ground hard. I landed face first on another rock and my mouth suddenly filled with blood. Yes I also landed on those tender left ribs again. I was going to ignore this little set back but my lip was split open pretty good. Most of the damage was on the inside but it just didn't seem like it would repair itself. Plus being on the AT probably would increase my chances of infection and the way my luck has being running you could rest assured that would happen. I needed to get some anti-biopics. There was another hiker there who actually knew how to use his iPhone. He figured we were about 5 miles from a road where if someone knew the area they could find us. I called Homer who helps hikers with rides but he was 3 hours away. He called his wife Teresa, who came and picked me up and drove me back to Daleville. Teresa is what hikers refer to as a trail angel. They do whatever they can to help other people. For instance sometimes they wait by the trail with a gril and cook food for the hikers or buy the soda etc. Teresa was there when I really needed someone and she drove me to the hospital. She refused any type of compensation. Her reply was you needed help and I'm glad I was there. So I received 7 stitches and a nice fat lip (and bruised ribs - I refused an X-ray - they hurt but Doctor Dean doesn't think they're broken. Dean's Thought of the Day - As I was hiking the 5 miles to the road I was upset about falling again. I was so careful I just don't understand how it happened again. I thought of that old stupid saying "when life gives you lemons - make lemonade". Well I'm officially declaring that I hate that saying, So I'm changing it to "When the shit hits the fan - there's always a mess. Unless you want shit on your hands don't even try and pick up the pieces". That's much better and more realistic don't you think? So don't be talking about about that BS lemonade stuff anymore - remember it's shit hitting the fan. Now re-read these two sayings and think about about each one. Another thought of the day is from my son Kurt. When he found out about my fall he sent me a text. " 6 or 8 stitches that not too bad. Your probably being a little baby about this. Quite whining you'll be fine". He's always been the compassionate member of the Puschnig family. The point is that sometimes you have to be direct and honest with someone. That's exactly what I need to hear every once in the while. According to my IPhone 14 miles in the mountains was 38,733 steps and 169 floors. That stupid Fitbit of mine broke so I threw it off the cliff today being careful not to fall myself of course.