Date: 2006-06-13
From: Rock Springs Hut

To: Pass Mt Hut
Miles today: 15.3

I slept in. I can't get off Montreal's schedule unless I stall. There's no way I can out hike him now. He's got his trail legs and he's flying. So, I tried a new rhythm. Hanging out! Hiked to the horse stables with Dirt Diva, Compass Rose and Sticks. We were on time, but there were no horses available. We could wait till 3 pm, but no, off we went to Skyland Lodge for breakfast. We joined Kenny, Julia and Appleseed for a great omelette breakfast, then sat on the rocks outside soaking up the sunshine and waited till they served lunch. We were chowing down our pot pie and Blackberry ice cream when FDR and Mulligan pulled up a table next to us. Mulligan sneezed, and then went completely unresponsive in his chair. His head slumped down on his chest. Julia poked him a couple times, but he wouldn't respond, Now it was getting scary! She kept poking him, FDR shouted at him, no response. So, I got out of my chair, went around behind him and tried to get a carotid pulse. Nothing. I asked for help and we set him down on the floor, fearing I may have to do CPR or something. But he started to stir. He sat up and mumbled something. I found a carotid pulse, but couldn't find a radial. Anyways, he was breathing and talking and he seemed to know where he was. He said this had happened once before about 10 years ago. So, I relaxed a little. I figured he just vageled and would be fine, but just to be sure, I asked if I could call him and ambulance. He thought that might be a good idea and so that's what we did. Thanks FDR, Kenny, and Julia and everyone for your help. My medical training was like in a distant past, but it did come back and it made me feel better kinda knowing what to do and what was going on. What struck me was that I didn't know much to tell the medics before they arrived. I knew his age, but not even his real name. I know he told me back in Fontana, but that was ages ago, we just used trail names. I told them it was John something and he was 63. Did he have any family? I didn't know. Did he have any medical issues? I didn't know? Did I have an address? No. We waited around till the ambulance got there, they checked him out and decided he needed to go to the hospital. So, sometime during the interim, we cooked up a plan to hitch ahead 10 miles, slackpack back to the Lodge and eat dinner there, before hitching back to camp. Sticks gave up on the hitch and hiked out, but 7 of us found a ride in the back of a chip truck. FDR, Johnny Appleseed, Dirt Diva, Compass Rose, Kenny, Julia and I. We busted out the 10 miles in like 3 hours and 15 minutes even stopping at Mary's rock and taking a break while Julia got her fleece back she had left behind from Pillbox. and it was uphill too! Most slackers try to get hitches to the tops of hills, not the bottoms! Anyways, we called it Celebrate Virgina Day! I figured it deserved a slack! So, I ate dinner again at the same place I had eaten breakfast and lunch. And to make the day just perfect, who walked in, Yup, Mulligan! All in one piece with his blood pressure medicine cut in half! So, Prime rib it is! Scalloped potatoes, beans and Blackberry Cobbler! This time I got his name, and address! We watched the cloggers and then hitched back with Chainsaw. It took two loads, but it worked out great. I hung back on the second load and rode back with FDR who had a very inadequate light, and Johnny Appleseed. Johnny's got his own trail woes! The school teachers had saved me a spot in the shelter and I was in bed 10 minutes after arriving in camp. Although I forgot to put my jellybeans in the food bag and I listened to the mice knaw on them in my pack!