Date: 2013-05-04
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Ewrin Super 8
Miles today: 3.6

Up around seven after a windy-windy night. My tent was still intact, but sleeping not very good. Ate a cold breakfast and broke camp in the still high winds. Breaking camp in high winds is almost as much fun and setting up camp in high winds. Two of the three ladies I met yesterday walked by as I was breaking camp.   The winds were bad where they camped, but, they said it was pretty much above them so not as bad as where I was. I managed to get away by 0745 and finished the one thousand foot climb that I started last night! As I climbed the fog started coming in with the cold wind, so that was fun. As I passed Beauty Spot, a clearing along the ridge, I saw a pickup parked over by the forest service road and I almost walked over to see about getting a ride back into town because the weather was getting worse and rain was expected tomorrow, but I continued on as I still had another 1,000 foot climb ahead of me later today and wanted to get over that next mountain. I made it to Deep Gap and was starting to feel bad again and the congestion and coughing was acting up again. I waited around Deep Gap for a while, sent a text to my son to explain my post on Facebook, which he translated for others. The resonance this time was "They both speak trail talk"! Talked to thru hiker camped there and a couple of other hikers passing by, heading up the mountain.Now the dilemma, could I continue on with the cold, congestion, and cough? I paced back and forth on the trail for at least an hour trying to decide what to do. Was this how my hike was going to end? I decided it was. I cannot deal with the recurring cold, cough, and congestion as it was slowing my already slow pace and I could not see how I was going to finish another 1,900 miles. I sent a text to Margaret to let her know I was coming home. I was a very hard decision to make, but, my health is more important that the hike.I started hiking on the F. S. road and about mile later two gentlemen came by but said they were only going a little further and I told them if they were going to the top of the hill, I would take it and jumped into the back of the Pickup. When they stopped they told me they would not be here long and if I waited, they could take me into town. I waited!Back to the Super 8 and start making plans to get home. I met Lumber Jack (for his chain saw snoring, I guess). I had met him just before Fontana Dam. I told him to come to my room and I would give him some of my food and other supplies that I no longer needed. He was grateful and that he no longer needed to go to the grocery store for supplies. Glad I could do a little trail magic before leaving town. I would have left most of it in the hiker box, but this was much better. For those who have followed my adventures, thank you and I hoped you enjoyed them as much as I did. I am disappointed that I had to end my hike, but I am not disappointed in my accomplishment. I am 66 years old, on my first backing adventure, and hiked over 300 miles in the woods, through the rain, freezing rains, snow, sleet, high winds and freezing temperatures and love it (well, most of anyway). I met a lot of great people along the way. Will I attempt this again? Probably not. This was a test by and for me, and I passed! -- May 08,2013 -- I am home now and still have the congestion, but the cough has subsided some what. I feel fine but I know for sure that I made the right decision to leave the trail. The warm 'dry' heat of AZ will feel good for a while.