Date: 2003-10-31
From: fire warden's cabin

To: velvet rocks shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: clear sky

a happy halloween to all. i thought about wearing my scrubs as my costume all day, but then i decided against it. i can't be getting those things dirty unless it is in the operating room. i climbed the fire tower on top of smarts mountain early this morning and was greeted by quite a view. the sun was still low in the sky and the valleys were filled with fog. it was a nice way to start the day. the fire tower was swaying in the wind so i didn't stay up there long for fear that it might blow over. all of the falling that i did last week seems to have finally caught up with me. descending from smarts mountain i had an excruciating pain in my knees with every step that i took. and, it didn't take long for me to realize that maybe i shouldn't have pushed those extra miles yesterday. my ankle was a little tender today. i was planning on doing 21 miles so that i could be within spitting distance of hanover tomorrow, but i soon realized that a 21-mile day wasn't a good idea. why push it? why take the risk of screwing things up again? i'm trying to let my body heal, not keep injuring it. i took it nice and slow down to the lyme-dorchester road. after taking a long break in the sun, i decided to hit the road- headed for lyme center. by my calculations i could pick the trail up where it crossed the etna-hanover center road and still be able to get in and out of hanover tomorrow. unfortunately, it looks like this ankle is going to be dictating what kind of hiking i will be doing for a while still. after a road walk (part of which appeared to be on the old AT- i could see faded white blazes on the telephone poles), i found the turn-off that would take me to the trail. lucky for me, a nice woman picked me up and gave me a ride to the trail crossing. i am glad that she did because, otherwise, it would have been a long walk on a road with not much traffic. people have often asked what my favorite part of the trail is. is it the wilds of maine with its remote trails, big mountains, and grand views? is it what i can only imagine the rough and rugged white mountains to be like? is it the rolling hills of virginia? is it the open balds of the roan highlands or southern north carolina? before today i would have been hard pressed to actually choose a favorite part of the trail. but, not long after i regained the trail at the etna-hanover center road, i found it. i started walking through what appeared to be a very old woods. in these woods i was passing old rock walls. neatly stacked, moss covered rock walls. i can only imagine the history that surrounds these walls. who built them? how long have they been here? what did this forest look like when the walls were built; or, was there even a forest at all? the walls were usually about three feet tall and two feet wide. they ran on for as far as i could see in some place! s, eventually disappearing over a hill or among the trees. i would say that this is now my favorite section of trail. i would be very curious to know the history surrounding these walls and this area. the velvet rocks shelter sits only 1.5 miles from the town of hanover. because of this, thought for sure that there would be other people here tonight. but, i am by myself once again. two day-hikers came up to the shelter during the afternoon, but that is it. i guess that everyone is in town partaking in various halloween activities. i hope that no trick-or-treaters show up here. i wouldn't have anything to give them except some stovetop stuffing.