Date: 2006-03-30
From: Brown Mt Creek Shelter

To: Seeley-Woodsworth Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: broken clouds

Foot inspection was the first thing on the list for this morning, back of heels still pretty sore so I taped them up good. The rash underneath my left foot was not quite gone so I added moleskin and tape to that too so not to irritate that further. Almost 800 miles and my feet have never looked this terrible with all that tape job. You would think someone just out of a first-aid class had done an overkill job on my feet - well, I have always been for preventative healthcare! The contour lines of todays walk did not seem very bad and I even had to cross a bald so I got pretty excited about today's hike. SLOWLY I walked along carefully testing, feeling, and examining my feet for every step I took. Feet did not yell, scream, or bark at me so I went straight into third gear where I pretty much stayed the rest of the day. I have yet to experience the fifth gear but I am sure that with my heavy pack weight it will be the same feeling I have when I put my Ford Ranger ('91) into fifth gear going uphill! (not much happens until you hit the downhill side!) Amazingly I was able to do 6 miles without stopping to eat - that does not happen often - if at all! Usually my stomach starts growling within 100 ft of leaving the shelter - and that is when I have eaten breakfast. Well, I did eat a good sized dinner last night which was followed up by a quart of hot chocolate and 12 chocolate chip cookies and a granola bar. I can't help but wonder how Indy possibly can be out here and not just survive but actually also hike while living on a dinner consisting of EITHER a package of Ramen OR two packages of oatmeal!!! Maybe it is because he is a section hiker and he is trying to loose weight? Passed through Cow Camp Gap and climbed up to the balds of Cold Mt and Tar Jacket Ridge. It was so nice up there with 65F and the sun shining. Coming down to Hog Camp Gap I saw two swings. I got that nostalgic, silly, childish grin on my face and an irresistable urge to try them out. Before long I was 25 years younger and swinging as high as the branch would allow me - just grinning. If any ranger had passed by at that moment I am sure I would have been questioned about alcohol intake - sorry I am just high on life right now after 800 miles of hiking. During the last two miles my feet were starting to get a little tender and again and I was once again fantasizing about food and cold drinks from the refrigerator, that was when I saw it - right there in the middle of the trail, a big fat juicy drumstick. Must be from a turkey because it was big. My mouth was all watering and I took a second look to see if someone had already taken a bite - only to discover it was just a piece of wood! HELP, I am sure if I I was given the Ink-blot Test right now all I would see was burgers, steaks, fried chicken, milk, fried eggs with small buttermilk bisquits sliced open with butter melting on them and ... Back to reality Red Dane. It was only a piece of wood. I do not know why I am dreaming of all such foods, I am in need of nothing. The creativity and imagination of all the trail angels and all the trail magic (Unexpected surprises out here on the trail - usually in the form of food and drink) leaves me with a full food bag. THANK YOU ALL TRAIL ANGELS. I think evreyone should try to hike for a week or more and have a maildrop sent to them prepared by someone else - it is just a special feeling walking to the post office all jittery with excitement. All the thoughts of food finally got me to the shelter. There I found several books one of them "All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten" I laughed so much - the squirrels probably got a laugh too thinking the trail finally got to one more hiker!