Date: 2014-05-15
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Helvey's Mill Shelter
Miles today: 14.0

I moved very slowly in the shelter this morning. Partly I was deciding do I venture out in the rain which I will if its not thunder-storming. By 10 AM I had breakfast and packed everything up. I donned hat, raincoat then buckled on backpack. I adjusted the trekking poles for the muddy trail, bid those holing it up for the day adieu and sallied forth.The raincoat was comfortable until it quit raining, then off it came. The 15 degree drop in temperature made hill climbs a piece of cake. I made the 14 miles in seven hours including break times. If I can average 2 miles an hour I am satisfied with my progress.The forecast had been for heavy rain and apparently quite a bit fell since it started at 4 AM last night. The pine needles had been washed off the trail. When I arrived at Large Creek, the water sounded awesome as it poured over a some drops above and below the bridge. (Maybe it was Hunting Creek since I had just exited the Hunting Creek Wilderness.)My first climb had comfortable switchbacks and later the trail followed an old roadbed around the mountain just a little below the crest. Most of the old roads have decent grades to ascend or descend.For awhile all I could see beyond the trees was glimpses of a parallel ridge and fog swirling up from the valley. The plants for today are the ferns. At least three varieties are growing along the trail up to 30" tall. A squirrel scampered along the trail in front of me for 30 feet once. He kept stopping to nibble something and then going on but at the same time watching me over his shoulder. Usually they dash away immediately. Later as I continued around the ridge, I began to see some farms and then began to pick up the sound of trucks cruising up and down the hills of Interstate 77. Each turn around the ridge it increased in volume and I picked up my pace knowing that was on my route today. Soon I could see one of the curves deep in the valley with the cars looking like matchbox cars moving in slow motion. I was expecting I would have to descend into a valley and cross over but when I got a closer view of the highway, I could tell the trucks were laboring up a mountain, which meant I would intersect in a gap.Through the gap, I could see more mountains coming into view. I think I have driven this highway. The highway goes through an enormous cut in the mountain. The power of the big machines is almost overwhelming compared to the quiet of the forest. But personal too, as I was snapping a photo of a truck passing beneath me the driver greeted me with a blast on the air horn. Perhaps seeing me with my backpack, he was aware I was on another interstate pathway but moving at a different pace.I received a call from Marcia that 2 grandchildren were sick and we prayed over the phone. I was soon off the road and back into the forest climbing another hill. But as I continued the prayer, the hill went by quickly and I was soon at the shelter. Saying the Jesus Prayer for myself and others always makes the hills go by quicker.I never know when I walk up to a shelter how many people will be there. Tonight I was the first and so far the only one. Some are gone to Trail Days in Damascus, some stayed put for today, and others did more miles than I did today. It makes it easier to do the journal entry when its quiet.It is almost 7 pm now, the rain is slacking up but the temperature is falling. Good sleeping tonight.