Date: 2006-11-13
From: Raven Rock Hollow, Md

To: Bear's Den Hostel, Va
Miles today: 6.2

I skipped the last two entries because I didn't do any walking...just recovering. :-)))I'm going to talk a little about those two days here on this entry though.I woke up at Bear's Den Hostel on the morning after my fall, the 11th and my left leg was sore and the boo-boo's were still messing up the dressings and my neck was also sore. I even found a small spot on the back of my head that got bumped in the fall....and I need no comments from my friends about that.:-)))The dressing on my leg needed changed, so I took care of that.Queen Diva invited me upstairs for some very good apple pancakes and scrambled eggs along with some Starbuck's that she had left over from another time.I layed around most of the day, took two naps and answered lots of email.Queen Diva invited me upstairs for dinner!! She made pasta with meat sauce and salad. It was the best meat sauce and the best salad I've had all year...thanks Queen Diva!!!I slept well that night, then when I woke up on the 12th, my leg was swollen some and still hurt enough that I didn't want to walk anywhere.Queen Diva was busy that day, so I stayed downstairs and kept my leg elevated most of the day.I had bought a bag of Starbuck's yesterday, so I made a pot of coffee and figured this recovery stuff ain't so bad after all. :-)))I went upstairs at lunch time and re-heated some left over pasta and meat sauce, then did the same thing for dinner.I only took one nap on the 12th. I stayed busy answering more email.Queen Diva delivered a crossword puzzle to me that was made up about me and this year's hike by Amoeba. Amoeba did the same thing last year. That has to be an incredible amount of work and take lots of time to do something like that....Thanks so much for doing that, Amoeba, but could you make it about an easier subject next time. I have a hard time remembering everything that goes on in my life. :-)))It's really bad when a crossword puzzle is about me and this year's walk and I can't even fill in half the blanks...and it's all about my life!!Now, back to today;I slept great last night. I went to bed early and got plenty of sleep.I wanted to walk today, but I didn't have the confidence that I could do the 13 miles from Rt 50 back here to Bear's Den.I had made a pot of Starbuck's and had a couple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast.When I talked to Queen Diva, she said there was a dirt road called Rt 605 that was about 6 miles from Bear's Den.I felt like I could handle that, so I got ready and Queen Diva drove me out there and dropped me off.It was in the 40's, foggy, damp and drizzly out....perfect weather for a morning walk.I wasn't sure how long it was going to take me, so I told Queen Diva that if she didn't see me by dark, send food!! :-)))She is way smarter than me because the last thing she said to me as she pushed me out of the car was that we were having chili for dinner.She knew I would make it back alright knowing that. There would be no need for a search and rescue team because I knew that there would be dinner waiting on me. Ha!!! :-)))I started walking north, back to Bear's Den. I'm quite a ways from where I really am at on the Trail, but I figured I would do some of these closer miles on the Trail for now.I smelled something nice when I started walking and realized it was either perfume or cologne on the cork handles of the hiking poles that Queen Diva lent me for today. My first thought was that Skeemer must have borrowed them last. ;-)))It never rained hard, but it rained enough that I had to pull the hood of my rain coat over my head, so I didn't have cold water running down my back.I was walking along cautiously and spotted two doe running away from me.I really do like walking in the fog like this. It makes for a beautiful forest.I was being careful because I sure didn't need another fall now and the rocks and leaves were all very slippery.I walked by Sam Moore Shelter without stopping.I crossed a stream that was flowing pretty fast after the rains. I was able to rock hop, but it took a minute or so to make the one long hop...I was worried I'd slip on the wet rock and end up in the fast flowing stream. I made it though with no problems. That felt strange because I never even think about those things normally.I saw a four point buck about 60 yards away, so I stopped still and watched him. He didn't see me.He was walking along and eating, so everytime a tree was between him and me, I moved and got my camera out and ready to take some pictures.He stopped and did a deer doo-doo. That's the second time this year that I've watched a deer doo-doo in the woods.He kept coming towards me and when he got to within 30 yards, he stopped because he could smell me...or maybe it was Queen Diva's poles that I barrowed. :-)))I had been watching that buck for about 5 minutes and took quite a few pictures before he spotted me.I talked to him and he blew at me and took off running. He stopped once and looked back, blew again, then dissappeared into the fog.I kept walking through the section of Trail called "The Roller Coaster". It was a good test for my leg.I kept checking to make sure it wasn't bleeding. Everything was fine.The downhills hurt more than the uphills. I just walked along slowly and enjoyed the day.I got to the side trail to Bear's Den, walked upstairs and let Queen Diva know that I was back.I got a shower, washed my wet clothes and put my feet up.I got sleepy, so I layed down and took a nap.When I woke up, I looked outside and it was still a foggy, drizzly, damp day.Late in the afternoon, I walked upstairs. Queen Diva had a fire going and that felt great!!I sat down and we talked for a while, then she mentioned that the chili was ready and waiting for me.I got a huge bowl of chili and had some crackers. I ate it sitting next to the fire.It was very good...nice and spicy. I got to thinking that since I did walk today, it wouldn't kill me to have a pint of Ben And Jerry's ice cream for desert. :-)))That was the perfect ending to a delicious meal.Queen Diva and I ended up talking for another hour or so. Big John came in from helping out with Dave today and joined us.I made a plan for a shorter walk tomorrow than I thought I would do. I have visitors coming over tomorrow to see ME!!! :-)))I was being very careful walking today and only caught one leaf, so I'm at 151 confirmed catches now.I started noticing that the area around the stitches in my leg was turning red and it was warm to the touch, so I decided to start taking the antibiotics that the doc had given me.