Date: 2005-06-22
From: Tumbling Run Shelters

To: Quarry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: few clouds

Well, today has been a bit ick! Remember when I wrote about how my throat felt funny after swallowing a pill sideways the other day? Now it feels as if it is behind my sternum, and it is extremely painful to eat. Poor Bug made a very tasty breakfast of couscous with nuts, fruits, and honey this morning, but as I tried to eat it, it hurt so bad I ended up in tears. The morning was rainy and dreary and because I felt so bad, Bug and I crawled back in the tent for a morning nap.Around 11:30 the rain subsided and we headed out of camp. Today has been one of my most difficult days yet, and I was really having a hard time as I climbed the trail to Chimney Rocks. It would have been a tough climb anyway, but since I couldn't eat much this morning I had very little energy to climb. Finally, Bug insisted that I call my mom. I felt bad calling, because I didn't want to worry her but I did anyway. Bug reasoned that when he felt bad, it always helped when he could talk to me or his own mom. Something about transference of pain.I called and told her about everything that was going on, and she called me back after talking with one of the docs at work. The thought was that the antibiotic I was taking got stuck in my throat and caused a corrosive effect and irritated my esophagus. She said I should take Maalox to ease the pain until I could heal.I managed to hike on, and at snack time I was able to eat, although it took an awfully long time to chew and get it down. We saw some really pretty trees this afternoon with beautiful white blooms. I'm not sure what they are, but we took lots of pictures so that we can find out.At US30 we hiked a half mile off the highway to Taormina's Italian Restaurant. Bug walked an additional .4 to the store to buy my medicine (he is such a sweet and wonderful husband). When he got back, I choked down the Maalox before lunch. We had 2 large pizzas, and in hindsight pizza may not have been the best thing to eat considering how I felt, but it was very tasty. We were unable to finish the 2nd pizza, so we packed it out to the next shelter with us.Once we were back on the trail, we were in Caledonia State Park and the thunderstorms had cleared out while we were in the restaurant. I was certainly not 100%, but I was much better with something to soothe my throat and food in my tummy. It's a good thing, because the climb out of the park is the worst we have had in quite some time.Even though the first climb out was tough, the rest of the hike was graded and we arrived at the shelter in no time. Bug and I arrived at the shelter with Proteus right behind. Quarry Gap shelters aren't quite what I had imagined. Being built in the 1930s, I anticipated a couple of dilapidated structures ready to collapse at any moment. Instead what we found was a beautiful clearing with 2 shelters joined together under one roof. This place was immaculate and had all kinds of things to make it seem like a home, such as hanging baskets with flowers, a windscreen, and hand carved signs. According to other sources, the maintainer used to have solar lights lining the path to the privy, but had to take them down because the ATC thought that was a little much in taking away from the wilderness experience. I personally thought it was a very nice shelter, the guy even keeps a cleaning log in the shelter register. Tonight, we are here with Mouth, Proteus, High Noon, Sooper J, and Mule. I have just downed another dose of Maalox and am now off to bed.