Date: 2013-05-08
From: USFS 293

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

"A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams." Dr. William A. WardYesterday after slack packing 14 miles and my return to Mountain Harbour Hostel and after another fall on the trail (this time landing on my left knee and side (rather than right knee, leg and arm which are presently bruised), I called Nick and asked him to come bring me home. He asked me to think about it while I had dinner. I called back and said I was certain.Rocky Top and son, Tom Foolery, made it to Mountain Harbour Hostel yesterday late afternoon. It was good to see them. I had worried about them and prayed that they had stopped at the Roan High Knob Shelter the day before the tempest. It was a hard day and the only shelter after that for them to make before dark was the Stan Murray Shelter which was totally soaked and the terrible wind blew directly into (the one from which Magic Scout persuaded me to leave). They made a good decision to stop there for the night. Rocky Top thanked me for my prayers for them. They looked beat and their bed for the evening was the sofa bed in the main living/kitchen area of the hostel - a difficult place to rest since movies are played almost constantly with less than soft volume.As I listened to constant rain on the roof while laying in my king-size bed (of which I only occupied 1/3rd - I didn't even turn back the bedspread on the remainder), I knew I didn't have the fortitude to go back to the AT in the morning. The thought of walking on a trail that resembled a river with more mud, slick rocks and roots, overflowing streams, possible falls, and more cold rain in the forecast for the next couple of days was depressing. I put in my ear plugs to temper the sound of the movie and went to sleep.I remained in my king-size bed in the morning thinking about my decision. I knew Nick would have left Georgia very early in the morning and I expected him between 10 and 11 AM. One of the hikers had purchased eggs, bread, and bacon and was making french toast and bacon for himself. It smelled good and I was hungry.I listened to the conversations outside my curtain. A hiker had rescued a stray dog on the trail and hikers had been sharing their food with him for several days. The hiker took the dog to the local vet and paid $25 to see if it had a locator chip but it did not. There was no shelter that would take the dog. Two women section hikers were discussing taking him home and decided to do so. If the husband did not like the dog, she would take him to a no kill shelter. I was surprised when I heard Nick's voice about 9:15 am. I had the curtains closed to my semi-private bed area and I called out to him. I was packed and ready to go. I said good-bye to Rocky Top and Tom Foolery and wished them a safe journey to Katahdin. It was beautiful to see the mountains and the new green on the trees and the clouds hanging low and ominous as we drove down the highway. I had walked through some of those mountains. Nick was amazed at the beauty of the area and it made me happy to see him appreciate that beauty. We stopped in Unicoi (a very tiny town) and enjoyed a great breakfast. The drive back to Georgia passed quickly.Once again, Nick said he would bring me back ... I don't know.The picture above was taken from my front yard today. Blue Sky welcomed me home and I thought of this song from a long time ago.