Date: 2006-05-27
From: Kincora!!

To: Kincora!!
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Ok, I'm back again. I've been away for a few days, and am back on my feet (figuratively and literally) again. Quick recap, Wednesday my ankled looked pretty good as I taped it up. Just a small screcent swelling under the ankle, no bruising. We hiked Little Hump and Hump Mountain which was spectacular. The view of Overmountain Shelter from Little Hump was picture perfect, big old red barn at the edge of a meadow. The rocks jutting out on Hump Mountain were majestic. We took a break and sat looking south. I've been told there can be Longhorn Steer up here, but only saw evidence of their passing. Janet picked us up at 1:30 (Diesel and me). As promised, she'd been there since noon. Rhyme and Reason were hiking again. Chad, Adam, and Becka were there ahead of us. Miss Janet drove us to Dairyland and I dined on pulled pork, fries, hush puppies, coleslow, coke, and topped it off with a vanilla milk shake. That might have been my undoing. By the time we found our campsite river, a mile past the Junes Falls, I was feeling pretty bleak. I wrapped my ankle in cold platypus bags and sat by the fire. I knew I was dehydrating, but didn't feel like eating or drinking. I ate half of Diesel's potatoes and bacon. Went to bed around 10:30, woke up at 3:00am with an upset stomach. Got out of my tent and ran, with the runs. Did that for about an hour and a half, then got some restless sleep until 9:00, when I leaned my head out of my tent and puked. I tried getting packed, but didn't have the energy. I laid in my tent until about 10:30, then got up. Chad, Adam, and Becka took off, while Diesel waited for me to get ready. The kids wished me well as they left. We had walked about an hour when I told Diesel, "I'm a tough guy, but I can't go on." We gain looking for a campsite. We found one shortly after, near Mountaineer Falls. I set up my tent and told Diesel to go on. She was concerned for me, but I told her if I was feeling like this here and at home, I'd just curl up in bed. After some discussion, she headed north, saying in part, that since I had color back and was no longer a pallid shade of grey, she would. I didn't want her to miss catching Anne (Ah-nah) at Kincora. About an hour after she left, I was feeling even better, and walked down to the falls. I should know by now to take my camera when I go exploring. I sat by the falls for a few minutes, then headed up for my camera and wash towel. On my way back down, I ran into Rhyme and Reason. We chilled by the falls together for about 40 minutes. I asked them to pass word forward that I was doing ok, then headed back to camp. When back, I washed, finally ate some crackers, and hung my food bag. Crawled into bed at 6:00 pm and laid there until waking at 8:00am the next morning. When I woke, it was raining (had been since 3:00am). I laid there until around 9:00, then began breaking camp. I wanted to make it to the next shelter, 9 miles, if not, Kincora, 15 miles. I made it to the shelter, just barely. Nine miles in 6 1/2 hours. I took plenty of breaks. I would walk for 45 minutes, then lie down on my bad on the trail and doze for 15-20 minutes. When I fiannly reached the MOreland Gap Shelter, I just about collapsed. Got water and chatted with Infamous, Freestyle, and Boy Floyd. Then it started to rain. So at 4:30 pm, accompanied by Freestyle on the guitar, I set up my thermarest and crawled into my bag. During the rain, some other hikers showed p, and the other three departed. I was kind of oblivious to all of the comings and goins. Woke up Saturday at 7:00am, feeling pretty good. I then made the last six miles, into Kincora, in about 3 hours. I hiked is just as Diesel and Anne pulled in with Bob Peoples, proprietor of Kincora. I was totally stinky and sweaty. Diesel ran to give me a hug, even though I warned her off. We hugged anyways. Bob welcomed me by saing, "Welcome home." I replied, "It feels good." I showered, laundered, bunked, and resupplied. As the day went on, the place filled up. There's 15-16 people here tonight. Ahh-feels good to be clean again. My belly is pretty much back to norma. I've been drinking tons of wate. A bunk tonight will set me right. The thirty some odd hours I spent in my sleeping bag over the last couple days have treated my ankle right. Through this whole time, my spirits remain high. I'm walking the Appalachian Trail Baby!! Sick and injured is part of every day life. It's going to happen on the trail. When I hit Dennis Cover Road (to Kincora), I felt a wave of euphoria rush over me. The sun hit me in the face, I raised my arms in triumph, and let out a yell. 409 miles, I'm a fucking hiker now! Hydrate.