Date: 2003-05-23
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Davis Path Shelter
Miles today: 14.2

I had breakfast with the rest of the guests. When I went to bed last night, Mike was going to take my pack to Atkins when he shuttled some other hikers up and I was going to slack pack to Atkins..Well, the rain changed their plans so I ended up hiking with my pack.I saw the second deer of this hike from the back seat of Mike's car as he hit the deer on the road. It somersaulted head over head and landed in the woods on the side of the road. We were all stunned for a moment. It happened so fast that Mike did not even have time to slam on the brakes. He pulled over and we all got out to look at the damage done to the car. There was very little damage, the hood was bent and the front grill was broken. No none wanted to go back and check on the deer. If it was suffering, there was nothing we could have done since Mike does not carry a gun. We all got back in the car and buckled our seat belts.I got off at Partnership Shelter and once again headed down the trail. I do not care for this "alone" stuff.I run into PushingUp Daisies who is hiking with Two Dog night. She has gotten a new pack.The beautiful views today help me get over the lonliness. I walk through some pastures where lazy grazing cows barely notice me as I pass by. The pastures are green and serene. The birds are singing their songs of courting and spring. There are some grand views of farms today with rolling hills, silos, and farm houses. The kind of scenes you see on postcards.It was close to lunch time when I got to the shelter. I met 2/3's and his wife 1/3. Their daughter is 3/3's or something like that. They are from Niceville, Fl. almost neighbors to me.I have to stop thinking like a runner as far as distance and time are concerned. I had stopped for lunch at Chatfield Shelter, and found out that there is a Dairy Queen just off of the trail at Atkins, which is four miles away. Four miles away huh?? Not a long time. I had just opened a cream cheese packet to spread on my bagel. I asked a hiker if he wanted my bagel. He looked at me like I had lost my mind. I told him I didn't want to ruin my lunch. I handed it over to him and headed down the trail dreaming of cheeseburgers and fries, blizzards and colas. An hour later I was regretting giving my bagel away. Later still I was regretting giving the cream cheese and the bagel away. But I pushed on, the thought of DQ hastening my steps.One thing I learned early on in this hike is that just because you can hear traffic on a road does not mean you are anywhere close to the road. And even if you can see a road that does not mean you are anywhere close to the road. It may not even be the road you will eventually come to. The same goes for the sight of a town.I come to a old one room school house that is part of the Settler's Museum. It is a self guided tour of a settlement from the 1890's complete with a school and farm. It is fascinating to see what things were like in years gone by. I do take time to tour the school house since the trail goes right by it. It is furnished with desks and books, slates and even lessons wrote on the blackboard. I wish I could take the time to do all the museum. Why don't I? Am I in such a big hurry that I cannot stop to take in otherwise unseen places?Yep, I am. I hike on, vowing to come back here some day. I should have taken time to stop. Hindsight again.After what seems like hours, (and it probably was)I emerge from the woods close enough to smell the hamburgers at DQ. I order a fish sandwhich and fries. Those of you who know me, know I cannot stand to eat fries. Call me anti American or what, but I do not like fries. Probably comes from all those I cooked while working at fast food places in my younger days. Anyway,I order fries since I need the energy. A sandwich never tasted so good! I order a chocolate chip blizzard for dessert. I get to talking to a couple of ladies who are trying to get to the Settler'S Museum. They had heard me talking about it earlier with another customer and thought I could give them directions. You should have seen their face when I told them I had walked from there! Of course then they were very much interested in my hike. I am careful not to tell anyone I am hiking alone though. And the truth is you are really never alone on the trail. At least so far I had not been.I finish my blizzard and walk out, looking at the gathering storm clouds. I figure I might can make it to the next shelter before the rain, so I head out. There I go thinking like a runner again.My legs are moving as fast as I can get them to as I try to beat not only the storm, but the darkness.I pass a nice little campsite but I have promised not to camp by myself. Hindsight again, Make no promises.I get to the shelter and there is one lone man there. He does not look like a hiker in the obvious ways. He does not talk like a hiker. He definately does not smell like a hiker. That is a dead giveaway! I have red flags go up all over in my brain. He introduces himself, and tells me he has Jesus in his heart and is going to heaven when he dies and what about me? I tell him real quick that yes I have Jesus in my heart. I want him to know I am on his team. I spend some time talking to him. The fact that he is talking about Jesus does not bother me except that his introduction sounds empty and well rehearshed. I am not any more comfortable after several minutes of talking to him, but my choices are few by this time. There is just something not right here. In the first place, he has no pack, and in the second place he has gathered flame azalea blossoms and rhododrendren blooms to make some tea. He is using a plastic garment bag for a pack. He knows nothing about hiking or the trail he says. He says he is a missionary to the world.A couple hikers come by and check the register and decide to keep going. Meanwhile I set up my tent, while this guy gathers wood for a fire. I am already envisioning myself being the sacrifice on the fire, covered with flowers. I know that people have done really stupid things under the name of Christianity, and that is the ones you read about. But then people have done really stupid things and not called themselves Christians. I am not sure what to do. I talk to him some more, emphasising the fact that I am a Christian. I hope that will stop him from anything stupid he might have in mind. I am a fellow beleiver and give him lots of scripture to back up how you are to treat fellow Christians! Another hiker comes in, by now it is almost dark. I breath a sigh of relief until I recognize it is Morning Star, who hikes alot at night. My spirit sinks. He is greeted the same as I. He gets a pained look on his face. I whisper to him that I do not know about this character. He has the same feelings. I want to cry as he looks at me and says,"I think I will stay here for the night". The two of them talk some and I go to my tent. I feel bad that I am leaving MorningStar alone in the shelter with him. It feels like I am deserting him or something. I pray that he is not attacked during the night. I have watched too many TV shows from my childhood.This is going to be a very long night for me. I remember my favorite Bible verse, from Psalms 23, "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." I am here, the Lord is here, that is what I know and beleive. Easier said than done to lay down and sleep without fear when you might have a serial killer sleeping close to you.