Date: 2004-06-14
From: Pinefield Hut

To: South River Picnic Area
Miles today: 14.6

Tonight we¢re camped at a picnic area with no camping, but we have permission from the rangers. The mood is stark and our usual humor is lacking. Adrenaline is slowly easing back to normal levels in our bodies after the events of the evening. Today the harshness of reality visited our surreal world of hiking.The day started as any day on the trail. After breakfast and packing up Skippy, Poppins, Friar, and I headed out. It was warmer than the last few days. As we hiked we talked and joked. Soon we were singing songs from the last 25 years, then came the Name Game. I have described the ¢Name Game¢ before in this journal: George Washington, Will Smith, Sandra Bullock, Bugs Bunny, etc. We had mad fun (OK, we actually went mad) as we hiked in the morning. Midway into the game we had cookies from ¢65 and Alive¢ during a break. After 9 miles we continued our joviality as Eelz stated some opinions at a shelter. In reference to ¢illegal¢ hitch-hiking¢ Eelz said: ¢Illegal is just the name of a sick bird¢. I nearly peed myself. We also me 2 friendly section hikers; we would meet them again later :-). After the shelter we hiked on singing Allison Krauss (so wonderful) and Disney songs. Disney songs always make my day. As we hit the road we ran into Bob, one of the two section hikers. He offered to take us to dinner. WOW! After an 8-mile car trip, great conversation, and an awesome cheese-steak, I didn¢t think the day could get any better¢¦it didn¢t.We hiked 3 miles to the Picnic grounds. I talked to Skippy on the way and learned a little of her history. All was proceeding well as we reached the picnic area. We took a break and used the restrooms, all in a jovial mood. That would change dramatically. *Very serious nature to upcoming section* We realized we could not camp there at the picnic area and we began to pack up, then a man interrupted us: ¢Get help ¢ someone¢s been shot!¢ Without thinking adrenaline took over and I ran to look for anyone with a cell phone while Friar and Poppins ran toward the location of the man 1.5 miles away. Soon I found a couple with a phone and another man I had asked for a phone ran to help.I would like to tell you everything was fine, but that is not the case. When the man¢s friend reached the top he explained that his friend had been suicidal and asked to see a waterfall. ¢I didn¢t know he had a gun¢. The man had witnessed his friend with a gunshot to the head, gasping his last breaths. Skippy got him water and we tried to quietly be there for the man. I talked with him about where he was from in Maryland, Prince Frederick; my second girlfriend had lived near there. There was nothing to say so I just stood near¢¦he just kept saying ¢this is so f---ed up¢, over and over. Soon very surprised Rangers showed up, but it was too late. Poppins, Friar, and the other man returned shirtless. Visibly shaken, they had just covered the dead body. There was no doubt. We were all interviewed by the Rangers and our ID¢s confiscated. It all seemed surreal. Oddly I met the couple I had run down with the phone and they live in my hometown and do Karaoke at the restaurant I worked at. It was a strange time for a reunion. The Rangers roped off the area and more official types showed up. It was a circus all around. I gave the shaken friend my water bottle and Poppins talked to him and made him smile. It was so tough to see. Due to the special circumstances the 3rd ranger to interview Poppins and Friar told us we could have special permission to camp on the grounds. We said goodbye to the couple who had been section hiking who originally related the message for help. Dazed, Skippy and I went to set up camp while the rangers finished the interview. The site was overgrown and not truly flat, but we did our best. By the time Poppins and Friar arrived Skippy had the tents set and I had hung the Bear-bag rope. There at the grassy, overgrown, buggy picnic site, we decompressed. Everyone was clearly stunned and exhausted from the incident. We all knew a man lay dead only 2 miles away. We tried to joke some, but we were all clearly shaken. We re-capped and discussed the complete ¢bi-polar¢ nature of our day. Poppins and Skippy soon went to sleep and I talked for a while with Friar. It¢s so hard to put an event of this nature into words. I will never forget it or the people I am with tonight. I can¢t begin to describe the thoughts and feelings that have run through my head. So stark, so real, so not expected. In retrospect, I could not have chosen 3 better hikers to handle a situation like this with. I know that Friar and Poppins will be OK. No one thought about what to do ¢ they just did it. We will hike on and this will become a memory. We have all made a choice not to write this in registers or talk about it on the trail. This is my one account. As I hike on I hope to remember that I do have something to live for. It¢s hard to see the harshest part of the real world in the midst of my escape from that world. Life will move on though and so will I. I¢m still processing now as I go to sleep¢¦whoa. Goodnight, BEATBOX   ttt