Date: 2016-06-03
From: wind rock camp ground

To: sarver hollow shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

ay 53- June 3, 2016We got up and out of camp at a reasonable hour this morning and set out for a day of a few tough climbs. The weather was nice and the morning relaxing as we went downwards for a long time. We stopped at a shelter for water and then prepared for the three mile climb. The first half of the climb was tough but I felt energized and focused on powering up the mountain. Another hiker named lightning zipped up to us and said that he thought we were about half way done. After hearing that, my mind turned sad and defeated, thinking I've worked so hard for so long and could only be half way done. The mental battle for me switched so fast from feeling like we were close and doing so well, to feeling like it would never end and that I couldn't give any more effort or energy. From that point, I started slowing and feeling like I was in pain or uncomfortable. My body felt sluggish and time seemed to drag on. As I was feeling down, we came across a black snake that wouldn't move from the trail and so I stepped over it. When dregs went to pass it, it struck at him. He was frustrated with that and me for all of a sudden getting in a bad mood, but we pressed on. It wasn't long before we got to where the steepest part of the trail started and we powered up it for half a mile. It's crazy how little it takes to lose the mental game out here, but we overcame the struggle and continued on. Once we hit the top of the mountain, life felt good again. It was flat for a bit and then went down for a while. I briskly paced down the trail. As I turned a slight corner, before I even realized it, I was jumping back and quickly walking backwards towards dregs. My body knew before I even did that I almost stepped on the head of a large rattle snake stretched out across the trail. Dregs commended me on my reaction to the snake and we excitedly went back towards it. Another hiker, lightning, came down the trail and joins us in observing the beautiful golden rattler. We took some pictures and then walked around the snake off the trail. Dregs used a long branch to encourage the rattle snake off of the trail in hopes that no one behind us would have a similar close call. The snake did not rattle at us and seemed only slightly perturbed as it turned from the trail and curled up behind a downed tree. We continued on until we reached a shelter where we ate lunch and chatted with a hiker new to us, marmalade. He was an older gentleman from Manchester who we had passed at a shelter earlier in the day. After lunch, a dark gray cloud chased up towards our final climb of the day. As it stared to rain I hid beneath a plush tree and asked dregs of we could wait a few minutes to see if the storm would pass. To our delight, it did. Not a mile down the trail, we reached a field full of tall grass which made our efforts to avoid the wetness pointless. We got to see the second largest oak tree on the trail which was impressive and really really big. Then we went on. By the time we were on the steep climb, our bodies were tired and sore. I searched for some bit of hope to propel me the rest of the way up the incline. I looked at the map to see how long the climb was and was happy to see that it was just over a mile long. We had been climbing for a while so I knew it would be over soon. With that knowledge, I regained my momentum and powered the rest of the way up. It really is more of a mental battle than anything else, getting through these long tiring days. But when we got to the top, I felt energized and accomplished. We would have a nice flat trail for the next few miles until the shelter. The shelter and camp site happen to be half a mile down the side of the mountain and I know tomorrow I will not appreciate the climb up. There is something about walking miles that aren't blazed with white, let alone distances that are challenging. Either way, we made it home and met up with our friends there and ate dinner. The crew was again red dragon, storm trooper, stick, danger and brew. We will be coordinating with them for the next few days and zeroing with them in about 4 days. Dregs and I had our final cigar and enjoyed the evening with the group. 17 miles today.