Date: 2017-05-29
From: Unnamed Campsite at Mile 656.0

To: Laurel Creek Shelter tent site 
Miles today: 17.2

5/29Unnamed Campsite at Mile 656.0 to Laurel Creek Shelter tent siteMiles: 17.2Total miles: 673.2Happy Memorial Day!  Tonight, I went back and reread my final sentence from my journal yesterday: "I plan on a shorter day of only 17 miles tomorrow."  Shorter in miles, perhaps, but I was reminded today that there are other factors involved in what constitutes a day on the trail. Even after my long day yesterday, I woke up at 6:00 and felt fine.  I was on the trail by 7:45.  I knew from the Guidebook that I would have two substantial and steep climbs today, but that isn't anything particularly unusual.  I normally prefer my morning hike when I am fresh, but that did not prove the case today.  The first climb was extremely steep and unrelenting.  The AT is a very well marked trail. Sometimes it seems almost silly. The trail follows an obvious switchback, and there will be a double warning blaze on a tree right before the turn.  But sometimes, an additional marking would be helpful. This morning, as I worked my way up the very steep grade, the AT made a sharp turn to go up some log stairs, but the trail also appeared to go under some rhododendron bushes (which it tends to do quite often).  There was no warning blaze, and I lost the trail for awhile until I backtracked and found the stairs. No big deal, but it set the tone for the next challenge. Rocks.  For nearly four miles after reaching the top of the hill, the trail was nearly completely rocks. I tried remembering to "Embrace the suck," but I have to admit that the rocks began to get to me.  I met a pair of very nice day hikers and their dog, Bear, who, in addition to giving me a tangerine, told me the trail would get better after the road.  I started looking for that road and was getting a little grumpy waiting for it to show up.  When it finally did, I noticed Diogenes, Turquoise, and a hiker named Bones sitting by a white pickup truck in the adjacent parking lot. Trail Magic!  A section hiker named Flame spent his Memorial Day afternoon by grilling hamburgers and giving them out to hungry hikers.  I enjoyed the food and company, and it got me to thinking again about those rocks. There will be many miles of them coming up, and I will have to realize that I will just need to slow down and get through them.  I admire the hikers who go by me and seem to navigate them so much better than I can, but I will simply get injured if I try to hurry through. That being said, there were many more miles of rocky trail today, including much of my afternoon hike.  I had thought I could get to my planned destination by 6:00, but it was after 7:30 when I arrived at the Laurel Creek Shelter tent area.  Despite the afternoon's hike being more difficult, my attitude and approach were better.  A friend has asked me what songs go through my head during the day.  I added a new one: "We will Rock You," by Queen.  I was also reminded of a book by Richard Adams, one of my favorite authors.  "Traveler" is the story of the American Civil War as told by Robert E. Lee's horse, Traveler.  Adam's did a great deal of research on equine psychology to prepare for the book.  Perhaps the most moving part is when Traveler, who relates his experiences to the cat who shares his barn after the conflict had ended, tries to explain the concept of war.  He confides to the cat that the men were all excited about getting to go to this thing called "war," and it must have been a wonderful place because the men were so excited about getting to go.  Unfortunately, they never made it there, because these men in blue coats kept getting in the way and fighting them so they never made it to "war." What brought this to mind today was Traveler trying to explain heaven to Tom.  The best he could do was imagine a place with fewer flies.  He was incapable of imagining a place with no flies.  Perhaps this is how I need to view the best of the AT, as a place with fewer rocks. I know there will be days of hiking on and through them in the time to come, and I need to accept this and just hike through them.This approach helped this afternoon, as did my mental impersonation of Freddy Mercury (I would never subject Mother Nature and my fellow hikers to an out-loud rendition of me attempting to sing, "We will Rock You."  I also tried focusing on the beauty of my surroundings, the sounds of the birds, and the wonderful weather conditions we enjoyed today. I really appreciate Flame and his Trail Magic and the two nice day hikers and their tangerine to help me work my thoughts around this way.  Katahdyn isn't going anywhere, and I'll just need to take the time and care it will require to get there and do everything I can to reduce my risk of injury. To return to my daily activities, I got to camp tired but in good spirits.  I perked up physically as soon as I got going on my camp chores. Juan Gone was glad to see me.  He had arrived at 4:00.  He was too early for Flame's Trail Magic at Mountain Lake Road, so sometimes there are benefits to being slow!  I finished up a few things by headlamp and was in bed before 10:00.  My feet, ankles, knees, and, most importantly, my attitude all seem fine.  I know this post is more philosophical than most I write, but it was just that kind of day.  I'm not sure how far I'll get tomorrow, but I am in fine shape to make it to Catawba by Thursday and, hopefully, to Katahdyn by this Fall.  Again, I hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Memorial Day.