Date: 2010-03-27
From: Campsite

To: Denis Cove Road
Miles today: 11.3

¢The first time I met my wife, she was an intense aerobics instructor at my health club, and I was an out-of-shape new member. After one grueling workout, I gasped, ¢This is really helping me get toned!¢ She looked me up and down. Feeling self-conscious, I added, ¢Big men run in my family.¢ She raised an eyebrow. ¢Apparently not enough.¢   - Contributed to Reader¢s Digest, ¢Life in These United States,¢ by John Parkers, as printed in the News-Gazette.(Note that more pictures have been posted. Angus was carrying a lot of glass.)The door of our tent faced east, and we were treated to a beautiful sunrise. Overnight the skies had cleared, and it was a bright, frosty morning but felt like it would warm up soon. It looked as though it would be a perfect day for hiking.I packed up and started off ahead of Angus. Since he is a faster hiker, I often start out first, leaving him to finish packing and then catch up to me.Within a few minutes I passed a campsite with a fire ring, presumably the one listed. If we'd hiked on just a little further we would have been there. I don't know how many times that has happened -- as it gets dark I choose a site, only to find a better one almost immediately after starting out the next morning. One time in Maryland I finally just stopped on a steep hillside after dark and set up my tarp. After a long night of repeatedly sliding out from under the tarp and crawling back up, I passed a level site within several hundred yards. Fortunately last night's site was almost as nice as the one I passed this morning.The trail crosses several streams in this area. I had wondered if the snow melt and rain would have caused the streams to be high or hard to cross, but I had no problem with them.The trail was covered with dried oak leaves, galls and acorns. Once again I marveled at the lack of snow.Angus caught up to me not long before the next shelter. Since we'd hiked more than half the miles to Dennis Cove Road the day before, today we were hiking fairly slowly, enjoying the beautiful day. We decided to take advantage of the shelter and have a break to eat. Angus filtered water for us since our camp the night before had been dry. The water is some way downhill at this shelter with a pipe for convenience in filling bottles but no pools from which to pump.At noon we started off once again. Beyond this point we ran into some blown down trees that the trail maintainers hadn't gotten to yet. Negotiating them wasn't too bad, but slowed us down a little.On one slope we found some patches of old, corny snow lingering on the north side of a slope hiding under some trees. Nearby large crystals of frost had heaved the soil to a roughened pattern.I found myself flagging - sore feet and legs, as well as an upset tummy - so when we came to a grassy field we stopped for a pack-off break. We lay in the field in the sunshine with the breeze blowing gently. Angus napped. I don't think that I did, but I watched the oak leaves that were scattered across the grass flutter in the wind. The leaves were caught in the long grass so they didn't blow away, but the breeze made them dance in place. It was mesmerizing. I didn't think about much, just enjoyed the sensations, lying there in the warmth next to Angus.We went on after about an hour break. The rest had helped me, and for a while I kept a better pace. All too soon that wore off and I began to slow again. My legs and knees ached. My feet were sore, and every step seemed like work. I was happy being on the trail again, but just felt beat. I wanted to dance down the trail, but the body was having trouble just walking at a reasonable pace. Between a month of indolence, and now more internal distress, I was one tired puppy.After what seemed a long time we reached the final downhill pitch toward the road. We walked slowly together, my feet dragging with every step. Then Angus went on ahead to explain that given my stomach troubles we wouldn't be staying at the hostel, but would find a motel for the night. When I was within hearing distance of the road, Angus appeared, walking toward me. He'd picked up the car from Kincora hostel, and come back to the trail side parking area to save me the road walk.Winding back down the twisty road to the valley we checked into the Americourt motel. By the time I got out of the car, my legs had stiffened so that I had to haul myself up to the second floor hanging onto the handrail.None of the long days of hiking in February had left me feeling this sore. Tired, yes. Discouraged, sometimes. But never this sore. I guess all those workouts before I began the hike had paid off. And in my month off I hadn't done enough to stay in shape. Apparently.