Date: 2008-03-14
From: Rte 615

To: Rte 612
Miles today: 7.7

Friday, March 14, 2008Hiking north, 615 to 612, Kimberling Creek, 7.7 milesBoth Purple Rose and I are still feeling under par. What does the doctor order? Short day-hikes in fresh air! Start 9AM, temp about 40. Like yesterday, great trail maintenance.10AM at Trail Boss Trail.We¢ve seen little wildlife so far. We¢re making too much noise and we¢re not hiking the hours you¢re likely to see wildlife.I think of all the wildlife that¢s seeing me! I¢d love to know how many bears, snakes, owls, bobcats, etc have spotted (or smelled) me.Hush now. Concentrate.We¢re about to enter Leafy Hollow, Apparition #1¢s first secret leaf garden. Leaves are hip-deep. Come fall, this¢ll be a place to do some serious catching.As we exit Leafy Hollow, Brushy Mountain looks like a giant scallop shell. We walk it horizontally, in and out of its ridges and troughs. Turn around and look back and see where we just were. Beautiful terrain and great views ahead, to the side and back.Oh, oh. We¢re having trouble interpreting our maps, which are undated but must be at least 6 years old, probably older. Has the ¢Proposed Relocation¢ that¢s printed as a dotted line on our maps been built since these maps were printed? On today¢s hike we reach a place where it looks like the ¢Proposed Relocation¢ was indeed implemented. Our 2008 Companion is back in the car, big mistake.We leave voicemails for Purple Sherpa that he may be unable to collect us at Rte 612 because the ¢Proposed Relocation¢, which we think is now the actual trail, crosses only 52 and 77. We leave him suggestions about how we might meet up, either on Rte 52 about 0.6 south of the old AT crossing, or in Bastian.These worries are interrupted by some wonderful trail magic! George Fisher has left a 10-day weather forecast. There are several gallons of fresh water in memory of Ted ¢Soleman¢ Anderson, a would-be AT thruhiker, who died 3 days before he was to start his adventure. Thank you, George.When we come out at 52 by the Mountain of Holiness Church, then at 77/612, we remember this place. No relocation. No worries. Our original plans are OK.Purple Sherpa, who has been out of cell range all day, arrives on schedule.We relocate to the campground behind Trent¢s Store on Rte 606. We are the only guests tonight. Trent¢s hasn¢t really opened up for hikers yet. Purple Sherpa and Purple Rose clean the bathroom with a cleaning substance they have in their car, and a hose. They adjust the toilet to keep it from constantly running. Purple Sherpa starts the hot water heater. Purple Rose and I get the washer and dryer running.Every morning several new itchy red spots are appearing somewhere on my body. Are chiggers or mites in my stuff or the car? Is it ringworm? I run 2 loads of laundry through the hot water wash. Hopefully that¢ll kill any on my clothes. But that won't affect any chiggers/mites or whatever that lie in wait in my sleeping bag, or mattress. If these spots keep appearing another couple weeks, guess I¢ll have to seek more medical attention.Purple Rose advises me to use hydrocortisone cream on the bites, which helps a little.Rain holds off until we¢re in the cars for the night. Then pitter patter on the roof. I¢m dry and warm inside, reading the field guide to Trees that I bought in Florida. What we¢ve seen all day is Pinus Virginiana, Virginia Pine, just as Purple Rose said. Everything in the car is now organized. I¢m clean. My clothes are clean. Feels great.