But for me being incredibly clumsy, the trail has been pretty good to me. My original blisters are sort of healed, my heels are very tender and my legs overall seem to be holding up. I have lost another few pounds - down to about 171 so I decided to have a large hamburger steak with gravy and mash potatoes last night along with a double brownie dessert with ice cream. Had two shakes today with a half of a large pizza.
Was minding my own business about a week ago on the trail, looking down to make sure I don't step on any ankle biters (rocks, roots, slippery leaves, snakes, etc.) when I happened to due battle with a "leaner" - a tree that is across the trail and perfect "head height". Lovely encounter in which I lost the first round to a whack in the nose straight on, causing my favorite Grinnell baseball cap to go flying and vast amounts of blood all over my face. It was good fun trying to get it to stop bleeding with my bandanna. Fortunately, it's red.
Everything seems to be fine, might be a small fracture and my nose might be leaning to the port side a bit. Given my scraggy beard and my greasy, stringy hair and the scar on my nose I am beginning to fit right in down here! Which I could send a picture...but wound is healing nicely.
Creek episode is related to my wonderful Grinnell baseball cap again. It's a great tool to scoop up water from a stream on the fly to plop on my head to cool me off. Thought I had the technique down pretty well until I decided to get a little too cute on a rock in the middle of a stream, slipped backward, landing on my very expensive hiking stick (truth is, I stole Ben's hiking poles) and snapped it right in half twisting my back and poking a hole in my pants. Have to thank Dr. Middleton for subscribing those wonderful muscle relaxers when I was a professional bull rider - brought them along for just an event and they loosened me up to a very pleasant state in no time.
And, to top it all off, for once got AT&T service on my phone, called Carolyn and she shipped me my hiking pole to replace the broken one. Picked it up today...life is good again!
Wild Stories! Sounds like you are getting your money's worth. Hopefully you have pictures of all these characters so I can place a face with the name. Can't wait to hear the next installment.
ReplyDeleteYou have to remember to look up once in a while. Don't look up too long or you will trip over something. Either way you will be on your but somtimes. People complain a lot abot the green tunnel but honestly you spend most of the time looking at the ground in front of your feet. I had a tree like that put me down flat in the mud in VT. I thought I had busted my head open for sure but there was no blood. Glad to hear you are all right and able to take it all in stride. Told you you would be lean and mean by Damascus! Beginning to like having greasy stringy hair, a scraggly beard and scars?
ReplyDeleteDon,
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that every thing is alright! It sounds like you are having a "Keith" moment while you are out there. I guess it may be an inside story with the TEAM but when something can go wrong it will happen only to Keith. Yet he seems to bounce back quickly. It sounds like you are. Its been busy with the TEAM here and I will send updates soon.
Crank,
ReplyDeleteA few more tips about the trail ahead. Did the first 100 in Va. alone. Kind of nice that way. You might be past this but Trimpi shelter has a fire place and is almost enclosed. Happy Hiker Hollow hostel in Atkins is supposed to be great. Fills up though so call ahead if you need break. Avoid the relax Inn in Atkins at all costs! I have heard that from everyone. Better to stay at Partnership and order a pizza and have a shower. The stretch from Walkers Gap 563-mile 568.8 is not flat! Long rocky challenging, but pretty ridge walk. Va. hill tops are all rocky. Mile 602, va.606. Don't miss Trents Grocery. Nothing special but has steam table food ok re-up to get you to Pearisburg and beer. Less than a half mile off the trail!. Dismal creek falls are nice too. Do not miss Woods hole hostel no matter how excited you are to get to Pearisburg (kind of a charmless trail town). Neville is awesome. At least stay for dinner. Might be your best meal on the trail. Doc's Knob shelter is not far if you decide not to stay the night. I stayed because I came up on the hostel soaked from a storm. Bunk house was crowded. Private accomidations would be much niver for you. I had Nevelle take my bags into town and slack-packed into town. A very nice, and easy hike with views. You will find frome here on out that your best and only views are at power lines. Food Lion in town is good. I stayed at the Holiday motor lodge. The best between three crappy motels.
Hey Bird,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great tips - especially re: Relax Inn! This sounds crazy, but I have to hop off the trail to get to a board meeting in Detroit tomorrow. My plan was to stay at the Relax Inn. The "avoid at all costs" was a huge signal to me and started looking at other options (none since Happy Hiker Hollow is closed this year). The Comfort Inn is 4 miles off the highway and after coming off the trail and seeing the Relax Inn I put my thumb out and hitched a ride to the Comfort Inn. That's where I am at now.
By the way, stopped at the Barn with three other hikers - didn't have the 1lb burger but had the 1/2lb - which was great! Icing on the cake: Ram Bunny was our waitress! Their hostel is closed because of road construction and Aqua is having surgery next week. She's done over 10,000 miles on the trail!
Anyway, thanks for your advice on the trail...my iPhone has been passed around to others to copy your tips!
Dom,
ReplyDeleteI know a little bit about what a Keith moment is so I can relate to it. Happened again to me today...following three other "short" hikers looking down at my feet and "bam" hit my head on another leaner really hard - but no blood this time. Slow learner I guess.
Take care - and thanks for following the blog. Rumor has it that there are a couple of your guys that might be interested in doing a segment of the AT this summer?! How about you guys joining me along the way?