TRAIL DAY 23
Mon, Mar 14, 2016 Into the next day of dirt and trees and leaves and sunlight with loyal Theo.
I think “loyal” and he thinks “FOOD!” “Food” and “scratches” – that’s what I am. Except for the fact that I know how tied in he is to my emotional state. He hates it when I get angry, at the computer for example. Even if it’s under my breath, he’ll come and put his soft muzzle on my thigh to abort the launch of venom into cyberspace. He knows before I do. Or if anyone is sad and teary, same thing – he’s there to comfort. No question.
So maybe it’s just that food and scratches are uppermost in his mind, being a four-legged nose and all. Nonetheless, there lies within that furry creature a profound awareness of soulful reality. I know of dogs that have rescued their master from a burning car or pulled him, fallen from a heart attack in a field, to the road for help, warned of cancer, kidney failure or a ruptured appendix and so many more times have they saved a life. Yea, Master or Mistress is scratcher and provider, but there is more. There is an indescribable bond.
But wait a minute! When we got to the north, I fell maybe 50 times – we’ll get into that later. But I note here that I recall only one time when Theo came over to me as if to comfort me. All the other times, he’d just lie down and take the time to rest. Was he laughing to himself, “You silly fool! Think you’re pretty cool standing so tall on two legs, huh? Wake me when you’re ready.”
Regardless, he never left me – wouldn’t think of it – and, when out ahead, he always turned around to check on me. We’re two peas in a pod and each in his own way knows what we did – together! When Theo’s really, really happy, he runs to get his bone and brings it back to where I am and gnaws on it. What could be better? “My Master’s home and I’m gnawing on my bone right where he is. I’d gnaw on him if it wouldn’t hurt. He surely knows I’m saying, ‘I’m so glad you’re home ‘cause I love you to pieces!’” Theo perfection! He does this a lot more since we’re home from our adventure.
It was another overcast day slowly closing in on Fontana Lake off in the distance to our right down below the barren forest-covered mountains aglow in shards of slanted sunbeams. We passed through some awesome views at both eye and foot level and made our way to the Brown Fork Gap Shelter just beyond Stecoah Gap, North Carolina.
Again, Journeyman was there before me, this time with several other hikers. It was March 14th and the March 1st starters were catching us. Even before they got their trail legs, they were doing 11-mile days over steep climbs. At the Top of Georgia Hostel, Sir Packs A Lot told us that many wondered how they were going to finish the trail on time when they were doing only 8 miles a day in the south. He assured us that the pace would pick up as we went north. He didn’t mention the far north – but there would be a telling comment about that terrain later at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC).
Journeyman and I were on the same hike but I was quite sure that age and time would separate us as we moved north and, indeed, it did. He was both quiet and a little more outgoing than I was – I had a lot of respect for his career, the timing of his hike and his goals.
Day #23 Sassafras Gap Shelter > Brown Fork Gap Shelter > 9.1 miles