TRAIL DAY 103
Thu, June 2, 2016 It was an overcast morning. We were on the trail near 7:00 a.m. and 20 minutes later we ran into Wonder, Portuguese’s hiking partner. He was sitting on a boulder at the right side of the trail talking on his cell phone to his wife. We acknowledged each other as I passed. He’d been off the trail for a good while and lost contact with Portuguese. He’d considered trying to catch up with him but doubted he could. I can picture the trail where I next see him.
I have gone through my many pictures and made copies in numerous folders, one of which is labeled HAZARDS. All the folders are listed in Trail Day #22 on March 13th. There are many pictures in this folder most of which have to do with getting trekking poles caught in a pinch point between two rocks, in a deep hole, under a rock or root or, in the north, having a pole sink half way to the handle in a bog.
A little nub of root or a tiny or sharp rock are also hazards as are sticks. Stepping on one end can elevate the other end enough to catch your foot coming forward. A more drastic occurrence of this kind would happen two months hence, one that would set the stage for more difficulties in the far north.
Meanwhile, we came upon deer that were quite tolerant of humans since they were used to seeing them in the Shenandoah.
Again, rock and boulder formations evoked wonder. Low-lying framed areas that looked like flower beds also evoked at least curiosity.
Around 2:00 p.m., the time I had arranged to meet Bonnie, I came to a wire fence along which the trail ran for some distance. Coming southbound were a couple of young ladies, maybe college age, one of them rather heavy-set, carrying too many comforts from home – the kind of stuff you bring until you learn that you don’t need it and you certainly don’t want to carry it – definitely not over a long distance – but they were just in for an overnight. They asked me how far it was to the shelter which I had passed 2.9 miles before. I was not so precise but gave them a good estimate before we all continued on our way.
In short order, I came to a long boardwalk over swampy ground and then arrived at the parking area on the south side of US 522. It was readily apparent that I was not the only one planning on meeting someone here. My Long-Trail friends were here as well, one sporting a Long-Trail T-shirt.
Bonnie arrived. We hugged without her even hinting at how unpleasant the experience might have been; although she did insist on opening all the windows as we drove to the Inn. It was real good to see each other.
We arrived at the Wayside Inn in Middletown, Virginia that Karen had reserved and we couldn’t have a nicer location for a family reunion.
After we settled in and Theo made himself at home, Bon and I had a quiet, catch-up, reunion dinner together at the Inn tavern.
That night as we crawled in, my dear wife noticed a few spots on my skin. She removed 3 ticks. I’m happy to say that I never got Lyme Disease but Theo’s tick medicine worked so well that, in our tent at night, the nasty critters would leave him and make their way over to me. I sprayed with Permethrin before I left for the trail a couple of days later.
Day #103 Gravel Springs Hut > US 522 13.4 miles