Days 4 & 5: ROCKS and first Town Day

 Day 4:

Summary

April 29th

Pine Knob to Ensign Phillip Cowell Shelter

NOBO mile #1054.8

Tolmann’s daily mileage 8.2

Tolmann’s total mileage 31.1

Very interesting night last night; thunderstorm came through around 4am. Was dozing, listening to light rain and increasing wind when BAM BAM double thunderclap, no lightning as warning. I had this strange zingy feeling in my stomach, then the adrenaline kicked in. A couple minutes later, just as I was beginning to relax I saw a lightening bolt that appeared as a brilliant ball of light through the tarp. ZING! That was all, except for some more distant grumbles of thunder. I got up as soon as it was mostly light. It had stopped raining, but I could see dark clouds through the trees and I thought it best to pack up and head out before it started to rain again. So I was off without eating breakfast, with granola and gorp in my front pack. 

A short time later it began to thunder again, and the drops began to fall; I grabbed my trail umbrella and got it attached to my pack and straps. Worked pretty well, though I probably looked pretty strange! The rain moved through fairly quickly, but I didn’t want to stop to reattach it to the back of the pack. 

I passed by Annapolis Rocks blue blaze (my first choice for camp the previous day) without stopping, since it was another .25 miles off trail. It didn’t matter, because shortly after I found a nifty overlook just off trail.
Shortly afterwards, I ran into Dennis (Sycamore) and Tilly, who had stopped for breakfast at Pogo Memorial Campground. I took a break then and got everything packed away. I left them after chatting for a few minutes, with plans to tentatively meet up at Ensign Cowle shelter, which I thought I would reach by noonish (it was only 6 miles, after all!). There we would talk about maybe going the extra 4 miles to Raven Rock shelter.

Well, the adventure was just beginning. After some nice park-like walking, the trail got mean. This seems to be a foreshadowing of the famed Pennsylvania rocks. It was.probably something like 2-3 miles of rock scrambling; I slowed to a crawl. It felt like it wouldn’t end. Finally, with a turn of the path up and over the rock pile of the ridge line, the trail dropped rapidly, finally feeling a little like the trails up north!

I was wiped out by the rocks at this point, so finally reaching the shelter, I knew it the game was over for the day.

A little while later, the Montanans arrived and we decided that 8 miles was enough. 

We were briefly concerned when yesterday’s Boy Scout troop showed and kinda overran the shelter. We were grateful that they packed up and moved on to Raven Rock. It’s pretty obvious when it’s the weekend; the trail becomes very busy and the shelters/campsites become pretty crowded. 

Another group is sharing the shelter with us tonight; I pulled out the guitar and we passed it around. One of the kids (Matt) here played for a considerable time; a lot of 60’s and 70’s music (his father’s influence!). He was good and we were entertained. 

Tomorrow’s plan is a 9+ mile day, with me hopefully getting a ride into Waynesboro (PA)…

Day 5: The day with the shin splints…

Summary

April 30th

Zero

Ensign Cowell Shelter with shuttle to Waynesboro, PA

Decided to try to sleep in the shelter last night; I wanted to see what it would be like to remove the hammock and tarp set up and break down from the routine. It actually was a pretty good night, although I slept on my back most of it. 

When I got up to go to the privy around 5:30, I got a shock when I felt a fire in my calves which migrated around to my shins as I walked. This was one of those “something is wrong” feelings rather than “oh, I’m a mite sore”. My 9+ miles plans for the day began wavering, then dissolved, as I realized the best plan was to call for a shuttle to come to the road .2 miles south of the shelter and pick me up.

I talked it over with Tilly, who I learned yesterday is a nurse (the two of them are nurses, as a matter of fact), and she gave me some tips (mostly: vitamin I (ibuprofen), rest and elevate the legs). We both think that maybe the shelter sleep (too flat compared to the hammock) might have something to do with it, but yesterday’s rock scrambles are probably the prime suspect. 

It took a few calls to get someone who could come get me, but a short time later I was flying down the road with Dennis, my shuttle driver, towards Waynesboro, PA. Staying at the Cobblestone Hotel, but won’t get a room until 3pm.

Later that day: I’m clean and pretty happy; got a breakfast sandwich and a jug of grapefruit juice at Subway/Walmart, and did some re-supply, and am ensconced in my room with legs elevated.

Gonna take a zero (zero miles) tomorrow. The shins are iffy and hopefully a day of elevation will be healing. 

I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about the trail experience overall: I get that my posts to date have been coming across as tales of woe. But that’s not how I feel all of the time. Yes, there’s pain and tiredness. There’s loneliness. It’s hot and wet. And it’s damp and… wet. It is much harder than I expected. But I don’t think it’s possible to love every mile. I am profoundly grateful for this window into another world, a window that is really a doorway. This door through which I get to experience the terror and wonder of a thunderstorm in the dark, where I can see spring unfolding in real time, where I get to find and push past my preconceptions of my limits. Where I can practice sitting with feeling trapped. 

Where the moment perfectly holds Just. What. I. Need.

This my moment now. How cool is that?

Many, many thanks to all for your interest and your support. Much love and blessings to you all!