Day 7 – Getting back into the game

Summary: 
May 2nd

Ensign Cowall (Wolfsville Rd) to Raven Rock Shelter 

NOBO mile #1059.7 

Tolmann’s daily miles 4.9 

Tolmann’s total miles 36.0

Woke up feeling good, no real leg issues to speak of, and very excited to get back on the trail. I had packed up nearly everything last night, so had little to do to finish. Had a leisurely decent hot breakfast whilst checking and approving blog comments. I mentioned previously my appreciation for all the support I’m receiving; I really had no idea that a big part of the adventure would be the sharing and interchange with people following along. Deep gratitude to all!

My shuttle back to the trail arrived a little after 9:30, and the driver was a very nice gentleman named Roger. It was a very pleasant ride, with good conversation. Before long, I was back on the trail where I’d left off.

It was a beautiful day, sunny, windy, not too warm; just gorgeous. I was very focused for most of the day on monitoring my legs and ankles, but the beauty of the day and the trail was mesmerizing; they cast a potent spell. I found the miles passing, not effortlessly, but with a sort of inexorable pull. 

First a climb up out of the gap, then under some powerlines, back into the woods, out across some fields, across a road… on and on. At the road someone had put out four gallon jugs of water (my first encounter with “trail magic”; when some selfless person offers those on the trail food, or drink, or something else that is needed). It felt the section in the Lord of the Rings when the hobbits are walking through the Shire, before the Black Raiders show up and everything turns dark.

Not to intimate that my story will turn dark…

Eventually, the trail had to begin the steep ascent up Raven Rock. After crossing a third stream, it reached a road, then up it went. Very similar in some ways to Weverton Cliffs coming up out of Harper’s Ferry. It was during this time that I made the acquaintance of Tooley and Chris. Tooley was collecting water at the cascades about halfway up the ascent. He is a professional diver, taking some time to hike and perhaps flip-flop thru. His buddy Chris recently retired from the Navy; they met a couple of days after starting in Harper’s Ferry. They are a fun pair, and I have the feeling we may bump into each other again. They are staying in the shelter, while I am back in my hammock again. Another person showed up after we arrived; a Scotsman with the trail name of… wait for it… Scotty. He came rolling in wearing his tartan kilt. Another great guy, and someone I hope to see again up the trail. I’m thinking I may fall behind them all pretty quickly, though.

Now I’m laying in my hammock; I think my legs are OK, at least so far…

The air is cooling rapidly and the wind is blowing; rising and falling, then rising again. There’s an occasional chirp or whine as trees slip against each other. It’s times like this that the wind seems to get in my head, and will sometimes blow through my dreams. What will they bring tonight, I wonder?