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Sunday and Monday on the A.T. have
been a challenge trying to get in
decent miles due to midday thunderstorms. Bear and I waited out
Sunday's storms in Clyde Smith Shelter before pressing on to finish the
day a mile from Roan Mountain a 6285 foot elevation. After the rain, I
spotted a neon orange lizard on the trail. I thought that was weird.
It looked like a hiker had dropped a gummi-lizard. Then I spotted another
one and another. If a hiker had dropped gummi-lizards, he wouldn't leave
them on the trail; he'd pick them up and eat them. There is no 10 second
rule out here. Food is food whether it's on the ground or not. I poked
at the candy-like-lizard with my hiking pole and realized the damn thing
was breathing! I was freaked out seeing the gummi-lizards come to life!
I cannot wait to look up the species when I get home and yes, I took
several pictures.
Monday, I began my hike in a sports top and shorts in sunny weather.
After five miles, I was being pelted by hail and was forced to hike for
one and a half miles in heavy storms and river-like terrain. I reached
Stan Murray Shelter, changed into dry clothes and tucked myself inside my
sleeping bag. I waited out the storm again with Bear and Doc, a
thru-hiker from CT. We saw lightening strike a tree a short distance from
our shelter. I wasn't budging until the skies were clear. We did push on
but only managed 10.4 miles. I was tired and never recovered mentally
from my hike in the storms. The forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday is
more of the same. Bear and I made a great campfire using my esbit tablet
to get it started. When Bear emerged from the woods after searching for
wood, I could not believe my eyes. He walked over to our campfire
carrying a HUGE tree! It was confirmed then...there is no 2004 thru-hiker
with Bear's strength! His years as an offensive lineman have paid off on
the A.T.! I wanted to leave a note behind for the next hikers who pass
through reading..."Bear was here." But then I realized, they would know. |
