Project Eveningland

7/4/2023 Tuesday

I got poor Ana up early and we shuttled a car to a trailhead. That way I could drive myself back to their house after my hike today. On the drive through Unionville we saw many other backpackers. My question for Ana: do you think I can pass for one of them?

Ana and Art, my hosts, are headed off to a ticketed fireworks event tonight. They were sheepish about not being able to get me a ticket, but I told them, truthfully, that I’d have been too tired anyway. I’m happy to stay in tonight and help the dog cope with the fireworks.

But first let me tell you about the walking today. It was another hot and humid one. The last 7-8 miles of Rocksylvania terrain were the same as ever. The consensus seems to be that Rocksylvania ends at the turnoff to High Point Shelter. I can confirm. It was like that scene in Forrest Gump where he’s in Vietnam and the rain just stops all of a sudden. That’s how the rocks were. However, thankfully, unlike Forrest, I was not subsequently ambushed by the Viet Cong. Quite the opposite in fact!

Today I’m seeing a ton more American chestnut! All tiny, though I saw one or two that were taller than me. I’ve read that they occasionally live long enough to bear fruit.

Speaking of fruit, I was berry blazing today! Raspberries are ripe along the trail, but I wouldn’t say the bushes are heavy with the fruit yet. And I’m competing with a lot of other hikers to get them! My advantage is that I’m willing to stand there and pick a whole handful if I can. They are tiny and a captivating reddish purple. And before you ask, yes, I paused while eating berries to stare off wistfully into the distance like Reese Witherspoon in Wild.

But alas with pastures comes ticks. I removed two today, both dazed and unable to hold on. You usually can’t just brush them off without tweezers but I was able to. Is that the effect of the DEET? Or am I just catching them early enough? They are always below my knee. Haven’t yet seen one get higher than that.

I reached a park headquarters with a very sulfurous spigot at lunchtime. There was a bench in the shade but the folks waiting around outside a big van were all sitting in the sun. I stared at them trying to figure out some reason they wouldn’t have walked up 20ft to the shaded bench other than that they just didn’t think to.

By mid afternoon thunder began to rumble in the distance, but my part of the trail stayed mostly sunny. I did finally catch some rain around maybe 2:30 but it didn’t last.

I confess that I am a bit sick of the boggy stuff. Those green lakes are beautiful but the bugs are formidable. I could really go for some breezy, dry weather.

I reached the car Ana and I had placed in the morning by 3:45PM after a 13-mile day. It was just a small gravel pull off. I placed my sit-pad between my wet, dirty self and the seat fabric and drove the winding back roads back to the house.

I’ve been getting pics from a swell party my oldest sister is throwing. I had the opportunity to speak to folks by phone but was just too hungry and exhausted to be worth talking to. (I was able to call back later).

It’s gonna be a quiet Fourth for me and Lucy, a friendly cattle dog who doesn’t care for fireworks. I feel rather a duty to be her emotional support human.