"But life without death is just impossible to realize... Feeling yourself disintegrate..." -The Flaming Lips
Hey Bear!
By popular demand, here's an excerpt from U-dog's journal:
"Howdy to all my fellow bird dogs! This has been the ultimate walk. The Shenandoahs smell like deer poop, which is cool. I met a dog dude named 'Swamp Monster' who was pretty chill for a golden retriever. There're lots of little bunnies that would make good snacks. Matt says I can't eat them, or I'll be in trouble. I'm gonna try to munch one on the side, when he's not looking.
"I like to sleep. I like to lie on Matt's fart sack, but he gets all upset and is totally like 'this is my sack, you don't get one.' He gives me some dinky pad, but I want my own sack... and lots of ice cream sandwiches. So to all my peeps, peace out!"
Thanks for the goodies and well wishes in Waynesboro! Uwharrie and I entered the Shenandoah National Park (SNP) on Cinco de Mayo. The vernal tide is slowly on the rise in this wondrous place. Cool runnings in the sunshine have been my study where I can think quite clearly...
We love springtime, but it's difficult to remember that every moment is spring. If we are forever living in the moment, every day, every hour, every second is springtime, just as it's summer, fall and winter too! Wow.
"This is, I think, one little part of what Christ meant by saying that a thing will not really live unless it first dies. It is simply no good trying to keep any thrill: that is the very worst thing you can do. Let the thrill go- let it die away- go on through that period of death into the quieter interest and happiness that follow- and you will find you are living in a world of new thrills all the time. But if you decide to make thrills your regular diet and try to prolong them artificially, they will all get weaker and weaker, and fewer and fewer, and you will be a bored, disillusioned person for the rest of your life."
This is an excerpt from "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. It's been a very slow, but engaging read for me. It's difficult to read this book all that fast as I must meditate on the subject matter for a good while. I think speed is dangerous anyway.
We've been walking through a devastated forest filled with deadfall. It's a massive wildfire waiting to happen. Poor air quality, invasive insects, and ice storms are to blame. Despite all the death, there's abundant life out here. Songbirds are going crazy, filling the forest with jubillant sounds. The rufous-sided towees in particular have been making quite a rucous.
We hiked from a crowded Calf Mountain shelter to camp near the Doyles River cabin. While Carefree and I were cooking supper on the cabin's porch, a few friendly college folks hiked in to join us. The three Duke students had rented the cabin to come celebrate their upcoming graduation. They were gracious enough to invite two smelly hikers and a dog to join them. What a treat!
The next day was far less populated with people. Uwharrie and I hiked to the Loft Mountain wayside for breakfast. I enjoyed some pricey blueberry pancakes, then we hiked onwards into the sunshine. The wildlife seems rather tame and/or retarded out here. Uwharrie stepped right over a baby bunny and the deer hardly moved from the trail to let us pass. It's absurd. U-dog says we can have us some venison, all I have to do is give the word...
But I've been enjoying some other kind of wild food. At Hightop Hut, I cooked up some of the abundant stinging nettle to add to the cheesy pasta I had in a garlic and sweet potato sauce. A little leftover tequilla and dark chocolate to wash it all down... Delicious! Thanks to Elliot and Jen for the hook-ups.
The next day was a long push under the hot sun to make it to Rock Spring hut. We stopped at Lewis Mountain campground and enjoyed five rapid-fire fifty cent ice cream sandwiches. The next five miles went by in a sugar/dairy-high blur.
The Shennies have been a beautiful and yet bizarre experience. This park is a good demonstration of the dire effects of air pollution on the environment. However, most visitors seem oblivious to the dying forest around them. This was most noticeable among the people milling around at the Big Meadows Lodge where I savored a pricey pint of brew.
Dr. John and Carefree joined us at Rock Spring hut. We cooked our dinners and quickly conked out. I awoke still feeling tired. We hiked over to the Skyland lodge for breakfast. A hot water "bird bath" in the restroom followed by a cheese and tomato omelette, potato, biscuit and a couple cups of coffee woke me up!
But as we dropped down off of Mary's Rock, I again felt sleepy. We arrived to Pass Mtn. hut before a medley of other folks began to trickle in. We opted to tent out due to the alleged mouse infestation. This helped me get a much needed good night's rest.
The next morning, we met Biscuit, Strider, Rennaisance Man, and Many Names. The Caterer (Biscuit's dad) was slackpacking them through SNP. Uwharrie got hooked up with some dog food and I got hooked up with some dude food from their mobile grub unit. Thanks!
Our first bear spotting on the trek took place just south of Elkwallow Gap. We spotted a mother and two cubs emerging from the top of a dead hollow tree 25 yards up the trail. The mother and one cub climbed down to the ground while another cub hesitated halfway out of the hole. A couple motherly grunts coaxed the stray into a gingerly descent to join the family in their slow escape.
Uwharrie and I soon arrived at the wayside to enjoy a blackberry milkshake and sit and digest our awesome bear encounter. I resupplied in the store with a few more days of food, and a couple tall tasty cold ones. After talking with the passers-by, we hiked onwards up over the Hogback peaks.
We left the SNP and joined Carefree and Dr. John at the Tom Floyd wayside. I passed out after supper and slept like a log. The next day's hike was hot and humid, but enjoyable nonetheless. We were able to push all the way through a lush wildflower-riddled rainforest to Dick's Dome shelter. We were joined by a friendly group from Temple University at this oddly shaped structure.
The next day started with a pleasant and cool hike over Sky Meadow. Conveniently, the ominous sky waited to open the flood gates until right after we arrived at Rod Hollow shelter. We joined Many Names, Rennaisance Man, Biscuit and Gojo for lunch. Biscuit hooked me up with a spoon, which was much appreciated. I had lost my spork back at Pass Mtn. hut and had been improvising as best as possible for the last few days.
Onwards, onwards through a lush rainforest; we tackled the infamous rocky rollercoaster to get to Bears Den Hostel. This is one of my favorite places along the entire trail. Queen Deva does a great job running the hostel. Definitely check it out if you get the chance! Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there.
