Today’s miles: 16.1
Total miles: 48.4
Camped: Designated campsite on Southside of Toxaway Creek
Most challenging day on the trail so far. I am pooped! Last night, I bear-ly sleeped. I was camped all alone and was so preoccupied by being attacked by a bear that I was really thrown for a loop when I started to see lightning around 1am. It didn’t take too long to start pouring rain. I’m not sure how long it rained, and I managed to sleep a bit. By 7am it had stopped raining, thank goodness! I had to pack up a soaking wet rainfly, but managed to keep most everything else dry (with the help of a last minute decision to bring a microfiber wash cloth with me). I hit the trail around 8:30. My legs felt good and my confidence was up. The sky was a little disconcerting as it hadn’t cleared up yet, but the morning felt like hiking through a rainforest. It was humid and foggy, with lots of green and the frequent sound of a stream or creek. I began to reflect on what Mother Nature has taught me so far. She has taught me that I am stronger than I think I am. I often find myself second guessing if I am capable of doing something, especially physically. So far I have stayed on schedule with this hike, despite some setbacks. Just as I was feeling confident, I crossed Horsepasture River, which is followed by 115 steps up (I counted) and then numerous steps after that once you turn a corner (counting was taking up too much energy). Nature will not let you get cocky. You never know what she will throw you, weather or terrain wise and you have to relinquish control, which is something I have always struggled with. There’s that old saying “if you put your mind to it, you can do anything!”. However, our mind can do just the opposite as well, preventing us from accomplishing things because of self doubt. Today, letting go of my thoughts helped me up those stairs, I let my spirit sore up the steps to experience what was around the bend. I was not conquering nature, but being a part of it, seeing what it had in store, trying not to get upset if I didn’t like it. Mother Earth did show plenty of grace, however. I was able to dry out most of my things at a perfect spot (sunny and breezy) around 2pm.
My efforts were well worth it. I felt so much satisfaction making it to my destination (dry gear to boot!). I invite everyone to get out and walk. Maybe not a thru-hike, maybe not a day hike, maybe just around the block. By moving outside, we begin to experience the ever changing nature of Mama Earth. The perfumes of dried leaves and pine needles, sun and shade, humidity or dryness, wind on your skin. Since I only saw one person all day today, I had fun coming up with a tag line for this invitation: M.A.M.A.- Make America Mobile Again.
