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Angels & Aphorisms
Day 3
When last we left our heroine she was .2 miles down the official Appalachian Trail, tenting behind Springer Shelter. Morning brought a little rain and mist and my first navigation of sharing camp space with another human. I have since met hundreds of hikers of every ilk, but Teagan remains an indelible gem. He possessed a kind and generous nature, and we swiftly established, despite a vast difference in age and experience, that we had uncannily similar outlooks on life. In particular, we were both health nuts. This discovery lead to a most bountiful breakfast collaboration: I had the organic unsweetened oatmeal with chia/flax/quinoa/hemp seeds and he brought the flavor with golden raisins and silvered almonds. Yum! Over this modest meal we shared stories of healing ourselves with diet and our hopes for the trail and future. Sadly before I had so much as deflated my sleep pad he was packed up and gone north. I pray he and his canine companion are still on trail!
What I did not realize at the time was that I was being blessed with my very first “trail magic.” Thanks to innumerable YouTube videos I had come to think of this phenomenon as meaning a spread of food near or on trail provided by individuals or an organization, or perhaps a cooler of ice cold soda and beer on a hot day. Anyone who metes out this bounty is known as a “trail angel.” As a late starter far beyond “the bubble” of A.T. thru-hikers, I had little hope of enjoying that kind of magic. I have come to realize though that it means oh SO much more and takes a myriad of forms. Moreover I have come to fully embrace that most oft-repeated A.T. aphorism, “The trail provides.”
Teagan was my first angel, providing companionship, teaching, and a chance to flex my maternal impulses (I do miss my grown kids fiercely out here!). Many more would follow in his footsteps, performing feats of magic from the small to the sublime. One gentleman simply swapped my water bottles in their pouches so I could access the full one without removing my pack. Others provided material needs or in one notable predicament, navigation.
I was traversing one of those stretches of trail which winds its way this way and that through dense forest and foliage, and had gone over one river and was about to cross another when I realized I had no idea which way the trail went proper. Multiple options presented themselves and I was all turned around, with not a white blaze in sight. And as I stood there scratching my head, a mustachioed elder materialized out of thin air. Without so much as batting a silver eyelash, this gentleman had me chasing at his heels (in the correct direction!) for several miles at a good clip, during which time he related his entire life story. Oh and what a story! At some point in his life he’d kayaked the entire length of Mississippi River, and now was on a treasure hunt for some boxes hidden in the wilds by an eccentric rich man. A wise old man… buried treasure… my fantasy-bent brain was running rampant with theories. But for his Levi’s and GoPro harness, I would’ve suspected my rescuer was some kind of ranger or wizard! In fact if I did not possess photographic proof of his corporeal credence, I might have believed the woods had conjured him up out of the earth to not only lead me to safety, but light a spark in my sagging trail shoes. I had never hiked so far so fast! And I felt entirely safe. I didn’t flinch a bit when my finger started to develop a hot spot from gripping my trekking poles too tightly and “Gangorn” (my made-up moniker, with apologies to Tolkien) whipped out a giant knife from nowhere to cut me a piece of leukotape.
Where I was lost & found, and the legs of my rescuer!
And then just like Teagan, my talkative trail guide strode away into trees, away from me and into his next adventure.
Women of the Waterfall
As the day wore on, my sense of wonder became increasingly eclipsed by the all too real awareness of just how much I stank. Like the privy, much has been written and shared about hiker funk. I’ve since become accustomed (adapt or die!), but at the time was feeling kinda all around sweaty, stinky, and miserable. The A.T. conveniently ran alongside a decent-sized stream at this point, so I made my way to a hidden spot, stripped down to my skivvies, and had a refreshing bath. Oh the joys of a little bottle of Dr. Bronner’s and bone-chilling mountain ablutions! I even bravely washed my hair. I thought about stealth camping at the site, but something told me to press on (always trust your instincts on trail!). Sure enough, not far to the north I was way up on a ledge over-looking a wide open expanse of ground next to the river, at the eastern end of which was a lovely little tumble of a waterfall. A campsite was already pitched there and I started to press on, but was stopped by a voice. A woman called up to me, beckoning me down, and I recognized her from an earlier trail conversation. I was invited to camp near to her and her companion! To date this is the most idyllic spot I’ve camped on the A.T.: sunshine dappling through the tall trees, the subtle song of the stream, and ample space to seek solitude for needs both bodily and emotional.
Our wonderful woodland waterfall
The elder of the two women came over to talk while I ate dinner. She and her friend worked for a local outfitter and were out for just the weekend. And from her I also got a good chunk of life story, which included her now grown child being healed mentally by a nature immersion program. She had me bawling my eyes out inside of a minute, and I shared with her how I had always looked upon nature as my “holy place,” where I healed and felt most whole. “Trail Mom” (my title for her, not an official trail name) shared not only her wisdom (“You meet the people out here you’re supposed to meet”), but also practical items I had run out of and desperately needed.
Not to get mystical, treacly, or “woo woo” as one of my angels phrased it, but my there’s pervasive sense among many hikers that they are meant to be on trail for deep, personal, and perhaps higher purposes. And this being the case, doesn’t it follow that the powers that be would indeed provide? Regardless of where you fall in the pantheon of belief, it is difficult to deny the supernatural nature of what happens out here on a daily basis.
My soporific stream
Looking at my journal of the day I note the hike itself was ghastly and grueling, but what stands out are the bookends of bountiful blessings. I slept soundly that night, content and cradled by the soft murmur of the mountain stream.
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Comments 8
Great story. And so well written. One tiny bit of criticism. PLEASE don’t put any soap in a stream. Even bio-degradable. “Leave No Trace (LNT) guidelines emphasize the importance of preserving natural resources for future generations. To achieve this, it is recommended to avoid using soap in streams, rivers, and other water sources. Instead, LNT suggests that soapy wastewater should be disposed of in a designated area away from water sources to prevent pollution and protect the environment. This practice is crucial for maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems and ensuring that the natural beauty of the outdoors remains accessible to all.” I will hush now.
Yermo, you make an excellent point and I shall endeavor to mend my ways! I’ve always been careful with gray water while camping and disposed of it appropriately, but thought Bronner’s was acceptable. I’ve already learned many new tricks like cleansing with wipes and wearing wool, so this is yet another level of wisdom in the wilds obtained!
Thanks for allowing me to be a bit critical. And thanks for your kind reply.
Thank you for bringing up a very valid point. I know many people do this because they mistakenly think it is completely safe and unintrusive to the water system, along with the surrounding environment. The logic many use is the fact that the bottle/container has the word “biodegradable” on it.
In my opinion,*”BIODEGRADABLE”* is one of a long list of words in the English Language whose definition is misinterpreted or misunderstood by the majority of the population. To intensify the confusion, many companies use it in their advertising and promotion. While what the manufacturers claim is 100% true and factual, manufactures know that most consumers jump to or assume the wrong conclusion.
One of my undergraduate degrees is in Chemistry. I have had a strong dislike for the word “Biodegradable” since the early/mid 1970’s when it crossed onto mainstream English. I recall that a few companies whose products were sold door to door, trained their sales to tell customers that although their products were often more expensive than similar products available in stores, their products were actually a better deal in the long-run. Supposedly because you needed less, it did a better job, etc., etc. And one more huge selling point was the fact that all their products were*BIODEGRADABLE*!!!! Many of the words and phrases that the sales associates used after biodegradable were not facts from their training, but simply added to draw focus to the claim. To increase sales, they would inquire of their customers about their willingness to pay extra for products that were safe for the environment, non-polluting, and, even helpful and good for the environment.
Sorry for the rant. Instead of throw-back Thursday, I have made this throw-a-rant Thursday. If interested, stay tuned for my rant on the word *”FLUSHABLE”*. It is also on my list of words that are misunderstood by the general population. Although it’s been on my list a much shorter time (about 20 years), it now ranks in the top 5, of not the Number 1 spot.
Manger Cat (great name!) please rant away! This is all very educational and I’m paying attention! I was always suspicious of the whole “flushable” claim and before that anything labeled “natural.” Technically a great many things are flushable which should definitely *not* be flushed. Can’t we all get bidets and be done with it?
I will try my best to be kind to the nature I so love.
Thanks for that. I feel we are on the same page, even though I certainly don’t have a degree in chemistry
I am loving reading your blogs. I was thinking and your descriptions reminded me of Thoreau- peaceful, detailed and very in tune with nature. I loved reading about the trail angels and the individual purposes people have while on the trail. ❤️
Nubia, thank you so very much for your thoughtful, meaningful, and kind comments! Above all else this trip is a spiritual journey for me and feeling whole in and connected to my natural environs is much of what sustains me in the challenging times. And believe me, every day is a trial! The people I interact with either on trail or off also keep me moving forward when I am tempted to go running from the hills to the comforts of civilization. You’ll meet many of them in my coming stories!
Much love,
~Arwen