Week 10 (June 4 to June 9) Learning to See with Heart

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”  Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince; Conversations between the Prince and the Fox.

June 3 we attended a family wedding in Port Clinton, Ohio.  June 6 we took an extra day off due to the air quality and set off on June 7 starting at CT 341 Kent, CT (1474.4) to Steward Hollow Brook Shelter (1481.4) to Belter Campsite (1496.4).  Total miles for the week = 22 miles.

Editing Notes: Week 9’s Total miles should read 27.2 not 15.7 miles.  Week 7:  Dayton, Ohio Flip Flopper’s trail name should be Will See not Maybe.    

Dessert Queen’s earworm: “Wake-up everybody” by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. 

Mr. Rook’s earworm: Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. B flat Op. 23.  

Joys

• Family Wedding.  We enjoyed seeing family members that have been supporting us on our AT adventure.  It was also bittersweet because it also reminded me of the absence of three family members who died during the last three years.  No wedding goes off without a hitch.  At our wedding 25+ years ago, the caterer was stuck in traffic due to an accident and my sister and I were not picked up and driven to the church as planned due to a miscommunication.  In my cousin’s case, the minister had been in an accident and the replacement had written down the wrong date (Saturday instead of Sunday).  Thankfully, the groom (West coast, backpacker cousin) had a friend who could officiate the wedding.  Nothing is perfect, not even a wedding.  Marriage isn’t perfect and the relationship needs to be worked on daily.  Similarly, a thru hike isn’t perfect like it may be portrayed in the movies, sometimes you need to take a deep breath and figure out a solution.  Wishing my cousins many backpacking adventures. 
• Rethinking Backpacking Gear.  Zeroing off the trail allowed us time to rethink what we were carrying… what do we really need?  We replaced our cooking pot with a lighter one.  I took the suggestion from Sprawl, a hiker we met in MD and replaced my cup with a mini-Oreo container; it has a lid and can also be used for cold soaking.  I left behind an extra hiking bra, a pair of socks and a short sleeve shirt.  Mr. Rook and I landed on a uniform: long sleeve shirt and green hiking pants that can convert to shorts.  We also treated everything again to protect against TICKS.  
• Fox.  A red fox crossed my path at dusk heading to the privy.  I almost didn’t see him because his russet color blended into the woods.  His coat reminded me of the sky today tinted sepia by the Canadian fires.  We stood there staring at each other neither moving.  His eyes bore deeply into me perhaps to read my soul to discern if I was friend or foe. His ears twitched slightly, but he continued to observe me.  When I shifted my weight, he hopped off into the woods with an agility I envy for on the trail.  Back in my orange-colored tent, I googled fox symbolism.  One site listed: to face obstacles that stand in your way; to transform into the best version of myself; and to be fearless in any situation… were just a few.  The more I read about the fox, the lists seemed to be post trail outcomes many hikers hoped for, even me.       
• Hiking highlights. 1) Camping and hiking near a river.  I really like the soothing sound of water to lull me to sleep.  The hiking paths along the river were smooth and steady and without rocks.  2) Silver Hill Campsite.  There is something to be said for having a morning break with a KIND bar (Almond Coconut is our favorite) and sitting on a swing that overlooks a view.  Mr. Rook called it right to hike fewer miles the previous day due to the air quality.  The view was still hazy due to the fires.  The logbook at this campsite indicated “TICKS.”  We checked for those little bugs before we left.  3) I had another “know your body moment.”  Before climbing up to Roger’s Ramp there is a sizable water crossing.  For me, there was an invisible sign reading:  Beware of Slippery Rocks.  I crossed in my pink crocs without falling.  4)  Roger’s Ramp CT Lemon Squeezer.  This was a fun climb.  
• Hollering Bird.  I’ve been entertained by this bird who hollers rather than sweetly sings.  One hollers over to his neighbor and the other yells back.  These birds drown out all the other birds.  Listening to them, I imagine a Mick Jagger bird gyrating in the tree singing “Hey! You! Get off of my nest !”  And the other bird, Keith Richards sings back playing on his guitar.  Imagination runs wild in the woods.   
• St. Big Agnes of the Copper Spur.  This blessed tent acted as an air filter during the three days of poor air quality due to the Canadian fires.  We are grateful to her for helping to protect our lungs.   
• Cesar Brook Campsite.  Great bear box and the open-air privy had a great view.  Shout out to the ATC and/or the CT AMC for correcting the spelling of the Cesar family name.  It had been spelled Caesar.  We enjoyed reading about Mr. Cesar, a black freeman farmer who had owned this land now part of the AT.  (You can see the Cesar foundations of a barn? Or house? off the trail) Mr. Rook and I hope the ATC and/or the CT AMC can start the process to also correct the same misspelling of the brook.
• CT AMC Trail Runner.  It was nice to talk to CT AMC Trail Runner before our climb up to Roger’s Ramp.  He provided us information on a Trail Runner’s job to hike the AT through CT going to each campsite and checking the privies and bear boxes.   He also alerted us to the Greenagers who’s van we had passed.  
• Greenagers: Youth * Environment * Community.  When we were climbing up towards Roger’s Ramp there was a crew of youth and young adults (young men and women) working on the trail.  Mr. Rook and I stopped to watch several crew members drag rocks to create steps.  The purpose was to ameliorate the erosion problem of this stretch of trail.  The Crew Leader told us that many of the youth were interested in environmental science for their careers and that this is a paid summer job.  Mr. Rook and I commented that the entire trail needed Greenagers, because it was a wonderful opportunity for young people.       
• Flippers from Ohio.  We rolled into Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter almost at the same time.  And it was a happy coincidence to discover that this couple was from Cinci, Ohio; they had started in the Schenandoahs.  If you compared Team Ohio to Cinci Flippers, they were a well-oiled machine who hiked more miles/day; and they appeared to hike in a unison rhythm versus our laid back way.  We discovered this hiking duo were both yoga instructors and their setting-up and tearing down included yoga, reiki, and meditation.  Based on our conversation they hope to have “fox trail outcomes” following this hike (See above to fox reference).  Mr. Rook and I feel they were also braver: they sold almost all their worldly possessions to take this AT trek.  We were reminded of one of our favorite vloggers Mishap and Amethyst who did something similar last year.  Our approach was different, we found a house sitter.  I needed a tangible and physical place to come back to.  The Cinci, Ohio Flippers reminded us that there are many ways to approach this trail.       
• Book carried.  The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager.  Nothing like a mystery that takes place in a future hiking state: Vermont.  368 pages. 
• Memorable Food.  1) Rev. Judy and Chuck’s dinner and breakfast.  2) Italian deli sandwich, pickles, and cookies for lunch to go from J.P Gifford, Kent, Ct.
• Trail Angels:  Rev. Judy and Chuck thank you for your hospitality and travel guide of the area.  Thank you for convincing us not to get on the trail when the Air Quality Index was above 156.  

Thorns and Tender Places

• Air Quality.  Our intentions were to return on the trail June 6, however, the air quality index was above 156.  If you read the Air Quality Index:  it is recommended to everyone: “Cut back or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities.”  Hiking is considered a strenuous activity especially if you are going down St. John’s Ledges.   Apparently, a lightning strike ignited the Canadian forest fires and the lack of precipitation over the winter created perfect conditions for the fires to get out of control.  It made me think of the forests we hiked through in PA with their dried-up moss.  June 7th, the Air Quality Index was in the 120 – 130s and we headed back to the trail.  The sky looked as if you were wearing light sepia-colored lenses (Note:  my camera autocorrected the color to blue making it look like humidity or low rain clouds.)  At night, we noticed a light burnt smell.  The end of both the first and second day, we both felt off.  I had a headache.  On the trail, hikers were pulling back their mileage/day and one hiker displayed an app that compared the Air Quality Index to the number of cigarettes smoked.  We had been exposed to 3-5 cigarettes on June 7th.      
• St. John’s Ledges.  To start, the view is spectacular from this ledge, however the descent is a technical, straight down, boulder climb.  Truthfully, this vertical rock slab provided my bum with a lot of scooting action.  My weird thoughts as I descended: which St. John could these rocks possibly represent (the Baptist or the Beloved)?  Later I discovered, neither.  The Ledges are named after Timothy St. John who donated the land.    
• Motor Racing Sound.  The Lime Motor Raceway is near the woods heading to the Belter Campsite.  The sound was so loud you could not hear the birds.   
• Thru hiker who cooked, ate, and slept with his food.  When faced with a situation, my mind races to the worst-case scenario.  This was the first hiker we’ve seen tenting near us who blatantly cooked, ate, and slept with his food; his actions sent up “Danger Will Robinson” warnings signs in my mind (Reference from Lost in Space).  All I could imagine was 1) spark, poof and a fire reaching up to touch the trees melting the whole kit and kaboodle.  2) Socializing bears and other critters to think tents host a grand buffet.  The result for this type of socialization means a) closing down a campsite or section due to safety issues; and b) euthanizing the poor bears.  (NOTE: CT has beautiful metal bear boxes at all their campsites).

Opportunities and Other Thoughts

Birch Trees and Pine Trees.  Hiking among the trees you develop a relationship with trees.  Some let their guard down and reveal their personalities to win over my heart.  The section from Kent to Belter Campsite I’ve been mourning the Birch and Pine trees struggling to stay alive.  Many are infected with pathogens (Southern Pine Beetle, Fungi, and non-native nematodes) evident by the cankers or bore holes on their trunks and shriveled or malformed leaves.  

There is sadness in losing a tree, I still think about the death of our Ash tree who shaded our front porch and became infected with the Emerald Ash Borer.  That Ash tree was glorious and holy, changing its look with each season.   

Humans have both a physical and invisible relationship with trees.  Sometimes, I think we forget or maybe take for granted the invisible.  The air cycle where the tree’s leaves take in the carbon dioxide we humans have exhaled and then release oxygen for us to breathe in.  Without trees who will give us air? 

Observing the Birch and Pines I think is a big wake up call to everyone.  

Reference:

AirNow.gov. “Air Quality Index.” Air Quality Index (AQI) | AirNow.gov

Cliburn, Van. Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1. RCA Victor Symphony conducted by Kiril Kondrashin. RCA Victor, 1958.  Hear the recording https://youtu.be/xZYYqUssAVw?si=n6yoPtITe3yRq_5_

Allen, Irwin. Lost in Space. 20th Century Fox Television, 1965-1968.

Jaggar, Mick and Richards, Keith.  “Hey you get off of my cloud,” Got Live If You Want It.  London, 1966.  See an Official Performance by the Rolling Stones https://youtu.be/RoUa4dIcO50?si=ce5hwXjs5zL625XV

Mishap and Amethyst. “Appalachian Trail 2022 SOBO Thru Hike” (6) Mishap & Amethyst Hikes – YouTube

Sager, Riley.  The House Across the Lake. Dulton, 2022. 

Saint-Exupery, Antoine de. The Little Prince. Reynal and Hitchcock, 1943.

Whitehead, John, McFaddon, Gene, and Carstarphen, Victor. “Wake-up Everybody.” Wake-up Everybody. Performed by Melvin and the Blue Notes.  Philadelphia International, 1975.  Hear Melvin and the Blue Notes sing this R&B number using this link https://youtu.be/OOxoeGL3tTo?si=rL7ZA1AEDBi3Bvbo