Anne-Davnes Elser

~:TBD Appalachian Trail Journal: 10.4.87:~

10.4.87
Sunday
9:00 am

I awoke at 6:00 am to find SNOW on my bag. SNOW! It's only October.

I had definite mixed emotions. Half of me was excited to see the 1st snow. The other half kinda depressed at the thought that I still have 429 miles to go before I finish this quest.

I just returned from checking out the trail. It's very difficult to follow. White everywhere.

Trees are felling at about one every 45 seconds. This has been going on for about 2 hours. One tree has already hit the shelter.

Should I stay or should I go. That appears to be the question of the morning. Given all the factors. Snow, lots of it. Many, many blow downs, or should I say snow downs.

Every three steps I take, I slide back one. I've got plenty of food and I'm dry. I think I'll stay for today.

I think the trees have stopped falling. It's still snowing.

I shifted the down feathers in my bag to the top, hoping that will keep me warmer. As long as I stay dry, I should be okay.

As I sit here stuffed in my bag, my mind keeps flashing back to Kaija. Kaija Volckening. I met Kaija in Great Barrington. She's beautiful, but not just on the outside, inside also. I've never met anyone like her. I think I love her. Only time will tell. I have yet to finish this trip and she has to finish hers. She is so strong.

I must stop for a while. My hands are getting cold.

11:45 am
I was wrong. Trees are still falling. Another one just hit the shelter. I hope this shelter ias as strong as it looks. Snow is still falling at a heavy rate.

2:00 pm
All I hear on the radio is "Rain, rain, rain," It sure ain't raining up here. There looks to be about 8 inches of snow accumulation. If a tree hasn't broken in half from the weight of the snow, it has slumped over. I say about 30% of the trees up here are downed. Which means even if it does stop snowing and the snow melts, the trail is gonna be hell from the snow-downs. My guess, to the reason and number of downed trees that have fallen: I don't think they were ready for snow in October. The cold air probably not so good either.

As for me, it's gonna take a lot more than this to drop 'Ol Darling Boy.

3:00 pm
I see a spot of sunshine off to the East. Looks like it might blow over.

4:25 pm
I've awoken to the dripping sound of melting snow. I see blue skies and sunshine in the trees. The snowing has stopped with about 10 inches of snow on the ground.

5:15 pm
The trees are no longer filled with snow, but the ground still has a 10 inch blanket on it. I don't think it will melt by a.m.. It will probably freeze which means a crust, which will be good. Maybe I won't slide so much tomorrow when I try to leave.

It has to be close to freezing, ice is forming in my water bottles. Where the hell did Fall go? I still can't quite believe this. Snow on October 4th with 429 miles to go. YEAAAAA. Oh well. It makes interesting reading.

My feet are cold. I never did have terrific circulation in my feet.

6:00 pm
Another tree has hit the shelter (a big one.) A branch of which has driven itself through the roof of the shelter. Scared the shit out of me. I find myself singing Jingle Bells. And to think, only 2 weeks ago found me swimming in a pond.

7:15 pm
I find myself drifting again. Back to Kaija. She is so beautiful.

It's getting colder. I wish I had a thurmommetor (I can't spell.)

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Getting out wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. Continuing south from where I was was an impossibility. I went about 1/2 a mile. It took 45 minutes. The trail was obliterated. I turned back and followed my footprints back to the shelter. The only thing left for me to do was to hike back to the last road I crossed and then try to hitch a ride.

I made it back to the road and got a ride into town. There were fallen trees everywhere. I decided to make a small jump south to try and pass all the snow and fallen trees.

So here I am, Greymoor Monastary. I must say it's good to be here. I'm clean and warm and well fed. I just got off the phone. I was speaking to Kaija. It was soooo good to hear her voice. I will write her tonight. A relationship with her is definitely worth working for.


"Darling Boy"

GA-HF 87 ME-HF
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Appalachian Trail Journal

1987

Tom B. Dusenberry
2340 Leisure Lane
Atlanta, Georgia 30338
404-451-3531