Day 24 - Black Holes and Red Blazes (May 2)

Today was a day of black holes and red blazes. I'm learning that every trail town is a black hole. I would have loved to have sat out on Elmer's porch all day drinking beers and talking to hikers. I suppose in a few days, there would be no one coming through that I knew. Several people stayed a second or even a third night in town.

Road Rash had to take another zero because his mail drop did not arrive. Hopefully, he will catch up in a day or two.

A red blaze is a trail term that needs some explanation. The entire AT is marked with white stripes called white blazes that are painted on trees marking the trail. The trail is so well marked that I do not even carry maps. Side trails are marked with blue paint and are called blue blazes. Roads have yellow paint. Hitching a ride is called yellow blazing. And hikers who leave their blood on the trail are called red blazers.

Road Rash did some red blazing last night. He had some cuts on his arm from a fall. He was fortunate to have gotten his arm in front of his face in time. You Go Girl was not so fortunate. I found her by the side of the trail bleeding from her head. She had tripped, and her pack being heavier than normal leaving town drove her forward. I sat with her and walked with her a little while until we found a place for her to rest by some water. I heard from Zepher that she is doing well.

I had just heard about You Go Girl at breakfast this morning, and another recent fall she had at Roaring Fork shelter. She is a lady in her 50s who had fallen a couple days ago while trying to hang a bear bag. She had slipped and rolled down the side of a mountain. She said she was fine and only laughed at that fall.

It was a very slow day today. It might be the late start and good breakfast Elmer made this morning or it might have been our extra heavy packs. I weighed my pack on two scales this morning. One one scale it weighed 38 pounds and on the other it weighed 45 pounds. I tend to believe the 38 pound reading. I have food for 5 days and lots of other stuff I acquired over the last few weeks. I'm going to mail stuff home from Erwin in a few days.

I met Red Bull and Diesel for the first time this evening. I've been seeing their logs at shelters and hearing about them. Also here are OHM and a lady named Zeke. She said that's her real name. I'm assuming she means last name.