#180 Ten Mile River Shelter to Stuart Hollow Brook Shelter - Day 105: MM1461.4 MM1477.1
To every unsung hero in the universe, To those who roam the skies and those who roam the earth; To all good men of reason, may they never thirst... - Gordon Lightfoot (who passed away today)
5-1-2023
Despite a night of Freddy Kreuger’s voice cursing me in the rain and wondering if Trail Gary Busey was going to come back to the shelter and talk all night, I managed to get a decent night’s sleep.
You can imagine my delight waking alone, yet still seeing a friendly and familiar face, though a stone face, hundreds of years old.
After hundreds of miles of running into this wall nearly every day, putting a smile on my face each time we cross paths, I’ve decided to give my stone-faced companion the trail name Wallace.
It looks like it’s going to be another cool and cloudy day with rain falling off and on. There are not many hikers on trial. Thanks to all the rain, there are lots of heavy water crossings.
Who I believe to be a thru-hiker passes by while I filter water at a small stream. I never really look up to see him. We exchange good mornings but he even slows down.
Indian Mountain proves to be the perfect place to take a snack break while drying out gear in the short-lived sunshine and increasing wind. Uncle Danny shows up. I recognize him. He recognizes me. We don’t know why. After talking for a while we realize we’d met back at Delaware Water Gap.
Sitting at Camp Road crossing I think about the next couple of weeks. As of now I want to push deep into Massachusetts, get a room, resupply and reset, send home a lot of unneeded gear, then haul ass to Hanover, New Hampshire.
Lots of up and downs today. The mountains slow my progress. Some are tough and dangerous. What drains the most energy is the long continuous series of smaller mountains that keep coming at me - it’s like walking across Charlie Brown’s shirt.
I receive the news that a legend has fallen today:
We lost a musical giant and lyrical genius today. Gordon Lightfoot died today at age eighty-four. (November 17, 1938 – May 1, 2023)
When I get back home, I’ll set aside an evening to spin every Lightfoot studio album in my vinyl collection (nearly all of his twenty studio albums).
One of my favorites:
Heaven Help the Devil (May He have a Few Unpleasant Memories)
To every unsung hero in the universe
To those who roam the skies and those who roam the earth
To all good men of reason may they never thirst
We have wings to guide us through the timeless sea
And faith that will remain through all eternity
We try to be helpful to the ones in need
We have been captured by the thieves of the night
Held for ransom if you please
Heaven help the devil may he have a few unpleasant memories