Morning Rounds and Evening Musings

Rule #1: Always travel with more water than you think you'll need. For example (hypothetical, of course), if there is an abundance of water at the trail head, you should drink up! And then filter more so that BOTH of you are carrying full water bottles. Don't begin a hike without being fully hydrated, and never, NEVER assume there will be plenty of water!

Because sometimes there isn't any water and after you've hiked six miles, your tongue begins to stick to the roof of your mouth, every hill looks like it's Everest, and you begin to go a little crazy imagining that you might have to turn around and go six miles more back to the beginning of the trail head, except that it's already 4:30 and that will mean not only another long six miles with no water, but a hike in the dark--and all for nothing because you're right back where you've started!

So if you come six miles, and feel you can't go any further and you just might die of dehydration (though your doctorish husband assures you that since you're still sweating and your skin is not 'tenting' you're fine) send your much stronger companion ahead to search for water. But when he comes back with an empty water bottle, resist the urge to cry (you'll lose what little water you have left!) and get a little creative!

Maybe there's a forest service road that intersects with your trail, and after hiking down it for a mile or so (much shorter than the six it would take if you turned around) there will be the tiniest stream--your survival! There you can drink gallons and gallons of water and all will be well with the world again.

Not that this very important rule is something we learned from personal experience last weekend in North Carolina. No, we are far too experienced to make such an elementary mistake.

We did not look this happy on the hike up. But we were smarter on the way back, and thus could produce such a happy-looking photograph!

Appalachian wildlife

Our campsite, on an abandoned logging road off of the forest service road that saved our life!