[at-l] OrangeBug Section Journal Day 4

["W F Thorneloe, MD" <thornel@ibm.net>]

4 2
Into Standing Indian!

Good Friday. I awoke early and surprised several of the Muskrateers as they 
passed by. My brown Tyvek tent was effective as camouflage. I suspect it 
would be a Stealth burrito.

I took my time getting started, following Shagbark by 30 minutes after 
exploring the rhododendron thicket and the "unreliable" water source. The 
branch is hard to find. You hear it first and then see the series of falls. 
This was worth the time and scramble thru the blackberry patch.

My walk was slowed by a deeply personal issue. The pending end of the trip 
was not the issue, altho on my mind. Nay. The issue was closer to heart. 
Chafing is far worse (in my experience) than even tired feet.

A change of shorts, application of Gold Bond powder(wow!). Bioclude, 
Neosporin, et al fared no benefit. Hence, I walked down the hill like a 
bow-legged cowboy.

Let's discuss chaffing. It is a very common problem, but rarely reviewed in 
literature. It was first described by Earl Chaffer in the late 1940's. 
However, I will try to enlighten the kind reader thru an interactive exercise.

First, start a fire in your fireplace and set a poker in it until it begins 
a warm white glow. While it is warming, go out to the garage and find some 
coarse 60 grit sand paper. I prefer garnet paper for it's red tint. Lightly 
sprinkle some spare battery acid and fold the paper in half. Remove your 
pants and underwear. Place the acid treated paper between your legs and 
feel the mild sting. Take the hot poker and use it to rub the paper against 
your upper inner thighs 10 times a minute for about 20 minutes. Feel that 
burn? That's a great deal like chaffing! This is NOT good!

I passed Shagbark, who played leapfrog with me down to Deep Gap. He claimed 
to be the slowest hiker around. I guess he is in his early 70's, yet he 
complained that it took him a long time to climb the hills. He has good 
goals, a great family, and a keen mind. I hope he doesn't let the hills 
beat the heart out of him. I know few hikers his equal.

I will spare you the descriptions of the 4 flatlanders whose wives's "only" 
carried 45 pounds.  I'll also pass on telling you of the mess at Standing 
Indian Shelter. I left Shagbark at the shelter post lunch and headed to the 
summit. Somehow, this was an easy climb, with the end of this section at 1PM.

I remained on the summit most of the day, directing people to water & the 
pending sundown light show. Four thru hikers (Levi & Nichole, & 2 guys from 
Michigan) and 2 weekenders shared the summit campsites with me.

As nice as they all were, the thru hikers stayed together and began a 
playful game of "Mine is Bigger than Yours." The subject was calves, which 
had magically hypertrophied somewhere between Tray Mountain and Standing 
Indian. Capolenes could no longer hike up to your knees. Noseeums bounced 
harmlessly off them. Envy only grew in this hapless section hiker, soon to 
return to the flatland.

Sundown was spectacular as always on SI and the sky cleared in the night as 
the stars and waning moon aided Nature's calls. What a Good Friday.

OrangeBug
GA->NC 99
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