Cycle of the Solstice: Little Jackson Loop

Love this loop so much. This was a Thursday, one with weather I love. Most of the summer mornings this year have not inspired me to whip the covers off, jump out of bed and hit the trail. Instead the mornings of this summer have inspired me to roll over, sleep a few more minutes and then when I decide to wake for the day, reach for my book and read for an hour. But on this particular Thursday the air pressure was high, the air was free of humidity and Jim and I had excellent evening and Friday plans. Whip the covers off I did.

I spend a lot of time alone in the woods. And right now my mind is with the searchers looking for the lost AT Thru Hiker and with Inchworm herself. I hope she is only lost, soon to be found, and has not encountered an evil one. People worry about me when I am off alone; they think I could run into trouble myself. I do not underestimate that possibility, and I take necessary precautions. I tell people my plans (and usually do not change them while on the way there), I carry pepper spray, and I hike with dogs. I am thankful for advice and perspective my brother has provided. He once told me what I should say and how I should proceed from there if I was ever in a situation where I might need to use my pepper spray. He told me to straight up tell the person that they were making me uncomfortable and that I want them to leave me alone. In the scenario, is is typically a man messing with me. He said any good guy is going to immediately get it, apologize and do what was asked and leave me alone. And if they don't? Spray their face with a good dose of pepper and get out of there. I have found that most people I have met are good. There have been several times while running in Farmington when I have turned my spray from locked to on. But most everyone I meet on the trail are like-minded and not threatening. The man I met on this hike (Ben) was such a man.

The way we met is kind of funny. I was hiking the 7.5 miles as fast as I could, there for a good workout and some time in nature. The last time I hiked it, it took me 3.5 hours; this time it took only 3. I was in the zone during the hike and little did I know, Ben was also in the zone, yet he was hiking from a different trailhead. I got to the junction of Pond Link and Little Jackson and stopped for a bathroom break. I was squatted between the two trails when I saw the flash of flesh - an arm. At that very moment he saw Dixie and he was taken aback. Later he told me just how much seeing Dixie got his blood pumping. He made a slight sound and before I knew what I was saying I said, "I am peeing." I said this as I was standing to pull up my shorts. He had not seen me, but upon hearing that I was in a private moment he immediately covered his eyes, took a step back, and asked, "Do you need a minute?" I answered that I was good and then, embarrassed, I met his eyes and we said hello, both surprised to find the other there in that moment. We talked for awhile and I learned what his route was. He is an ultra-runner so was out training. He is not local. His plan seemed to indicate he did not know about a "bushwhack" (it is becoming quite a trail) that makes for a really nice loop. I don't share favorites with everyone, in fact I am quite territorial about "my" spaces, but I do share with like-minded folks (knowing that without sharing I would have to find EVERYthing for myself). I told him of the bushwhack, explained where to find the trail and told him good luck. He took off up the trail I was headed, and I headed out soon after. I passed an older gentleman along the way and then found Ben on the summit of Little Jackson. He was on his way back down, having had no luck finding the hidden trail. We talked again and I offered to show it to him. In doing so, we ended up hiking about 3 or 4 miles together, talking all the way. He is going into his first year of teaching after deciding to leave the IT world. He looks older than me, 45 if I had to guess. We share similar acquaintances. I shared "Trail to Every Classroom" with him, encouraging him to check it out. He is a fit dude and I have to say I felt pretty good when he told me he could not believe the pace I keep. That when he heard something behind him and saw that it was me that he was impressed. Now since he is an ultra-runner, I will take that with pride.

It was nice to hike with him, nice to meet him. It was another reminder that most all people truly are good. I so hope that the freak "Brown Blaze" who was leaving threatening messages in trail journals in Wyman Township has nothing to do with Inchworm's disappearance. I hope she is okay. It will be two weeks tomorrow, and that does not seem good, but I am still hoping for her safety.