A Walk of Death

Day 2 – Friday Night - 8/19/2005 – Mile 14 – 8:35 PM

Today’s hike was much better and not near as hot as yesterdays. The cumulus field started to build around noon and showers soon erupted. This brought welcomed shade from the clouds. I could hear it rumble thunder all around me for most of the afternoon. I managed to get caught in quite a few downpours, but they were welcomed and refreshing. I didn’t mind getting wet after the heat of yesterday.

As you hike the rails, you will know a train is coming as the rails start to “sing”. It is this high pitched sound of the steel wheels against the steel rails traveling for miles ahead of the train. I guess the rails make a pretty good conductor of sound and vibrations. If you get down to the tracks and place an ear to the rail you can distinctly hear the train approaching. Suddenly, far off in the distance, down the tracks, you will see the headlights and ditch lights of the engine wavering and shimmering in the heat as they round a corner.

One thing I have noticed walking the railroad tracks is that these great trains leave a wealth of death on the side of their tracks. As I hiked, I would start to smell the stench of death and in a few hundred yards would come across another deer carcass or other assorted animal. You could get a good indication of the local fauna just by the carcasses left run over by the trains. This was a boon for the local turkey-buzzard population. They would wait until the last minute to fly as I approached reluctant to leave their road-kill track-side gourmet. They would watch me intently at the same time they greedily fought amongst themselves for the choicest morsels.

Around lunch, I stopped by a creek and climbed down the bank to sit by the water. I took off my hiking boots, placed my aching feet into the water, and it felt wonderful. I noticed some blisters were starting to form so I tossed my hiking boots into my backpack and pulled out my ancient pair of tennis shoes (sneakers or trainers for you UK citizens) that are well worn and comfortable. I put these on and my feet felt much better. I then sat and ate my MRE (army talk for meals, ready to eat). I also smoked one bowl from my pipe and then got back on the tracks to try and reach Cusseta before sundown.

By late afternoon, I reached the little, small town of Cusseta and the familiar back roads that would carry me for the rest of my trip. I was glad to be off those train tracks as they grew to be monotonous. I hiked a few more miles out of town were I set up camp, ate supper, and then sat down against a tree to write this. Tomorrow will be my longest day of hiking yet. I will also have to carefully conserve my water as there are no more creeks until I get to Waverly and the end of my journey. I stocked up on water at that creek earlier in the day and that constitutes much of the weight in my backpack. I must have twenty pounds of water in there.

Well, I must close and call it a night. I have an early morning start ahead of me and must get some rest. I feel exhausted tonight and am longing for sleep in my sleeping bag. Good night.