July 27, 2018 – Daily Stats – End to End on the Long Trail
- Hiked 2.2 miles of the Long Trail and a side trail.
- Start: Emily Proctor Shelter
- End: Skylight Pond Trailhead mile 130.9
Disaster Strikes Early
We were moving pretty well this morning through the runoff from yesterday’s storms. That is, until we were half a mile from the Skylight Pond Lodge. True Friend stumbled, then fell, penguin style, head first down a rock. I knew it wasn’t good. She was murmuring ow between curse words from underneath her pack.
As she stood up we saw she scraped down the front of her shin and it sure was bleeding! I told her to look away and tied her bandanna tightly around her leg. I was worried that if she saw the amount of blood dripping down her shin she would panic, any sane person probably would. With the knot of the bandanna tied directly over the widest part of the gash, we taped what was left exposed. True Friend was in a lot of pain so I laid out two options: either we hike out together or I go ahead for help and return.
Finding Help
True Friend was strong in her decision that she wanted to stay together. As we started in on the first option, of hiking out together I continuously checked my cell phone for service. Knowing that we were not far from our Trail Angels, I reached out. Eventually I was able to get a message out to Valerie and Clay. Valerie was already on her way to Boston. Clay hadn’t responded. I didn’t know if he got the message, or if I wasn’t getting a response.
At the Skylight Pond Trail intersection we again deliberated on our options. The way I saw it we had three choices this time. We could find the caretaker at the lodge and ask for help, hike down the side trail and hope for either Clay to meet us there or find a hitch, or superglue that cut closed and press on.
True Friend opted to hike the side trail and hope/hitch. We were halfway down when I heard voices. A couple was hiking up. They asked how our day was going and we answered honestly. Immediately they offered to hike out with us and take us to an emergency medical center. True Friend insisted they complete their hike and we gently asked if we happen to still be in the parking lot when they finish that they bring us out with them. They amicable agreed, and again offered to hike out with us.
No Cell Service
We had no cell service for the remainder of the hike. The parking lot was desolate. When I walked out to the gravel road the signage showed me I had little hope of hitching. We were in a section of Wilderness Refuge on a road being worked on and possibly shut down.
No cell service.
Rain.
We took cover under my tarp, True Friend’s leg elevated on my backpack.
When I heard the distant sound of a car, I shot up and ran to the road. Through a thick accent and mumbles, the drive explained he didn’t have room for both of us, but he would find us help. True Friend was not interested in splitting up.
No cell service and more rain.
Just as the regret of not accepting the first offer to hike us out and drive us to the city was creeping in, I heard the sound of another vehicle. The heavily accented mumbling man had returned. He explained a parks employee, GMC volunteer, or someone was looking for us.
Another car pulled into our little parking lot. A couple began to have a beautiful lunch right there. I tried not to stare. I tried not be resentful. They had a car. They had not asked if we were ok. We were worlds apart in the same small parking lot.
Help Has Arrived
As I monitored my emotions, trying to weigh how to nicely ask for help, the gentleman inquired as to if everything was ok. We quickly explained, and we had hardly finished when they both jumped into action rearranging their car so we would both fit. Our driver Flavio, and his travel companion (her name was beautiful and I could hardly do it justice saying it let alone spelling it) were professors and taking the summer to travel to various parks. They highly recommended pursuing a PhD.
As we were chatting away, True Friend interjected “OMG that’s Clay!”
Without missing a beat they pulled over. The car had barely stopped when I jumped out and sprinted up the mountain road. According to Clay, he was checking his rearview mirror to pull out of the parking lot when he saw a woman running up the hill in a dress. As he wondered, who would run up a mountain in a dress, he realized it was me! He had looked in 3-4 parking lots for us with no success. Apparently my GPS coordinates were not quite right.
Clay brought us to an urgent care center where True Friend was cleaned, stitched, stuck, and x-rayed. No breaks, fractures, etc. but four stitches and the recommendation of resting for a couple of weeks.
Just like that, with one wrong foot placement, one slide, one rock became the end of one adventure.
Clay took us home so we could re-evaluate our plan.