Get Out While You Can

Our Wilderness Man (aka Steve Easter) is sharing his trail experience after almost 2 years of restoring his health........ (written 10/11/2014)

When you walk, you know the distance you’ve covered in your tired bones, and it’s impossible to go so far that you lose the thread of continuity between "there" and "here." –KELLY WINTERS, Walking Home: A Woman’s Pilgrimage on the Appalachian Trail, 2001

"Its been a long time coming" .. . .. words said about me getting back on the Appalachian Trail for the first time in a good while. . .. and Yes it has. There were concerns on how I would do. But for me, I had no inhibitions. It was time to go. The Mountains Called.

It was My Uncle Ray and my father "Bub " Easter introduced me to this way of life when I was 42. It started when Me and Shadrick went on a section hike up around Pearisburg Virginia. Vowing an oath to each other in a tent never ever to do this again. And Now after many nights of laying on the ground, I just completed ,close to 800 miles of the Trail. That does not include the times I got confused for a day or two.

David Brill says in "As far as the eye can see" I never imagined that existence could be so simple, so uncluttered, so Spartan, so free of baggage, so sublimely gratifying. I have reduced the weight of my pack to 35 pounds and yet I can’t think of a single thing I really need that I can’t find, either within myself, or within my pack.

I would have to concur with that .

Each hike into the woods has a story to tell and this one, was no different. I am often asked what is my biggest fear when hiking? Is It Black Bears? Snakes? Getting lost ?(getting Lost! . .Refer back to confused) Nope .. . none of these . . the biggest fear is really blisters . .. Yep .. .That and not having enough Baby Ruths Bars, but blisters is in the Top 5.
Now If i was to meet my demise. I kinda would like to go like Hatchet Jack in the movie Jeremiah Johnson. Jeremiah Finds hatchet Jack gripping his bear rifle with this note attached." I, Hatchet Jack, being of sound mind and broke legs, do hereby leaveth my bear rifle to whatever finds it . It is a good rifle, and killt the bear that killt me. Anyway, I am dead. Yours truly, Hatchet Jack." I always thought that was cool way to go. SOOO how did Wildernessman die? . .. GRIZ .. . which brings me to one of my tales on this last adventure.
It was the second night out. Just finished my chickin noodle soup. Baby Ruth for desert. After some friendly chit chat with a Thru hiker , it was time to retire for the night. the Sun was setting . When I went to climb into my tent I noticed I had left the screen open and it left the insides open to who or whatever wanted too, climb on in. Not wise to do so, but thought none of it and fluffed up the sleeping bag and layed my tired soul down for a long Fall nap. This is when it gets interesting . My right arm started to itch and sting. Nothing like I have ever felt before. I usually base my great fashion taste on what doesn't itch, but in this it was not clothes related. ANd I learned to scratch long ago where one can scratch and I was scratching. The more i scratched the worse it got. Sat up, Turn my head lamp on and My arm had little welps all over it , like little bite marks and it was spreading. So your thinking .SPIDER, Nope, but you know Arachnids are pure evil. Its the 7th and 8th leg that makes them so creepy. The one thing I have noticed about insects, they are all business all the time.
Out of the corner of my eye I see a white and fluffy with a black streak down the middle and about 2 inches long .. .. wait for it . ..its a caterpillar . . . Hummmmm . .. Crawling at its on leisurely pace as caterpillars do . ..Could this be the criiter that has inflicted so much discomfort? look at him/her .. .Crawling along with So much indifference to the pain it has caused. Probably thinking to itself. "I do all the work and the butterfly gets all the attention.. . .Now go back to Hatchet Jack .. .. He was Kilt by a Griz .. .. me , I got a note attached to me that says "Here lies the shoe that killed the Caterpillar that killed me? " (Note, I didn't kill it, I tossed it outside) BUT, Not the way I intended to go .. . Does not have the dramatic ending I am looking for. If I got hit by a train would be better. Lots of respectful people get hit by trains.
At the time I had know Idea what kind of ill tempered, its so fluffy, creature could do .But, was able to find out when I arrived home. The White Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar (See Picture)

The caterpillar excretes a type of chemical defense upon contact. Most people who handle these critters will experience a burning, nettle-type, itchy rash of mild to moderate severity. Washing the affected area with soap and water, then applying ammonia or calamine lotion, followed by icing the area should set things to rights. However, some folks are hypersensitive to the poison and have allergic reactions to same. In addition to the itchy rash, they are likely to experience more severe symptoms such as swelling and nausea. Those individuals should seek expert medical advice as soon as possible. RIGHT.! Seek medical advice as soon as possible. I am in a tent, its night time and the closest road is 8 miles away. And you got to walk to get to it. Needless to say I downed everything in my medical pill box and then proceed to go into self induced coma. I awoke with great relief in seeing the symptoms had diminished.

Done in by a want- a - be Moth. Great. I am sure they will not make a movie about that.

If I run across one these criiters again I will be prepared. Like Jarod Kintz said " If Love is a caterpillar, and love is a butterfly. guess what? I have a boot and a net, so I’m always prepared for either.”

get out While You Can wm