Monday, June 12, 2017 (Day 40)
I am sleeping atop a bed of dead leaves tonight. Many things live in these leaves. I can hear tiny bits of movement all around me.
My goal was to make it to Laurel Creek. It is a large creek with a foot bridge and many places to camp. Enroute, my headlamp grew dim and I allowed myself to scan the area for potential sites; there were not many. I decided that I could stop at the next relatively flat space. A bed of leaves is not favorable, but it was flat and clear of plant life.
I had my lunch at a pond this afternoon. I gathered water from the spring that feeds it. The pond creatures are different and intriguing. One was quite vocal. I am not sure what it was. It sounded as I imagine the singing offspring of a frog and a duck might sound. Many of them sang together. The song grew louder and more peculiar with time. I enjoyed listening the pond life. The climb to get there was a challenge.
This region is relatively dry. I did not leave the pond with much water. I was looking to collect from three different sources over a span of just over 8 miles–all dry. I have been somewhat selective. If I don’t feel like it is greatest source, I might decide to delay collection until I came to the next. I am learning that there may not always be a “next”. I eventually collected water at Hunting Camp Creek. The creek was pleasant, and there was a nice place to sit. It was dusk. I watched the many fireflies, and a little worm that looked so impressively like a stick.
I crose paths with multiple deer today. One was a lone fawn. I startled it and it went running off alongside the trail, tripping over its own inexperienced limbs as he hurried. It was quite charming. The other deer was older. It was apprehensive, but not afraid.