The Hollow and Hocking Hills

Books Read so Far this trip:
OF MICE AND MEN
JURIASSIC PARK
THE SOUND AND THE FURY
THE GLASS CASTLE
THE GODFATHER
THE BRIDGE TO TERIBITHIA
THE JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (Actually only 154 pages left in this one), if nothing else I get to read a lot.

I figure each break is good for reading about 20-45 pages.

So Bob Cline shows up this morning with a cup of coffee and a homemade breakfast sandwich for me. Thanks Bob! I know I didn’t wake up all that fast, but it was appreciated. I did sit up long enough to eat the sandwich while it was hot and then fall back into a morning slumber.

The air made it easy. I could smell the wet trees and the air was cool with the lingering effects of the nighttime rain. The chill that hovered about the pavilion kept me cuddled under my sleeping bag and made me long to never have to face the searing heat of the day that I knew would arrive far too soon…excuses.

It seems as if the ghosts of the Hollow were creeping around last night as I kept waking up to the sound of footsteps, and also the ever so familiar sound (From the App. Trail years) of the scurrying feet of mice on planks above my head were I slept in the pavilion.

That mixed with the constant rain falling off trees and onto the roof made for overall great sleep.
So when I finally did awaken, I could see the sun beating through the trees on the outskirts of the hollow. Where I was, it was still dark, or at least dark enough to enjoy sleeping in. I could tell the heat of the day was at hand and that I better get moving or I would regret the hell out of it.

I awoke, mixed water with dehydrated milk and ate my fruity pebbles…ummmmmmmm good!

So, back to the road walk.
It was nice out today, sure it was hot, but the humidity was low and the walking came easy. Maybe it was because of such a great sleep, or such a late start.

I sometimes enjoy sleeping till my body forces me to get moving, then I am really ready to walk and it seems I move faster and a better and for much greater distances before I get tired or moody.

I walked around farmland, and I took a wrong turn, yet again, and it added about 2 miles to my hike. And to be honest, I guess because the day was so nice, it didn’t really bother me all that much.

I finally reached the wooded trail area, where the trail takes a sharp right and goes over a bridge that leads to the rappelling area and a nice forested climb that is sweet. I really enjoy the steeper pine forest/sand stone cliff climbs. They are beautiful and shaded and they bring me back to life.

What I noticed, later, was that the low wet with humidity, filled with bugs sections, as opposed to the higher ground that is shaded and pine filled and green in a more ‘mountainous’ way, always brings me more annoyance as far as the walking goes. I do love me some fir and pine forest…wish it could all be like New England, but you got to have diversity.

I come upon a group of military folk doing some repelling and we chat and I watch them train a little as they drop over the edge of a pretty steep pitch. They hand me a yogurt bar and a clif-bar or two as I say adios and make my way onward to the Dining Lodge I know is waiting for me at Hocking Hills State Park…hunger leads the way.

When I finally get to the park, there are people EVERYWHERE…and this is a shock as I haven’t seen a soul for days on the actual trail.

I make my way to the Dining Lodge, which is as far up a road and off the main drag as you can get, and when you are walking the extra mile and a half seems like ten when you are starving and really ready to eat.

And it was worth the walk. Debbie Coakley, the Lady in charge, welcomed me with open arms and an open Buffet that had ‘fall off the bones’ BBQ ribs, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, desserts, home made veggies and more…my gosh it was DELICISOUS!

So I pay and sit back down to rest a bit more and let the 3 plates digest.
Debbie comes over to me and asks about my hike, and where I am going and what I am doing etc…

After she hears that I am raising money for the American Heart Association as I walk, she refunds my money! AMAZING! Then on top of that, she donates $25 to the cause!
That’s as much as has been donated all together so far on my site, so I am thankful. Eventually when the A.H.A. puts out the newsletters and stuff, it will grow as I hope to help as many people as possible this trip.

So after my stomach fills as if it will explode I make my way down to see the “Old Man” cave.
Words can’t do it justice, as it is amazing rock sculptured through time and water and wind. There are stairways and tunnels and waterfalls, and the trail you walk on is a free path. You have to see it for yourself. And I will have pictures up soon, promise.

So, I meander through it and the only complaint I have here is the People that travel this trail…soda cans, bottles and a DIAPER! What kind of useless forms of life come to something this beautiful and toss litter all over the place, especially a used diaper?? Some people need a good ass whippin’!

I move on still impressed at the beauty and realize I am about 2 miles away from any camping. The campsite here are $27, and I couldn’t stand the thought of camping next to loud camps, car radios, children on bikes, thumping bass and the whole of it that comes with modern day ‘camping’ in a State Park campsite. Primitive it isn’t.

So I found a nice rock in the middle of the dried streambed and called it home. Coyotes howled, cicadas chirped and animal’s eyes ignited the sky and hills around me.

It was a good sleep.