August 2, 2018 Forest Tunnel Insanity

Granny Hat has been “off the grid” for nearly a week due to poor cell service and wifi at her own house. I know it’s in vogue and all to UNPLUG but she worries about her faithful followers.  Mission has been trekking without technology for several days now also and sent one cryptic text to Mission Control that said, “don’t think I can call/WiFi bad but I’m at Shelter Cove and all is pretty good except for my forest tunnel insanity issue but it is what it is.”  Well, that befuddled Granny Hat and she was desperate to know what “It” is, what in the world is forest tunnel insanity?  Granny has been picturing Mission blithely sailing along forest paths under the cool of the green Oregon canopy. (photo above is a borrowed image, Mission’s photography hasn’t been able to overcome the technology hurdles of the PCT and Granny’s place) What could possibly cause insanity there unless it be a Bigfoot sighting or eyes in the dark or swarms of mozies. 

Thanks to a phone call from the trail Granny learned that forest tunnel insanity is exactly what it says, insanity caused by the boredom of trekking endless tunnels of thick trees with no vistas, peaks or lakes to break up the monotony. Mission likened it to a long drive down Interstate 5 with no radio to listen to. Mission hadn’t been able to download any music or podcasts or books on tape to listen to and the forest was closing in on him. Perhaps he was a bit too deep into the Old Forest and too close to the banks of the Withywindle, when that happens you could get swallowed up by Old Man Willow or wake from a long sleep to meet Tom Bombadil himself. Guess you could say Mission couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

Granny Hat sent off the 9th re-supply box to Timberline Lodge near Mt. Hood today.  Mission is more than halfway through Oregon and has Columbia Gorge/ Cascade Locks in his dreams. He broke out of the endless trees yesterday and enjoyed a swim in a lovely lake.  His progress has picked up and he can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel, or is that just insanity? Some could argue that embarking on a march such as Mission has done requires a certain kind of insanity. Granny Hat intends to get to the bottom of what causes ” the call of the wild”!

Meanwhile, for those who love to travel the trail with Mission on Google Earth, his GPS coordinates last night were: 44.06376,-121.80959.  Yes, he has yet another new latitude! He started in latitude 32 and is now in 44! The variety of flora, fauna, terrain, climate and humanity on this adventure tells the tale. And how we all love variety, need it really, to break up the monotony and keep us as far from insanity as possible.  The words of this lovely song by Chris Rice give us an appropriate response when the walls start closing in and we long for a new outlook.

Fading memories ignored
I crawl across the forest floor
Pool reflects an orphan child
Dirty, lost, alone and wild
Fatherless and nameless still
Fallen heart and broken, will
There ever be a place where I belong
I cower ‘neath the monster trees
And try to stand on tired feet
But gravity knocks me to the ground
Where I give up, and tears roll down
I claw the dust and beg the end
Curse the day that I began
To hope there’d be a place where I belong
I hear a sound I recognize
You lift my chin and seek my eyes
Song of love you sing to me
I ache to sing it back to Thee
“Father Love prepares a place
Brother Jesus leads the way
Follow to the place where you belong!”
How did I miss this wondrous song?
The forest sang it all along
“River rinses all your shame
Father offers you His name
Father Love prepares a home
Brother Jesus leads you on
Follow to the place where you belong!”
“Father Love prepares a place
Brother Jesus leads the way
Follow to the place where you belong
Follow to the place where you belong!”

Thank you, Chris Rice for those perfectly soul-soothing words. There is another merry meeting coming up later today and some photography too. Keep “posted”!

Mozies: down-under term for mosquitos, thanks to Mission’s Aussie trail buddies