It must be spring break, because all I seem to do on the trail is erase graffiti.  And I mean erase names on the way down and then again on the way back out two hours later.  Christians writing "jesus" and scratching in crosses.  People writing love notes.  A lady proclaiming herself "queen of the canyon".  Kids writing "keeping going" to their friends, who apparently are not good enough friends that they actually decided to wait for them.  Just writing encouraging notes on the rocks.

Hearts, names, initials: I'm getting just a little sick of this.  In and out Skeleton Point Saturday and Sunday, down to Mile and a Half on Tuesday, and I used up a bottle full of water each day.

John Steinbeck opined that people may not quite believe they exist, and so they leave marks on the rocks to convince themselves.

I think that writing on the rocks shows that people are ignorant.  They are inexperienced.  They are self centered.  They are selfish.  These people would throw a fit if I tried to scratch my name into their car door.  But a 270 thousand year old rock?  Fair game.  I'm starting to have fantasies of hiding near a popular graffitt spot such as Ooh Aah with a huge super soaker.  Then when someone starts to write, I blast them, and then exclaim, "Oh! Sorry.  I was just trying to get that ugly writing behind you."