May 31, 1997 (Day 73 – milepoint 770.2 – Punchbowl Shelter)

It came to me. It came like a FLASH! LIKE A VISION! BURNT ACROSS THE SKY!:

“Oh give me a home
Where more women roam,
Mere my willie and his two friends can play,
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word,
And my ass won’t be itching all day.”

“Home, home on the Trail,
Where my willie and his two friends don’t play,
Where humidity reigns,
And I’m feeling less pain
But my ass is still itching all day.”

It gets tough out here at times. I’m young and healthy, and single, but unfortunately my lifestyle hasn’t been a big help when it comes to women. A good friend offered some good advice: when the urge starts to overwhelm you, just think Margaret Thatcher, Margaret Thatcher, Margaret Thatcher. No more urge.

Aquaholic

May 30, 1997 (Day 72 – milepoint 756.3 – Matts Creek Shelter)

Had to do another big day to get close enough to Glasgow to make it to the P.O. in the morning (Saturday). Feeling fine though. Only 2.5 miles to get there so I should be ok. The rhododendrons are crankin’!

Been crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway a bunch. I would love to bike all 469 miles of the parkway one of these days.

I have more to say but just too pooped.

Aquaholic

May 19, 1997 (Day 71 – milepoint 733.7 – Bryant Ridge Shelter)

26 miles today and feeling okay.

At times I wish I had a tape recorder to record all the thoughts I go through in a day. With no partner, there’s no one to tell me if my thoughts are as profound as I think they are. Of course, they’re not all profound. Sometimes, they’re just downright sick…

Aquaholic

May 28, 1997 (Day 70 – milepoint 707.8 – Fullhardt Knob Shelter)

Happy Birthday baby sister.

Jenna made french toast for breakfast and Mike drove me back to the Trail early. I’m amazed at the support I’ve been receiving from my friends. I hope I can find a way to return the kindness someday. It may take a lifetime … so be it.

I spent most of the afternoon at the Troutville P.O. trying to get organized. Walked 3.5 miles to the first shelter out of town and called it a day. Met two southbounders, Brumby and Shortcut. Shortcut looked familiar to me and after talking a few seconds, we realized we had met in Moab, Utah last October. Small world.

Aquaholic

May 27, 1997 (Day 69 – Day off in Blacksburg, VA)

Jenna and Mike let me use their van to get around for the day so I dropped Mike off at work and went to the grocery store for re-supply on my way to Jenna’s (Ms. Swann’s) classroom at Prices Fork Elementary School in Christiansburg, VA.

Ms. Swann’s class has been following my journal entries on the internet and each student has a trail name: Crash-n-Burn, Swimaholic, Sportaholic, Sleepy, Hardhead, Animalaholic, Aniholic, Beaver Boy, Wildcat, Ball Boy, Kitty Cat, Wildstang, Butterfinger, Raptor, Bear Woman, Rivergirl, Star Trekker, and Biker.

I don’t recall being as smart when I was 11… nor do I remember cafeteria food being so appetizing.

After lunch, we went through my pack, talked about gear, food, necessities, Trail Magic, animals, and other hikers. I made a big bag of gorp to share with them and they answered with ice cream sundaes.

I’d been wanting to visit Ms. Swann’s classroom for years now, and I finally had to walk 700 miles to get there. Well worth the effort. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and I can’t wait to brag to other thru-hikers about my experience.

Aquaholic

May 27, 2009

“Teachers teach more by what they are than by what they say.”

May 26, 1997 (Day 68 – milepoint 702.7 – VA 220 near Daleville, VA)

We camped last night across the road from the Homeplace Restaurant. I’ve been planning to spend another couple of days with friends in Blacksburg and I had 20 miles to cover today to get to the town of Troutville, VA where I would be picked up by my friend, Jenna. As luck would have it, my other Blacksburg friends, Chris and Halle, showed up this morning to hang out for a bit and take me up to the trailhead. They then took my pack with them (along with Pockets’ and Papason’s packs) so we could slack-pack. It felt so good hiking light, I ended up running about 8 of the 20 miles.

Some wild stuff going on in the brain. I wish I could implant some sort of an auto-record mechanism into my head and just let it roll.

Just before reaching the road into Troutville (VA 220), I found a brown paper sack in a tree with my name on it. In it were a bottle of Coke, a cup of ice, and Oreos. They were from the Swiss Family, a fun-loving mother-son-daughter-daughter’s husband group of thru-hikers. The note said they were staying at the Best Western in Troutville, so I stopped in to thank them when I entered town, but they were out. Probably eating, which was becoming a priority for me after such a long day.

I saw Pockets across the street at another hotel and he let me use the phone and shower in his room. Gave Jenna a call. She picked up our packs from Chris and Halle earlier in the day and brought them with her. I was just out of the shower when Jenna arrived and my hair looked like I just stuck my finger in an electrical socket. I think I was bald the last time I saw Jenna a year ago, so her reaction was one that made me wish I had a camera. The ride back to Blacksburg was pleasant catching up on things and she preparing me for tomorrow’s visit to her fifth grade classroom. When we arrived at the house, her boyfriend, Mike, had Eggplant Parmesan waiting, then Jenna made chocolate chip cookies.

We stayed up and talked until way past my bedtime and I can’t keep my eyes open any longer.

Aquaholic

May 26, 2009

Hey Aquaholic,

It is amazing to be so close to a person that you would marry her, have children with her, share the death of loved ones with her, make life-lasting decisions with her, confess your deepest fears and desires with her and trust her to hold them safely. It is amazing to have that kind of relationship with a person.

It is even more amazing to become a stranger to that person almost overnight.

That is the power of divorce.

Joe

May 25, 1997 (Day 67 – milepoint 682.9 – Catawba General Store)

Still adjusting to the heat and humidity and half-wishing for colder temps again.

Trail Magic half way into the day: Pockets, Papason, Daddy Longlegs (26, Manhattan), and I came to a road crossing (VA 624) where a church group from Cary, NC was getting ready to go to the Homeplace Restaurant for lunch, which is where we planned to end our day. They offered to take our packs for us so we could bareback the remaining 6 miles. We accepted and we flew over that mountain into the next valley. Less than two hours later, we arrived as they were finishing their lunch. They walked out of the restaurant with that “I should have stopped after the second helping” look on their faces. A little conversation, a warm thanks, and they were gone.

The Homeplace: an enormous white house on a gigantic farm in a beautiful valley. Most of the folks inside were dressed well after a morning at church. We searched our packs for the most presentable clothing combinations we could muster, and the host sat us in the middle of the restaurant. The owners feel that “hikers, however dirty they may be, add to the atmosphere.” All you can eat country style cookin’: Fried chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, pinto beans, cole slaw, biscuits, and cherry cobbler.

Sometimes you eat so much that the pleasure leaves you and you can’t imagine ever feeling hunger again…

Aquaholic

May 25, 2009

“In love, as in gluttony, pleasure is a matter of the utmost precision.” –Italo Calvino

May 24, 1997 (Day 66 – milepoint 671.1 – Pickle Branch Shelter)

Weird dream last night: I’m sitting on a 30-foot high lifeguard stand in the middle of a carnival/amusement park on a beach somewhere, and I’m going “#2.” Previously, I had been driving around with a female I can’t identify, in a red Ford Mustang convertible, I think. We came to a small house, went inside, and Dad was there. Since I don’t remember who this girl is, I don’t think I introduced them to each other, but I felt that it would be an okay place to leave her while I went to run an errand. (Dad can entertain a rock!) Well, this “errand,” was to drive to this carnival, climb up this 30-foot lifeguard stand and answer the call of nature. People everywhere! Kids eating cotton candy. There was music but I couldn’t hear it. And no one seemed to mind me. So, then, as I was cleaning myself, I carelessly dropped a wad of TP to the ground. As I looked down at it, part of me said “Uh oh, this could be embarrassing.” Another part of me said “Hey, I dropped my toilet paper.” Now this is where it gets weird. A woman, holding the hand of a child holding a balloon, walks up to the soiled wad, picks it up without hesitation, as if it were “just another piece of trash,” and drops it into the hole, 30 feet below me. “Thanks,” I said. “No problem,” she replied, “See ya!” Then, on my way back to the car, I happened upon an enormous picnic table loaded with food. I knew I had some place to be, but that detail was vague my attention turned to the table of food. I helped myself to fresh fruit and turkey and I was being served by childhood friends, twins Debbie and Susie, still in their 16-year-old bodies from high school. The dream faded as we reminisced about old times. Weird.

Long, hot, humid day. Feeling the fatigue from yesterday’s 20. Trail Magic at the first shelter – a Pepsi – still cold! Packed in by Waterboy yesterday along with a watermelon (rinds in the firepit).

Had lunch there and enjoyed the company of some Boy Scouts from Roanoke, VA. It’s obvious to me that what makes a Scout program work is adult leadership.

More trail magic at Sinking Creek. Someone left some beer in the creek for “all to enjoy.” I enjoyed mine along with a much needed bath. Walked the rest of the day with Pockets and Papason (64, Clemson, SC).

Also met a character named Trail Wizard. Today was his 31st day from Springer Mountain (my 66th). His pack is only 15 lbs. No tent, no stove, no rain gear, no change of clothes… I wanted to talk with him some more, but I couldn’t keep up. Man, just think how nice it would be to carry only 15 lbs and not be in a hurry.

Aquaholic

May 24, 2009

“No one is useless in the world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.” –Charles Dickens

May 23, 1997 (Day 65 – milepoint 655.2 – Sarver Cabin)

Long day! Ran into Fiddlehead who is out for a week with Human (AT Class of ‘95) following the Trail Days festival in Damascus last week.

Beautiful weather. Nice views. I’m here at this cabin by myself, only my sixth night alone out of 65 so far. The cabin is pretty gross so I’ll be sleeping under the stars. There is also, supposedly, a ghost named “George” who frequents the cabin. He can have it.

Aquaholic

May 23, 2009

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” –Hans Hoffman

May 22, 1997 (Day 64 – milepoint 635.3 – Bailey Gap Shelter)

Feeling strange. Those nine days off have had more of an effect on me than I would have anticipated. It’s definitely more mental than physical and it seems even more social than mental. I miss the folks I was with before. There is nothing negative in this feeling, I am just having a different experience right now. I am alone, between clumps of people.

It is actually a very pleasant solitude.

Aquaholic

May 22, 2009

“Language… has created the word “loneliness” to express the pain of being alone.  And it has created the word “solitude” to express the glory of being alone.” –Paul Johannes Tillich