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4/14/01, day 31. Deadman and Murphy's house. 6.3m in 2.5h. I'm actually writing the next morning, 'cuz I was too damn tired last night. Today was yet another town day (there seems to be an awful lot of those, don't you think?). I started out a few miles up, with milkshakes on the mind. For some reason Robyn's watch alarm went off at six, and she decided to sit up and announce the time of day to the rest of the shelter. Anyway it was a pretty easy descent into town, where I and a bunch of friends chilled at Johnny's Hostel, drinking soda and listening to Bob Marley. Then this dude pulls up, Deadman, and offers me, Turtle, Wicked, and Robyn a free place to stay for the night! Deadman and Murphy, his wife, are true AT fanatics. What they do with their lives is just shuttle hikers around for free, usually having some of them stay here for the night. So Robyn and Turtle got a ride to the post office while Wicked and I discussed old trucks and duct tape. Deadman's car, laden with AT plates and stickers, pulls up and we head out to his house, getting a tour of the town as we went. After we dropped off our packs and fooled around with the guitar, we went back to Johnny's to meet Murphy, whereupon Deadman gave the fucking keys to Turtle. So we drove this stranger's car to this other campground, which was pretty much having an all-day thru-hiker party. People days ahead and behind hitched or yellow-blazed into town for the weekend's events, which started with a free, AYCE feast, which made me pretty fucking happy. After that there was an Easter egg hunt, where I found little of value. After that we played hours of volleyball, which was a blast. It was today that I finally realized that I'm actually in shape. I must have played four hours straight without feeling the slightest bit tired. It's a wonderful feeling for somebody who's been out of shape literally for his whole life. Just before dinner Deadman came and picked us up (Turtle has returned the car somehow) and we headed out to La Hacienda, a neat Cuban hole-in-the-wall type place that we never would have found on our own. It was a fabulous time overeating and making fun of Robyn. Then it was back to the house. Turtle and Robyn were kind enough to go and do laundry while Deadman, Wicked, and I sat around and played the guitar. At about 9 we headed back to the campground where there was pizza and bonfire and a whole bunch of BYOB-ed liquor. Steve was drinking awful wine out of a Nalgene bottle. It went very late into the night by thru-hiker standards (12:30) and all had a blast, although for the last few hours I withdrew to a short distance from the fire and listened to the din of conversation and the music. It was pretty damn cool shit, all told. 4/15/01, day 32. Still at Deadman and Murphy's. 0m Today was my first zero day, and it really wasn't all that cool. It was nice having a day without foot pain, but for the past 24 hours I've desperately longed to get back to the Trail. I close my eyes and think of the Trail rhythm, when you get your pace and the only sound you hear is the thump thump of your boots in the dirt and your mind starts to wander free, up and away from reality. In town, there is no pace; every moment is different, and everything requires some sort of process and reaction. It's hard to explain. Anyway, this morning we headed out to Garcia's, who opened up for us special. Then it was back to Deadman and Murphy's, where I pretty much hung all day. It rained, so the Easter party that was supposed to have happened at the hostel happened here, which sucked kinda 'cuz Turtle, Wicked, Robyn and I were in a more solitary type of mood. The four of us kind of took over a small room in the back, and retreated there occasionally when we got tired of the crowd. Anyway, the day is almost done, with the four of us and Heavy watching a movie before bed. Tomorrow, the mountains again! 4/16/01, day 33. Cherry Gap Shelter. 16.4m in 9h, 20 min. Today was good stuff. I'm tired and shit. Shitty weather arriving sometime tonight. 4/17/01, day 34. 8.7m in 4.5h Today I awoke to the second snowstorm of the trip. For those of you that don't understand - snow sucks ass. There's really not much more to say about it. Today was a cold, wet, windy day that had me plowing through snowdrifts. I pulled into Clyde Smith Shelter at 1:30 to find it already full and sealed off at front with a black tarp. I couldn't just sit around and freeze, so I threw all my shit in my tent, made myself a hot drink, and huddled in my bag. I had hoped to pass the time listening to NPR on the radio that Deadman gave me but my headphones are broken. So I lie here thinly separated from a bed of snow waiting for sweet unconsciousness. 4/18/01, day 35. 10.7m in 9h, 40min. Today was another hard day of pushing through snowdrifts. Most of the day was spent climbing Roan mtn., which was a bitch and a half. Iw as the first one out, which was beautiful 'cuz there were no footprints or any other evidence that other people had ever been on the Trail. It also meant, though, that I was the first to plow down the many snowdrifts on the way up. I got thoroughly disheartened and exhausted near the top, which arrived about 1.5h after I expected it to. After that, though, it wasn't all that hard to get to this shelter. I even took the time to make a few snow angels. In the end, it turned out to be a decent day, although this snow is going to slow me down for awhile. Since Robyn, Leslie, Forrest Phil, and Chris/Captain Giardia bailed out to a hotel, it looks like just me and Alex tonight - quite nice. 4/19/01, day 36. Apple Orchard Shelter. 9.9m in 8h. Well, today was a fabulous day, quite a refresher from the ass days I've just passed. It started fairly late, 'cuz it was far too fucking cold to get up and do anything. In fact, I left at 9:30 and was the first one out, even though the shelter was crowded. My boots were so iced over I had to hold them over my stove until they were malleable enough to put my feet in. It was a fairly miserable morning. However, it warmed up real fast, and I had to shed clothes as I walked. Taking off long underwear is a bitch once you're going. You have to take off your pack, take off your shoes, and stand in the mud in your socks while you take off your pants, then you take off the long underwear, all the while trying to stay upright. Then you put your pants back on and slide your now muddy socks back into your shoes. Total time, about 5-7 minutes. Anyway, we passed some gorgeous stuff today - the Hump mountains. I had the most relaxing time of my life on top of big hump mountain, with Greensinger and Alex, just chillin' and watching the clouds go by. Forrest Phil came by and mentioned a restaurant, so he and I marched down. We passed a field full of bulls, several of which looked Forrest and I with sheer hatred. That aside, I met Greensinger and Forrest at the shelter, and we headed 0.5m to the road where we got a ride from Dana, this guy who was leading a group of high-schoolers on a short trip. We ended up at this dive, where we consumed grilled cheese and pie - woohoo! Then it was off to the grocery store where we purchased soda and more pie which we brought back to the shelter. Folk were pleased to see our food, and I was pleased to see Robyn, Leslie, Ken, Chris, Dave, and the rest of that crowd that bring happiness to my person. We had a good time, so I'm gonna head to the sack 'cuz I'm going to attempt 20m tomorrow to the Hostel. 4/20/01, day 37. ~16m in 9.5h Today was another odd day. I had planned on doing a 20 and spending the night with Chris, Leslie, Robyn et al. at the Laurel Creek Hostel. Robyn won a free night for herself and some comrades at an egg hunt and Deadman and Murphy's, and we were gonna live it up. But, it was a hard day, and I was taking a break, thinking about how nice it is to be alone in the woods, and how I didn't really want to be around a lot of people tonight, etc. Besides, it feels like I just got out of town, and I'm certainly not itching to get back to civi anytime soon. Sometimes I feel like I get back in the woods and immediately start planning my approach to the next town, which certainly doesn't make you feel very remote. It was an okay hike today. Forrest Phil, an ATC volunteer, was warning us about Hillbillies in the area that hate the AT, saying that we should be real careful in this section. I ignored him until I saw some official ATC signs that warned hikers not to leave cars around for fear of vandalism. So I had a weird feeling all morning, imagining hillbilly attacks and such. I enjoyed crisscrossing with Leslie, Robyn, and F. Phil, which was fun 'cuz they usually just smoke me once during the day and that's that. There were more cows today, and assloads of garbage and MUDs, which didn't do well for moods. I guess that's another reason why I'm camping out - I just don't want to be around sullen people. Ken has arrive here, though, which is enough company but not too much, so it looks like a good night out in the open next to the campfire, where I can be alone with my thoughts and truly happy. 4/21/01, day 38. ~15m in 12h. Today was a weird freakin' day. I started out with a 3m hike to the hostel where I had originally planned on staying last night. It was a freakin' castle. What's more, the people at the hostel decided to give Robyn and her friends (which didn't include me since I whimped out) the fucking $200 deluxe suite with a fucking sauna, dishwasher, etc., etc. So I happened on them this morning, all clean and happy as clams. The people at the hostel were swell, and they were kind enough to run Miel and I down to the grocery store and back, the windy mountain roads making us noxious. I finally broke free and headed to the Trail at about 12:30, hiked to Laruel Falls, and took a freezing cold swim, which was just plain wonderful on this hot day. After that it was straight up and down mount asshole, elev. 400 feet above wherever you currently are. I met Wildman, bare-chested and slackpacking SB, and talked to him for a bit, then I stopped at a picnic area by Watuga lake and had my dinner. I lulled for a bit, then Turtle shoed up, which was cool, 'cuz she and Wicked had disappeared in the snowstorm. Priceless was also there, and he heard the shout known only to thru-hikers on a rope swing, so we three booked it the 0.5m where Cy and Zack were having a blast. I scared the shit out of myself on the swing. It was a huge fucking blast. We were going to get Turtle to go, but then this fisherman gave us a bass (in return for a cannonball from Priceless) which kind of grossed her out and killed the leaping spirit. T and I hiked on for a bit until we heard that there were thru-hikers just past the dam lying out in the open. So we arrived to find Odaat, Skunky and Fester, and Leslie lying about, and Wicked arrive d a little later. It promises to be a beautiful night, with the possibility of meteor showers! 4/22/01, day 39. Iron Mountain Shelter. 12.7m in ~10h Today was hot and lazy, and that's just good shit. I spent the day crisscrossing with Turtle, Wicked, Priceless, CY, and Zack. Most of us took a bunch of longass breaks, just sitting around and discussing nuttin.' All in all a good day. Now I'm a-chillin' with Turtle, Wicked, Wildman, and Priceless just sitting around drinking hot chocolate and being immature. 4/23/01, day 40. "The Place" in Damascus, VA. 26.2m in 12.5h Too tired to write. Will elaborate tomorrow.
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