Date: 2008-07-18
From: Strafford

To: Strafford
Miles today: 0.0

Whoa.....what incredible luck. Man did we get BAD t-storms this morning andthis evening! It was pouring like crazy with thunder and lightening thismorning, as I sat in the comfy dry living room and watched it all come down.B.I. was even laughing at my luck, since I hiked the 3 days in between all thisweather.Today was a nice relaxing day. I decided to shakedown my pack again and sendstuff up to Gorham, NH that I "like" to carry, but can absolutely live withoutfor the sake of being in the Whites (my luxury item is a tiny thing ofQ-tips...I know weird, but cleaning out my ears in town is awesome...I like torefer to the experience as having an ear-gasm!). Otherthings I sent up were my 1 extra tarp stake, my pack cover (B.I. is letting meborrow his to see if it works any better for water proofing than mine...he'sgot a silicone impregnated Cordura pack cover--mine was silicone impregnatednylon-silnylon). Karen had given me these great tick removing tweezers back inNY, andI think I'm probably out of the most dangerous areas for ticks, so those went,I removed some bandaids, and a tiny thing of neosporin as well. Mainly, it wasextra food I had from my recent resupply, which wouldn't have affected anythingbut this next leg, but I feel like I'm back down to bare bones again. I boxedup my old shoes and used maps/guidebook sections as well (goodbye Vermont!!).Tomorrow, B.I. is taking me to the P.O. so I can also get my memory card sentoff to Persistent. Today though, I decided to be a homebody and chill out hereat the house. I talked to Karen for a long time and it looks like we're down toabout 2 weeks before being reunited. I'm hoping I can time it where I'm meetingher in Gorham, NH, but obviously we're both flexible.Also, I checked my email this morning and guess what...not only is Aunti Mamejoining me for the Whites, but her sister V8 is TOO!!! Do you all know howstoked I am about this? I mean, I've never met these women before, but knowfrom what B.I. tells me and (ironically) some of you had signed my guestbooksaying how great of a team we'd all make if we ever got a chance to meet...I amtotally excited to hike with them. They're both bringing cars too, so we'll bein good shape for getting into town, etc. I'm actually starting to lookforward to the Whites now. We're all meeting in Glencliff, NH and heading outfrom there. Seriously, much like how Bad Influcence and my "chance" meeting inNY on the trail really affected what was going to happen to him next, now, it'sall coming full circle and connected when I am lucky enough to be able to hikewith these 2 women, and this is partially because B.I. is good friends withAunti Mame and her husband Uncle Tom. So cool how the trail brings peopletogether like this.Ok, so now I must give an "official" response to Persistent's comments in myguestbook.OFFICIAL RESPONSE-------LOL--------END OFFICIAL RESPONSEActually, I admire and embrace good solid informative "debate" however, I dowish Persistent could get her facts straight. At our "Hammock Cult Outings" wedon't sit in a circle and state and/or memorize 101 things we love about ourhammock...we sit in our hammocks (because you can use them like a chair) andit's actually only 97 things we have to say/memorize. But before you even getto that step in the brainwashing process, you have to learn the secret hammockhandshake, the Hanger's Hymn, and of course, the secret whistle call thatallows us to identify one another when we're in the wilderness amongst "theenemy." Sheesh Persistent, thought I'd trained you better than that! Oh, andto my cyber-friend Sheri (from CT) who signed my guestbook supporting theground-dwelling ways, I know some $ exchanged hands between you and Persistent,but it's ok. I STILL love you anyways!!So this evening, we lost the power due to these horrible electrical storms. So,luckily B.I. and I had headlamps (hilarious I'm in a house, but still using myheadlamp after dark), and B.I., Katie, and I all sat around and played Boggle(well actually, Katie smeared our asses because she's SMART!!), and we ate leftovers from all of our previous night's meals. Actually quite a fun evening.The power was still off when I went to bed.So tomorrow will be a trip to the PO, one more load of laundry, and B.I. isgoing to let me take a gander at his music library to see if there's anythingI'd like to load onto my i-Pod. I think I might just live here forever. Lifeis good in Strafford, VT.~Certain