Date: 2008-07-14
From: Strafford, VT

To: Strafford, VT
Miles today: 0.0

Apparently my body is incapable of sleeping in now. Oh well..I woke up @ 6:30, but answered some emails for a bit. Once I got up, B.I. and I had already decided yesterday we'd go into Hanover, NH and I could resupply and get all my stuff from the PO.When we headed out, we had to stop and wait for his neighbor (a dairy farmer) to get all the cows across the street to be milked. It was cool seeing that, but I am also aware that dairy farmers (and most farmers) never get a day off. I respect farmers so much for the way they work so hard. Sadly, the gentleman who owns this place, his wife was recently killed by one of their bulls out in a field. I mean, how tragic is that folks? It makes me so sad for him, and yet, you have to continue working everyday, you can't just take a week off to grieve you know?B.I described his town as a 1950's town, and as we drove through it and he gave me the tour, he's SO right! It's a really cool place, simple, and yet they have everything you need. I also found it very interesting to see farm houses (like you see in Oklahoma) with Buddihst prayer flags hanging outside the house (which you would NEVER see in Oklahoma).We went to a horse shop (Tac or tack shop?), and I've never been to one before. B.I. was trying to exchange a leather belt that Katie got for him, to a different size and they couldn't find his size (they needed 1 size larger than they had), so I was walking around looking @ stuff and was about to take a leather belt up to them that was actually much larger, and then I looked around and realized I had a saddle strap or something in my hand! LOL They looked just like belts for people, except they were long enough to fit around a horse. Whoops..I think I'll stay out of helping when I'm in a store that I know nothing about the products.We left and headed to Hanover, NH. B.I. said we could eat breakfast @ Lou's, this FANTASTIC diner there. We got there and Lou's is the sort of place you just know you'll have a bit of waiting time. While standing in line, I saw Padre and Rhino there. I talked to them for a bit. Remember me saying Rhino's shoes were now his flip flops way back @ that pond? Well, he actually hiked all the way to Hanover in those flip flops! Crazy man.We got sat and I enjoyed 3 breakfast tacos, coffee, and a piece of Strawberry Rhubarb pie...my fav. I went to the bathroom and they had old menus from 1947 in there, and a cup of soup was 20 cents and it was 5 cents extra if you wanted your sandwich grilled. Cool to see and how differently people ate.We finished and went down to the PO. Man, Hanover is a COOL college town. I love the energy of college towns to begin with, but this place was hopping, unlike most college towns that sort of die down in summers.I had 5 things @ the PO, 3 were things I mailed to myself, 1 was my new pair of hiking pants from REI (went down another size!) and one was a birthday box from Persistent!Then while B.I. gassed up the car, I walked over to Ace and got denatured alcohol, and then we ran a few errands and I pretty much found everything I needed to resupply @ Walgreens. We were standing there looking @ the poptarts and B.I. (true to his name) "made" me buy the pink Barbie poptarts! We both hate pink by the way, but I did it for no other reason than to crack myself up every morning. You know..you've gotta mix it up a bit from time to time out here.We went to the grocery store to get some stuff for dinner. Laura and her friends are making dinner tonight and I get my guacamole! I've been told she makes killer guac.Then it was home and time for me to repackage all my supplies. I opened Persistent's birthday box, and wow..what a cool surprise! Little notes on everything, but there was a lei, party favors, miniature decks of card games like Old Maid, some snacks, and then my "birthday cake" which was a Mountain House Raspberry with chocolate crumbles cake! But then the MOST hilarious thing of all...2 tiny moose toys with a note that said, "A preview pf what's to come...but probably not with red eyes or nostrils!" Oh my gosh...I died laughing..these things did have these scary red eyes and nostrils, but I can't even imagine where she found these things. Just hilarious. THANKS PERSISTENT..YOU'RE THE BEST!I got stuff ready to go and then Laura, Emily, and Corrie made the most incredible enchilada dinner, and the guac was awesome too.After dinner we all hung out and watched the tube. Karen called so I got to talk to her for awhile, which is always wonderful.Fun day, and now gotta get some sleep to slackpack tomorow.One more thing...Hey everyone. I need some info from you readers who are familiar with Maine.Does anyone live in/near Rangeley, Maine that can tell me if there are cabinsthat you can rent weekly? Karen will be meeting me and slackpacking me for thefirst 166 miles of Maine (or at least as much as the roads allow) and she'llneed a central place to use as a home base of sorts for days when I'm out on myown for a few days. If anyone has a room they could rent out, that might worktoo. I just don't know anyone in this area. Please email me @micheleat@pocketmail.com   Also, cc Karen @ klmulder@mindspring.comThanks everyone!Also...I'm looking for Ping. She lives in Gorham, NH and we met her at theDutch House Inn, in Montebello, VA last year. We wanted to hook up with youwhen we get there. Thanks!~Certain