Date: 2005-05-14
From: Trail Days Festival Begins

To: Trail Days Parade
Miles today: 0.0

After I left the library yesterday I finally saw Saxy and sunflower and they had just gotten into town a while ago. It was cool to finally have the whole crew back together. I chilled with them and Mr.Fusion and then I went to the bathroom at a bar and lounge I talked about earlier that is really nice called the old mill, and I was excited to see a bluegrass band setting up. So I went back to the hostel to do some yoga before I ventured off to the Old Mill to hear some bluegrass. It started raining but I really wanted to do my yoga, becuase it has been making me feel incredibly outstanding and strong and loose, which is what I need...I went to the old mill and the bluegrass band was awesome, The dobroe player knows tony rice who is known as one of the best guitar players of all time and some people would argue he is the best flatpicker of all time. The band was more talented than I would have imagined considering they were playing to a small crowd of maybe fifty at most. I sat in the front and a midddle aged woman bought me beer which was very nice of her, and then saxy got me a beer too, and so it was awesome that I could still drink a beer because I don't have a lot of money to spend on fun things like beer, so it was greatly appreciated. I decided to leave the bar and make my way to the coffee house at the church and it was something I am very glad I did, as it was somewhat difficult to escape the bar, cause the woman told me I could get free beverages all night on her tab, and I was hungry for some dinner too, but I knew I should go and I did... Upon entering the coffee house, I was impressed at the sight. It was set up just like the coffee houses I used to enjoy so much at Franciscan University and the P&W music they were playing up on stage was the same music/songs kids would play back up at school. It was like a time warp, but I was living in someone elses body now, as everything else has changed, including myself. I ate some popcorn, some desserts, some apples, and of course, I drank some coffee and then I headed to the sanc to watch the movie. It was very different seeing the movie for a second time. The first time I saw the movie I was busy watching the words in subtitles and trying to figure out the historical accuracy and trying to see if there was any jew bashing amongst all of the hype. This time watching the movie, I had the opportunity to think while the movie was playing and I thought about how HUGE of a cartharsis I have undertook and experienced since the begining of this trip. It is funny, because although the seen from the gospel isn't in the movie, I thought about when Jesus said, If you want to follow me, sell everything you own, and take up your cross, and I could actually understand the power in that statement and the commitement that his words would require. I thought about how I had no possessions and how without any thing except what is on my back, I am more free than I have ever been. It is hard to explain how it feels to have no debt, no obligations, no strings, nothing but freedom and a backpack. People think, yeah, you are backpacking, but you have a place or stuff back home, but in reality, when I return back to louisville, my stuff is packed in boxes. Wherever I am, my surroundings are what I have, whatever is in front of me, that is my duty or obsticle, or deed, or pleasure. I have the ability to leave tomorrow and start a business, or do the opposite and hitch a ride to a beach, and sit for a year. This trail, is finite, but my life however, is not, and whenever I get off of the trail, I will go there because of what happens on this trip. I have packed my belongings, saved my money, and my feet are my wheels. When this ride ends, another begins, and it will be another totally new life. I guess that is why now I understand that passage that watching this movie made me think about, because I can really go anywhere I feel led to, now I have stripped my life bare, to the bone, of any superfluous things. All I have left are my few belongings and my friends and family who will always be and are always on my mind and they are appreciated. I started this trail with new gear that had no prior memories attached and I am in lands that I have never been in before. This world is big, and I am seeing how small I am in it all. Back home, driving a truck made me feel like I was "a wealthy landowner, and while driving, I was so familiar with all the land, I felt like it was all mine." and know, I still feel like the land I am currently in is mine, but it is in a totally different way. I feel like I own my surroundings currently because they are all I have, what is in front of me. Anyways, on another note, the movie was much more touching the second time one see's it and can let the visual impact effect you. It was kind of funny that during the cruxifiction scene, a huge thunderstorm rolled in so it made the ending somewhat more powerfull... I left the movie feeling more loose than ever, like a feather that was allowing itself to be wherever the wind took it, and I am OK with that. I will the term life in the next sentence instead of the word trip, because this is not a trip, this is my life. This is where I am and what I am- this life is taking me somewhere I can't foresee, and it always works out somehow, and I trust I will be led to more knowledge as this life progresses. What will happen next.Saturday May 14:I woke up this morning at the earliest time yet, 6:45 and hopped in the shower and made my way to my fav restaurant in town, Dairy King for breakfast. I greeted the order taker who is a 50-ish who now knows me and expected me to get my normal meal of pancakes and a coffee, but I wanted french toast and so I asked her how many came in an order, she said three, but she could tell by my expression of disappointment I was wanting more...she told me if I wanted more she would give them to me at no extra charge so I was delighted, and so I got my French toast along with me coffee that she never charges anyone for and paid my miniscule fee of $2.50 for my great breakfast. I chatted with other patrons, and I was happy that today wasn't as packed as yesterday in there; although I didn't eat my meal there I still checked it out... I left there and headed out to the campground to take down my tent, since it had been set up for nearly a week, and I still hadn't slept in it yet...I went to the campground, and I was so happy that I wasn't there last night, amongst the mud and rain that swept over everything. Someone had tied their tarp thy were sitting under last night to my tent, and so I kind of had to let it fall down while I was taking my tent down, but they came over and fixed it later... I left the campground, and thought about when I would actually leave Damascus and I figured definitely not until Monday at least because I might help clean up after everyone leaves. I set my tent up on the lawn of the hostel once I got back there, and then headed to my room, so I could grab my guitar and head to the talent show at the gazebo that the hikers entered for prizes and free gear. The talent show was good and a guy named crazy horse won. Crazy horse is a really nice guy I hiked with a while in the smokies who has dreadlocks that are down to his butt and he is killer on the guitar and he sings like bob marley. I really like his vocal style. After the show ended, I changed clothes for the hiker parade, since it is notorious for getting everyone soaked as everyone carries water balloons and guns and it is pure hysteria. It started raining furiously as we started to line up, so we huddled in the outfitters until the downpour stopped and then we were off. The parade was nuts, Food City had a giant food cart, with a full engine that was probably two stories tall, and there was water everywhere. Balloons were flying from every direction, and even though we were wet from rain already, the water from the guns and balloons froze us and so It was still a blast. Everyone threw balloons at the watchers, and into the shop nearby and we all had a blast, the observers weren¢t safe no matter what age, gender, or anything. It was a blast and everyone had smiles and wet hair, that were colored by the water flying through the sky in multi colored streaks. I only had one balloon and so I was very happy I had thought of the perfect target. I had one chance to get someone, and I wanted to make it good. I decided to bomb the outfitters, and so I took out all of my energy on the launching of my balloon when the door opened and someone ran out, I launched my balloon, and got it in the door barely to splash some of the outfitters, it was great, and that was for every outfitter. It was a blast.