Date: 2008-05-20
From: Clarks Valley , PA

To: Harrisburg PA
Miles today: 0.0

Man, there are just cycles--ebbs and flows--energies--in life sometimes thatmake you feel like the world is working against you. I generally don't fallinto that "victimization" mentality, but I'll tell you, for a zero day, it'sbeen frustrating.First off, I did score on avoiding a totally pouring cold rain...AGAIN today. This weather is getting old. Poor Karen, last nite's Chinese...well, there wasonly one thing in the past week that we did not share when eating, and that wasShrimp Tung Ting from this chinese place last nite. We shared everything else,but not that. Needless to say, she got food poisoning from it and didn't sleepa wink last nite..she got to know the porcelain god quite well, nor did I sleepmuch due to my being an incredibly light sleeper.So we "woke up" this morning and I told her to sleep while I took care of makingmy resupply list and got laundry gathered. I went down to the continentalbreakfast and did enjoy a waffle and some fruit loops, and took some juice andlittle muffins up to Karen so she could try to get some nutrients back into herbody. I dropped all of the muffins I was carrying on the floor though, so thatwas no good. (I am to the point this evening of just laughing now...the daywas so ridiculous at times).So I got all of our stinky laundry gathered and came down to lobby to ask wherethe laundry room was (mind you, they told me last nite there was a laundryroom) and now the manager tells me it isn't open due to the renovations! ARGH!!!! I informed him he needed to tell his employees, because we were toldotherwise, so he said, "Let me locate one for you in the area." He did and soI went upstairs to wake up Karen and tell her what was up. I did a few morechores and about 3:30 p.m., we decided to go do errands.One of the things I've decided is to get a new rain jacket and one more warmshirt. So my opinion on Frogg Toggs...they do work, but they just aren'tdurable enough for the torture of a hike like this, and this past week I wasactually cold while hiking in 2 shirts. So, we were off to the OutdoorWorld-Bass Pro Super-Mega-Tacky-How Many Stuffed Dead Animals Does A Store NeedTo Be "Macho" Shop. I've never been to one of these, but they are a sight forsure. I went to the women's section (with not a lot of hope) and found the XLfleece shirts to be equivalent to the size of shirt I wore in about the 6thgrade when I weighed like 85 lbs or something. Seriously? Can we start makingclothing for ALL people? So as usual, I end up in the guy's section. I found aNorth Face rain jacket that is fantastic. I'm pretty sure it will definitelyprovide better rain and wind protection and withstand the wear and tear ofmultiple days of use while hiking. Then I went to the mens' shirts and had afew options...fleece-another thin long sleeved hiking shirt-or something lined. I ended up with an Under Armour long sleeved shirt that is lined on the insidewith fleece. It's pretty awesome.See, when the terrain is really rocky, you can't hike as quickly as normal, andI just don't build up body heat easily, so I was getting cold the past week in50 degrees with blowing rain WHILE hiking with short sleeved/long sleeved/FroggTogg rain jacket/gloves/knit cap on. Can you all believe it? I think I need tomove to the equator! LOLSo, I've got gear that gives me more flexibility and confidence in handling thisweather and I'm sure it will come in handy in the Whites as well.After this bank-breaking shopping excursion, it was off to resupply forfood/batteries/advil. We ended up at Price Buster (or something like that) andI never would have believed I wouldn't be able to find pepperoni or batteriesin a place like this, but they did not have it, so I had to go to ANOTHER store(thank God I had Karen's car) and I finished that chore (only to realize after Istarted packing my food that I didn't buy enough pepperoni!!!)So then it was to the laundry place the hotel told me about. We get there andit's not a laundromat...it's a freakin dry cleaners that will do your laundryfor you. I gave up. I had no more fight left, so I capitulated and handed theguy our 11 lbs of nasty laundry and am paying $1.70/lb and will pick it uptomorrow. (so another zero so we can sleep...Karen is feeling much better now,and I can readjust my shitty attitude). One hilarious thing about the cleanersthough was the music. First was The Phantom of the Opera, and that went rightinto a christmas song, "Oh Holy Night." I did manage to laugh at that.We got some dinner and went back to the room. There is one computer in thishotel and this couple have monopolized it for the last 3 hours. I thought atfirst they'd be on/off but I sat here in the lobby watching the woman use the"one-finger from each hand typing technique." This was obviously going to be awhile so I went back to the room. 2 hours later, I came down and they wereSTILL HERE! I finally asked them for an approximate time that they would befinished, and they guy was nice though and noticed I'd been patiently checkingand waiting all evening, so he got up (I'm such a bulley huh?).Weird day. Not many zeros go like this and not many days get my goat like todayhas, but I will try to do what I do on the trail...leave it behind and wake uppositive tomorrow. I am excited about my new gear (still a gearhead). I'mplanning a 7 day trek when I go out again. I want to lengthen my time outthere to get further between resupplies. My pack will be so heavy, but hey,I'm much stronger now too, so bring it on right? Well, gonna go watch somemindless television and probably pass out. Tomorrow WILL be a better day! ~Certain