Date: 2003-05-11
From: kay wood shelter

To: Toms house
Miles today: 89.0

When I got up I decided to have an easy day today because of my injury , you see I feel that all the painkillers I am taking is only making the problem worse because it is killing the pain which lets me walk but I am sure I am only doing more damage to the muscule over my foot and the more I walk with it numbed with painkillers the more damage I will inflict upon it.You see I was trying to hurry up because I am Flying back to Scotland on the 9th of june so I was trying to push to get finished for that date , but now with the present circumstances and 618 miles to go it is looking highly unlikely for me to finish for that date.I tried to change my ticket but it is non refundable so I am still working out if I will fork out for a new one for the sake of a hiking an extra 100 miles or so which would cost me $6.50 A MILE since a new ticket will cost $650.Anyway I got trucking down into the town of dalton and in my guide book it mentions that a man by the name of Tom LeVardi invites hikers to stop by his house and stop for some water and sometimes invites them to camp in his back yard.So I stopped by his house which the trail passes by and knocked on his door to see if he was in , Tom came to the door and we got talking about the trail and he told me I am the first hiker passing north this year and he was suprised to see someone so early.So I went on to tell him about when I started my hike and what type of weather I encountered along the way , when I tell people about it I laugh and make jokes about the weather I have had on my hike but when I think back myself sometimes I wonder how I ever made it through some of the storms in one piece.Tom was quick to invite me into his home and was asking if I was hungry which he probably already knew the ansawer to that question , so before I knew it I was sitting in his kitchen enjoying some brilliant pasta & to top it all off some ice cream with chocolate sauce !!!.It amazes me sometimes how special people along the trail like Tom are simply wanting to help you on your travels and do you good deeds without even wanting anything of you in return except for you to enjoy your time on the trail.Tom has been involved with the trail for longer than anyone I have met before and has stacks of good pictures of 1000s of hikers enjoying his hositality as they pass by the sleepy town of Dalton.Tom invited me to stay the night and I took him up on the offer as this is a good chance to spend some time getting to know a true trail angel and rest my foot up for the day.Tom was telling me lots of stoys about all the previous years when the hikers have passed by and all the fun things that go on , it made start to think about how much I have missed out on the whole trail experience of mixing with other hikers all on the same trail to Maine , by starting on jan 8th I can count on one hand the number of people who have been on the same sort of journey as me Rocket , Bono , Snail & Patience where as down south there is a whole trail culture that I know nothing about.So after watching a video about the trail with Tom I decided to make a change of plans , My foot is not going to get better over night and I doo need some short days and rest to get back to my old hiking machine self !!! so I decided to contact Bluebearee who has gave me some good info and advice about the trail recently and she informed me that she was going to Trail Days this weekend.Trail Days is a hiker festival which takes place in Damascus Virginia which is 1000 miles back the way from where I am , most of the hikers on the A.T make thier way to trail days and it attracts 1000s hikers from all over the country and probably other countrys also to come together for what exactly I don't know yet but it sounds intresting enough for me to travel 1000 miles back to somewhere I have already been to see what its all about.I have heard from many that its something not to be missed but I was always thinking to much about hiking 25 miles per day to take enough notice of the whole thing , but I have came to my senses and realised the trail is not just about watching where my feet are going all day (thats when they work ok) and worrying about how many miles I can or cannot do !!! So I phoned Bluebearee and she is driving from Maine and has very Kindley offered to go out of her way to pick me up in Springfield M.A (yes folks where the simpsons come from )...it took a while for her to understand my accent over the phone so once I started talking in Spanish she understood every word.....tu comprede....So I am going to hike the next couple of days to VERMONT slackpacking(carrying no pack) and Tom is going to help me do this by shuttling me and then I am going to meet Bluebearee and her friend to practice my spanish all the way to Damascus just in case I have any communication problems down there also.So after Trail Days I am not to sure what I will do ? I am thinking of making my way towards Maine to begin a flip flop or maybe I will just carry on from here ?? One thing is for sure I am going to stop thinking miles and relax and enjoy what I am doing because one way or another it will all be over before I know it !! and I will be sitting on the plane flying over to the other side of the POND back to the Motherland!!!!!! P.S No I didn't hike 89 miles today but I just wanted to bring my mileage up to date without the hassle of correcting every entrie....for any of you going to Trail days if you want to aviod me I am the one wearing the Tam O' Shanter hat (A Tartan Hat with a Bobble on top)