Date: 2015-06-28
From: Arden Valley Road

To: Harriman State Park
Miles today: 0.1
Weather: clear sky

Double-nero weekend was a success! I only hiked like 0.1 miles today, and about a third of that was slackpacked. IT STILL COUNTS, THOUGH. I am calling it a double nero.Despite my sugar alcohol level being way over the healthy limit, after a bit of tossing and turning, I managed to sleep like a rock. I didn't even get out of bed after 7:00. Usually I am STARVING by 5:30, but I gorged myself so thoroughly that I even made it to 8:30 Father's Day breakfast (only a week late) with Dad and Aviary without a snack.MORE chores were done (they will never end) and then mom and I scoped out the picnic area for next weekend's trail magic picnic. And it is PERFECT, despite the horrible AT detour due to bridge construction. There were actually people there cooking for hikers today! It is amazingly perfect. Many thanks to Fran and Bonnie, and Carol and Eddie for the suggestion. I am extremely excited to make some trail magic of my own, after benefitting so much from so many random acts of kindness from complete strangers over the last few months.I thought that trail magic would become rare as I travelled north, but this hasn't really been the case. Last week, I came upon more jugs of water for thirsty hikers in the woods than I could count. Even just being able to fill my water bottles without having to dig out my SteriPen is such a great gift.I think that last week, I actually benefitted more from kind of "accidental" trail magic... talking to people. Barbara and Jack, and Tyler and Rae, threw reality into sharp relief. I have been on the trail so long now, some days it is harder to appreciate.As I am in the car with mom and Dan on my way back to my wilderness home, winding down back roads and through the middle of nowhere, New York, I can only think of how much I love New England, how much I wish I could explore all these little towns more, and how awesome it is that I still have so many more miles of trail to do so.So soon I will be left on the side of the road. I will wander into the woods to find a flat spot for my tent before the sun sets. And I will bask in the glory of being ME, in the beautiful drizzly woods with a solid, amazing week of hiking between me and a magical picnic.Bring on the miles, New York. Red Panda's had a taste of home and is hungry for more (duh, I'm always hungry).I think I gained about three pounds this weekend alone. I am pretty sure that NY is going to help me burn off all those extra calories, though. Bear Mountain is so close!The drive back to my woodland home contained a lot of "Wow, this is so pretty!" and "We have to come back here on the bikes.".And I just sit in the back seat, eating half a BBQ chicken pizza from Mrs. Darling even though I don't think I am actually hungry anymore, and I think, "AND I GET TO HIKE IT ALL WEEK!".Thank goodness for home time to refresh my spirit. Going home is wonderful, spending time with family, eating real food, being clean and comfortable. At the same time, it reminds me how complex and complicated "real life" is and how lucky, once again, I am to have months to enjoy a life of few responsibilities and infinite simple joys. I mean, my biggest problem tonight was finding a tree branch strong enough to hold my monstrous food bag PLUS half a pizza.I am thankful for my brief but wonderful home visit (and especially to mom and Dan for hours and hours of driving to make this possible), picnic plans in the works, a full (TOO FULL) tummy, and the fact that I get to wear sweatpants for another half an hour. I am thankful for gifts of all kinds - food, money, and especially WORDS of support and kindness.I have been feeling so exhausted and burnt out lately...But Katahdin is in my future, I have no doubt.