Date: 2016-08-12
From: Rutland,VT

To: Rutland, VT
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

Budget here, For the first time I am actually sitting at a computer terminal to look at my Journals and add some thoughts. This week has been a little different with Josh here, Buffalo's tooth and my knee. There's been a lot to think about. And that's the problem......First of all I got a great doctor yesterday at a doc-in-the-box. Dr. Cooper is a retired Army doctor and who else can you find that's more of an expert on hiking problems than someone who's seen soldiers for most of his career? Great guy and knows hikers. He prescribed a day of rest, ice, and some steroids. Seems to be working so far. Thanks Doc for the treatment and Deb for providing me with a health plan.Buffalo is presently making arraingements to get his tooth fixed down the line. The big question is where and when. My brother's wedding is coming up in a month and he could get it then or even as soon as a couple of weeks. Recuperating in an expensive northern motel is not a pleasant alternative. He's working on several alternatives. Film at eleven......The trail has been finished by blind people, wounded veterans, paraplegics and a five year old (Thanks for the pressure Buddybackpacker!). So there's no attempt for an excuse here. LB and I talked it over last night. The Trail is a mind game. Pain is something you live with. But on the trail its sometimes the ONLY thing you think about. Something small turns into something big while hiking. I miss the diversions of work, Church and especially family. Ever notice how you forget the pain you had when you get busy? Well, not on the trail. At 63 there will be more for me and Buffalo as we go on. We knew that going in.As you are sweating in one of the hottest summers ever we are concerned about winter. How late can we finish this thing? December in the Smokies isn't a nice thought for me but the longer we spend up here the later we are stuck down there. I want to be home for the Christmas holiday season. We have alternatives on that end too.When we pulled into the Yellow Deli on Tuesday we ran into GoGo for the first time since Katahdin. It had been two months and I didn't recognize her at first. GoGo was the very first person we met to hike SOBO with us. Her protien powder bag had blown apart in the bus station in Bangor and I told her it wasn't too late to turn around. If looks could kill I would have been dead. Climbing Katadhin together we could see her determination. They call her GoGo for a reason,...she's a fast hiker. We were so happy to see her again. We felt we had finally caught up with the kids. What we found out was that many of the younger folks we started with had dropped out a long time ago. GoGo also reiterated what LB and Kurtis have been saying all along. You can't worry about what's going to happen months from now. You need to focus on the next 50 miles. So that's what we're going to do. I'll leave it at that. Buffalo just stuck his head in and told me he's going to get his tooth fixed at Pittsfield MA. First part of plan completed. Thanks to all who have left messages of encouragement on our sites. I don't get to read them often but it warms my heart every time I do. Thanks to Bill for visiting me on the trail. You have no idea what that meant to me. I look forward to the wedding. Thanks to my family for all the support I've recieved. You guys are a blessing to me. LB, Kurtis, Evan, Laura and especially Deb. Now its time to ice my knee. My love to all!