Date: 2007-03-26
From: Elmer's Sunnybank Inn, Hot Springs, NC

To: Ms. Janet's House, Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Please excuse the recent lack of updates. I have been taking a crazy emotional ride the past few days trying to come to terms with the fact that my thruhike is basically done for this year. I know I said I'd accepted the fact in a previous post, and I had, but it still comes back every now and then (read: 50 minutes out of every hour). Even if I was healed right now and started walking, I would have about 120 days to hike 2000 miles... and that's just not a speed I want to maintain. It would suck all of the fun out of hiking.Right now, I am at Miss Janet's House in Erwin TN. I hithchiked here from Hot Springs on Saturday morning. Miss Janet's house is a trail legend... it's one of those places that is not optional: You MUST go to Miss Janet's. I have an arrangement worked out with Miss Janet: I can stay as long as I need to, to heal. In exchange, I help take care of the hikers while she is out running shuttles. She is also practically forcing me to ice my leg and take ibuprofen regularly. I've got an ace bandage wrapped around it and the swelling is finally starting to go down. I check on WebMD.com: the injury I have best fits a "Class II Groin Strain", which often takes several months to heal completely.Miss Janet's house really is amazing, and I understand why it is such a destination. Miss Janet herself is one of the kindest people I've met, and she pulls hikers in. It's hard to leave. Most people end up staying for 3 or more days. Every morning we wake up (i've been sleeping on the couch or the floor because the place is so packed) and cook breakfast. Usually a few hikers and locals help out. There's this one local guy, kind of old, who rides his bike up in the morning and then helps set the table up and serve the food. He stands up while we all eat and runs stuff back and forth from the kitchen, telling old jokes the whole time. It's absolutely hilarious. He was thrilled to hear that I was from Great Barrington, as he'd skiied there before. After breakfast, I clean up, and the hikers head out to their various slackpacking routes. I sit on the couch all day with an ice pack and a book. I don't really get bored though because there are so many people coming and going all day.What about the future? Well, if I heal up quickly, and am able to do small miles, I may do a little bit more hiking before coming home to the Berkshires. And just because I'm not thruhiking this year doesn't mean i'm through hiking this year. I may take a few short trips in New England, on the AT or possibly a thruhike of the Long Trail in Vermont.I really can't say how thankful I am for all of the support I have received. I feel terrible about letting all of my fans and supporters down. If I had been a bit stronger and not gone home in February, or if I had been less stubborn and quit hiking when I got the blister in the Smokies, maybe this wouldn't have happened. There would have been a lot of ways to avoid it, but I try not to focus on that. I had invaluable learning experiences so far (and I still am), and I will have many chances in the future to come back and try again, which I fully intend to do. As for the finish date pool... one person said they wanted to revoke their bet. That's fine. I'll send back all of the bets.Thank you so much to all of the people who sent me donations and care packages. I leave you with two options:1) I'll give back the donation, with the promise that you may donate again next time I try, or2) I will use the money for trail magic, to help out other hikers.Also, to any hikers reading this, if you're ever on the AT in northern Connecticut or southern Mass, give me a call or an e-mail and if I'm in town I would love to come hike with you, maybe arrange some slackpacking and some home cooked meals. If i've met you and hiked with you, your presence is requested. Everyone else is welcome too.So thanks again for all the support. I may not be going to Maine, but the adventure is far from over, so don't stop reading! If you're browsing around for something to read and I haven't updated, check out the Grease Frightening Saga.You, my readers, rock. You're the best.