Date: 2009-07-08
From: Birds Nest No.3 Hut

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: broken clouds

Another day in the Shenandoah, another Trailside store. When I said that most hikers entering the park would be looking forward to wildlife encounters I forgot to mention that many with more than one eye on their stomachs would also be looking forward to carrying light food loads and regular stops for burgers and pop. I actually still packed quite a lot of food by did deliberately go light on the snacks as they could easily be resupplied on an almost daily basis.Anyway, it was camp stores that got me to thinking about how things can take on an almost mythical status out here and how those myths/common wisdoms then get repeated and enshrined in the shelter registers. Six years ago I wandered up to the first store in the park and ordered a blackberry milkshake ¢ not because ¢I had to¢ but because I like milkshakes and, after nearly 900 miles, blackberry sounded ever so refreshing, new and unusual. Six years ago I was disappointed ¢ they had run out of blackberry ice cream. Six years ago, to the best of my recollection nobody, and I mean nobody, mentioned blackberry milkshakes in any shelter register that I read.Moving on six years things appear to have changes. The Thru Hikers Companion now makes specific mention of the shakes. Lo¢ and behold the registers before, and throughout, the park are now full of talk (both glowing appreciative and moderately underwhelmed) of the modern day merits and delights of < you guessed it, Blackberry milkshakes. People or sheep? You decide.But, today I finally got my blackberry milkshake and I was thoroughly delighted with it. Not because I chalked off another ¢must do¢ but as I said I like milkshakes (it is not my first and I¢m sure it won¢t be my last of the trip) and because even six years on blackberry still sounded refreshing, new and unusual (it was great that it also proved to be delicious).Back to registers if I may. I like reading them and they often bring a smile to my face but they also make me scowl and mutter under my breath. Over and over again similar themes pop up, refrains that I¢m either bored with, or that have the effect of bringing me down. Here are some of the themes that I have noticed:1.        The Mileage Bore It seems strange to me but so many hikers doing big miles seem to think that everybody else will be interested in their near superhuman accomplishments (or maybe they are just worried that nobody will notice or care). Look out for entries like: -        ¢wow 26 miles already and it¢s still only 4.30pm. Heading on another 8 to next shelter¢.-        ¢ consecutive 30+ mile days. Only 56 to do over the next 2 days and I¢ll make the mail drop before the PO closes¢Scintillating.2.        The Oh I¢m So Lucky Entry(and by inference you¢re not)Two main categories ¢ Trail Magic and wildlife sightings. I know that people want to share their elation but looking at it from the less fortunates perspective it just comes across as boasting. Reading for the 17th time that everybody else has seen bears when you haven¢t ¢ well it doesn¢t exactly warm the cockles of your heart. Then you feel bad about begrudging them their luck.Coming in wet and tired and reading of other people¢s Trail Magic can be even worse. You open your food bag and everything looks like cardboard, your hiking boots look more appetising, like they might have just a smidgeon of flavour if you chewed on them for long enough. Things are band and then you read the register:¢Great Trail Magic last night. Hot dogs, burgers, coke. Awesome. I can¢t thank the good people enough¢Yes you can¢t but me well¢¦. Arrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!3.        The Unoriginal Flavour of the MomentThink blackberry milkshakes. Once you¢ve read 15 entries on a row that expound an opinion on something this banal you do wonder why we were created unique and with the ability for individual thought. Think also Ron Havens entries after Franking, Trail Days entries, expect Doyle entries after Duncannon, Mahusac Notch entries wherever that is, the list goes on ¢ every overhyped element of the Trail ¢ bet your last dollar on it4.        Theme EntriesSo far this year there have been two:¢What do you confess at the priest?¢ I actually enjoyed the first 8 but then I realised the whole register was given over to it ¢ I knew after about 15 entries that new and original ones would be few and far between; and¢How would you memorialise today at Paul C Wolfe?Again after a page or two I had no interest in reading further ¢ variations on a theme when I crave new themes ¢ something original, something new, something to make me smile.In 2003 asking what song was going through peoples¢ heads that day started a similarly boring precedent. I wonder if anybody really cared or was enlightened to know that The Velvet Underground¢s ¢All Tomorrows Parties¢ was my contribution (I don¢t even find it interesting)But, of course, not all is bad. I never fail to smile when I see in print the common conundrum ¢Should I stay or should I go?¢So, this journal entry is in memory of both the night I saw Joe Strummer at the Northern Hotel and to my six year quest for a blackberry milkshake. Now, I¢m off to my tent to contemplate my own hypocrisy and to count some sheep.I like sheep, I¢d like to be a sheep ¢ bah!