Date: 2005-09-18
From: Hostel, Whitehouse Landing

To: Shelter, Rainbow Streams Lean-to
Miles today: 15.8

Well we spent our most expensive night on the trail. Out in the Hundred Mile Wilderness in the cold rain - what are you going do? Pay the piper of course.   We started the day with a good breakfast. That added to the 1 pound hamburgers and pizza of the previous day made the body happy. I think my body actually had enough calories to attempt some repair work last night.   We met some Maine Conservation Corps workers on the trail today. They were building steps and bog causeways. I think we must have spent 45 minutes with one group talking about America's tackiest cities contenders. Pedro's South of the border, Gatlinburg, Dollywood, Cherokee, Wall Drug, Myrtle Beach. This of course segued into other tacky tourist traps that could be found on the roadside America website. We also asked if moose really exist or is it just the Maine locals running around in costumes and using radio controlled boats. I think they were pretty convinced that northbound thru hikers are completely insane at this point on the trip.    Troll and I spent the day talking about our trip. I can't believe how we have managed to do this. There are so many people no longer on the trail who were in better shape and better prepared than we were. Why are we where we are and they aren't? I don't know. How did we manage to keep going day after day after day? I don't know.    We talked with Oblivious about the hike, what we hoped he would take with him from this for the rest of his life. No matter how much something sucks, you can keep trying and you can get through it onto something better. Don't judge people by appearances but by their actions. Be polite to all. Know that you have options and have the courage to say no when your peers are encouraging you to do something you know is stupid.   I told Troll about a conversation that I had with Just Visiting. She remarked on the way that we interact with people out here. We see someone; we say hi and we ask if they are ok. If their hike is going well, you're glad. If their hike isn't you find out if there is a way you can help. I've given people I've never met before my last water because they were worse off than I was. A hiker we've met 2 times before had a tent pole repair sleeve waiting for us as we came into camp tonight because he had heard that we had broken our tent pole. I can't name how many hikers have shared food out on the trail. If you have or can, you do. And you know that the other hikers will do the same for you. I know a hiker who was sick in the 1st shelter out of Hanover. Another hiker said you need to be back where you can go to the doctor and carried his pack back and helped the sick guy back into town. Almost every hiker can come up with stories of time when they answered that they were not ok and were helped. They can also come up with stories of when they asked that question and were able to help.    Before this trip I didn't understand how long distance hiking could get into your system and why you would keep intentionally punishing your body to do it again and again. How you would just take time away from a career. You do it because you want to be a part of a community that interacts on a very basic level. Hi, are you ok, can I help. I'm really not sure how to take that back into my life but I've got to try.   Take care and we will see you on the trail.