Date: 2011-06-25
To: Where are the Bears???
Miles today: 0.0

It¢s 7:24 and I¢ve just awakened. I had an interesting night. There must have been four owls in the vicinity calling to one another. It lasted for about an hour, and a couple of them were really close! They have such a distinctive call. I enjoyed listening to them, despite my disturbed sleep. When I finally did sleep I dreamed of chocolate fudge, of all things. It was a sweet dream!Today looks to be another beautiful day. These beautiful days will be boring for you to read about, friend, because where¢s the adventure in that? No storms, no bears, no drama. I¢ll see if I can maybe tumble down a mountain or something to add a little intensity to my day. I do have a nice oozing scrape on my left knee. Ironically enough, I got it in town! I was walking ON A SIDEWALK with no pack or anything, on my way to Wal-Mart, when I tripped on a curb! Can you believe it????? I picked myself up as quickly as I could and looked around to see if anyone had witnessed my clumsiness (yes, someone had...a couple in a convertible), then tried to walk away as normally as possible despite the blood dripping down my leg. I felt like such an idiot. I hear something large moving about. I honestly think it¢s a bear. It sounds like something scratching at logs. I¢ll bet it¢s a bear looking for insects in the deadwood. Maybe today I¢ll finally have my bear encounter!!! How I hope so. Mister Bear, I¢ve been looking for you for nearly 3 months! Won¢t you show yourself today?I need new music. I recorded a play list that¢s about 24 hours long, but it¢s not enough. The songs are getting old already. I wish I could have a satellite radio.Can you tell I¢m lonely? I keep writing to you, because I have no one to talk to, and reaching out to my friends and family in cyberspace seems like my only connection to humanity right now. Guess it¢s time to get walking. Maybe today I¢ll meet a new friend.Speaking of new friends, I met a young woman on the trail a few days ago, when I stayed at a shelter near Atkins. I believe it was called Friendship shelter maybe? I can¢t remember now. At any rate, it¢s one of only two places along the entire trail where you can call and have a pizza delivered right to the trail. There¢s a phone at the park visitor¢s center from which to call. (The AT passes through a state park there.) So anyway, as I was placing my order I gave the pizza shop my name. Another hiker who was nearby heard me, and when I got off the phone she said, ¢Are you Tami Jo? THE Tami Jo from the blog and from White Blaze?¢ Yes, that¢s me. ¢Oh my God, I¢ve been following your blog for a month before I came out here! I can¢t believe I¢ve met you!¢ And she gushed on and on, making me feel like some sort of celebrity. She made me feel so good! Her trail name was Jellybean, and she was a beautiful young woman with gorgeous red hair who also happened to be feeling very homesick for her loved ones. Frankly, she sounded heartsick. I talked with her and told her that her hike was still a success, because she¢d learned something about herself that is very significant: she learned that her heart called her home to be with the family she loves. She learned that, at this time in her life, her rightful place is with them. Two days later I learned that she had gone home that very day. So here¢s a message to Jellybean: Beautiful lady, you have many years ahead in which to challenge yourself on the AT or in any other way that seems appropriate. In the meantime, your family is still young, and you have done the right thing for them and for yourself by going home to be with them. It¢s where your heart resides. Maybe when your children are older you will try again. Just to have done what you have done on your own so far indicates a strength and perseverance that few of us have. I¢m proud of you, and I know your family is, too. I wish you joy in life. Maybe I¢ll see you on a trail somewhere in a few years. In the meantime, have fun with your kids while you still can. Foster a love for the trail in them, and maybe one day they¢ll join you! My best to you, little mother. And now it¢s 8:00 and I¢m already behind schedule. Time to break camp and hit the trail! Happy Trails to you, one and all. I¢m sure I¢ll be posting more later today.