Date: 2004-06-09
From: Georgia

To: Maine
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

John's Hollow ShelterSomewhere near Glasgow, VAI saw Sarge today, the cool old black dude who dubbed me "Jester" onenight over beers in the Nantahala Outdoor Center, what feels a lifetimeago (just two months). I inquired after Little Engine, and to mysurprise he said she was still on the trail. "Oh, yeah, she'sslackpackin down around Daleville. She's got problems with her back, Ithink. But she's got money, her family's got money. She could walkthe entire trail without carrying a pack, if she wanted." Sarge wenton to tell me that Little Engine inquired after me once and awhile, butdenied any interest in me. I like hearing that. Too bad she smokeslike a chimney and is way behind me. She's a fine looking woman. Butit sounds like she needs to marry a sherpa.Seeing Sarge got me thinking about Jersey Doug. I wonder how he'sdoing. I wonder if he's still hammerin' down the trail, diggin' inwith his poles like there's no tomorrow. I miss Doug. Hell, I miss alot of people. So many, many people I've met on the trail are now wellahead of me. Many are behind. Sarge says he's getting off soon and isgonna bus it up to Vermont, then flip south. Listening to thereasoning of man who has done the whole trail once and continues to dochunks of it every year, I begin to think that might be the thing forme. The Flip-Flop. Hike north to Harper's Ferry (roughly the halfwaypoint), then catch a ride or bus north to Maine, do Mt. Katahdin inJuly instead of October, then hike south through the summer. Thiseliminates the dangers of hitting early winter storms in northern NewEngland, gets you out of hot Pennsylvania and New York in the dead heatof summer, and insures that you don't miss getting to climb Katahdin. The "deadline" for a northbound hike is Oct. 15 when they closeKatahdin for the winter. Sarge says last year there was ice on therock-faced mountain in late September, and a lot of people went homedisappointed when the rangers called an early close to the season. For my part, I'll be cutting it close now if I try and stick to mynorthbound course. Very close. But if I flip, I get to walk throughMaine and my beloved New Hampshire in summer allowing family andfriends there to come join me for a section if they like in goodweather. And one other thing, and here's the reason Sarge likesflipping: to see all the friends he made on the trail that year,friends that he has since fallen far behind. Great idea! I can seeMaine Sail again! And Elly, too, for better or worse. Last night wide awake at 4 a.m., I decided it was high time to breakinto my coveted stash of Klonipin, all of ONE 2 mg pill I have left. Iran out of my daily, Prozac, a week or so ago, the Klonipin evenfurther back. I squirreled away one K, for dire emergency, you know,when its nearly nuthatch time, that sort of thing, when only a dose ofknockoff valium stand tween you and a straight jacket. Both the Zac &the K are supposed to be mailed to me monthly from Houston GroundControl to keep me from spinning out of orbit out here in deep space. "Houston, we have a problem." Prozac is Prozac is for depression in case you've been asleep for thepast decade. And the K, that I take on occasion, as one takes anaspirin, but this for anxiety, not a headache. But you my loyalreaders already know I'm on crazy meds. You probably know I'm afan of pharmaceuticals in general. Love em. Give me a whack ofheavy doctor dope (in the form of a little yellow horse pill calledoxycodone - Think Rush Limbaugh?) over a joint any day. What's good forthe big fat goose is good for the Jester. For the full story of Rick's journey, visit Jigglebox.com