Date: 2015-07-05
From: Home!

To: Home!
Miles today: 0.0

Today's entry should be shorter because my house is filled with hikers (of course, now that I'm typing I'll start remembering and it will turn into a book).Today was AWESOME.I woke up and started crying out of sheer depression (I'm just kidding, I was cutting onions for the picnic), and preparing! Everything that I hadn't organized yesterday got organized and loaded into the back of Dan's pickup truck. I was honestly surprised that it all fit in that truck. Dan is the master of packing, shoving everything in like a puzzle.I had to abandon mom and Dan to do the last of the loading while I headed north to pick up the Aussie Legs. I had to buy gas on the way (what?! I am not used to such purchases. I also stalled my car at the end of the driveway because I forgot where the friction point is... oops).The Aussies were waiting on the side of a dirt road when I arrived (I was early, they were early, good timing!), and we packed into the car. Firebear complained "I can smell myself already!", as that wonderful hiker stink filled the little car. I didn't really smell much... I guess I'm used to it.On our way to the picnic, we passed Magnus and Chris... going the wrong way. They had missed a detour sign (the iron bridge in Falls Village is under construction, and the re-route is terrible) and continued down the road too far. My car was too full for more people, but we picked up their packs so they could slackpack back to the picnic.And then, the magic began! I distributed presents to the chosen few: rice pudding and chocolate milk for the Aussie Legs, a tiny birthday cake for Coco (whose birthday was a few days ago), and a jar of chunky peanut butter (what else?!) for Chris.Actually, Coco wasn't there at first to receive her gift. I had to give it to Magnus instead (it was a dual gift for both of them... Magnus celebrated his birthday earlier on the trail). She had gotten stuck in Falls Village, visiting the Toymaker Cafe, which only accepted cash... and she didn't have much, so she showed up to the picnic after the first feeding frenzy was over. Later in the afternoon, though, we did all sing Happy Birthday to her, while Magnus lit the adorable heart-shaped sparkler (that they had with them for some reason) in the middle of the little cake.Mom and Dan arrived and my hiker friends ogled the amazing array of goods put out for them to enjoy (and take). All of my friends and family donated SO MANY things, that when I asked the hiker gang this evening, "Does anyone need to go into town to buy food for resupply?" they chorused back a resounding "No, I think we're good."But before that, after we spread out the giant bins of goods, the Aussies, Chris, and Magnus ogled them. They sat in their chairs and just stared longingly. "What are you waiting for?" I told them. "Go ahead!" But they were trying to be polite, waiting for others to come and have their turn."But that's what it's there for!" I almost wanted to physically push them. "Help yourselves!"Apparently at that point the temptation was too much, because they went at it like hungry wolves (and they probably were hungry at that point, even after donuts from the pizza fairy). They dove into tubs and filled their food bags, happily rummaging for the best they could find. It was like hiker Christmas for them, and for me! The whole point of the picnic - to provide for other hikers - was accomplished even before the picnic really even started.As people arrived, they distributed goods into bins: Bars (CLIF, granola, etc.), Toiletries, Snacks, Other Foods... there were so many things! I was amazed by the generosity that people showed.I literally just sent out an email to plan this picnic, and then it happened. It really was like magic. I hardly did anything (besides organize a few things). SO MANY friends and family members arrived, bringing salads, CLIF bars (Really! CLIF bars! Those things are expensive!), ENTIRE WATERMELONS (Fran and Bonnie brought THREE), The hikers were shocked, because there was so much stuff when they arrived. But then, more friends and family arrived, and when they went back to look again, the hiker supply boxes were bursting with even more delicious and helpful items. Luna Bars, an endless supply of toilet paper, hand sanitizer...In my email, I suggested a few things that people could bring. The typical hiker goods: junk food, pasta sides, granola bars, bug spray, etc. etc.I don't think there was anything that we DIDN'T have. It was, seriously, amazing (I know that I am using that word too much). Everyone arrived with more than enough to make the picnic a success. Jeralyn's dad even stopped by to drop off their contribution, even though they didn't have time to come and stay at the picnic themselves. A few people have done this. THANK YOU!Lucy, Paul, and Caroline arrived with an amazing fruit salad. Fran and Bonnie brought, in addition to three watermelons, amazing tuna pasta salad (which I was really hoping for after they brought it to Candace's picnic in June. I have taken the leftovers and stashed them away so I can eat them for lunch this week).I had also asked people to bring tables and chairs, coolers and ice. Uncle Clyde, Auntie Pat and Jason arrived with an ENTIRE PICNIC TABLE in the back of the truck. I almost died. Amazing. They said they had to cut an inch off of it to fit it in the truck. That is EXTREME dedication to the cause. Best. Family. Ever."We have too much food." was uttered often and by many. But those hikers ate. And they went back and ate again. We had a good crowd... more than 20 friends and family members, and about 15 hikers passing through throughout the day (eight of which have ended up at my house for showers, laundry, and a roof over their head for the night).People kept arriving, with MORE FOOD. But people also kept eating. Of course. And then they ate more. I ate. And then I ate more. I haven't been hiking, but I can still eat like a hiker... unfortunately I felt like a circus ringleader, constantly overwhelmed by people asking me what they could do to help (yay!), or where they should put this cooler or that cooler. It was so confusing. I was in over my head! I ended up answering to three different names: my trail name, my real name, and my family nickname. At one point, my hiker friends ended up calling my by a five-syllable monstrosity of my real name COMBINED with my trail name. I'm sorry for anyone I was impatient with during the picnic. I was a little overwhelmed. I get overwhelmed SO EASILY, and I am terrible at making decisions. Seriously terrible. I was so excited that several guests more than Coco, Magnus, Chris, and the Aussie Legs (who I knew were definitely coming) passed through. Doc and Forward stopped by for a while before heading on. Black Bear, Wye Knot, Tinkerbell, Chat Cat, and Samaritan attended, as well as many others. I can't list them all. I can't even remember them all, isn't that great?!Magnus was wonderful, and when everyone was starting to get ready to pack up, he loudly proclaimed, on behalf of all hikers, an amazing "thank you".We even ended up bringing home more people than planned... Tinkerbell and Chat Cat are crashing at the house tonight, too. Tinkerbell needed a new fuel canister for her stove, and my dad was sweet enough to offer to drive to the outfitter in Kent to buy her one. And he bought TWO (one went to Coco and Magnus), because they said they were running out. At that point, I figured I might as well just invite Tinkerbell home, too, so she wouldn't have to wait around and my dad wouldn't have to drive back to the picnic area.The more the merrier, right? Right. (That was a rhetorical question.)Packing up and heading home was confusing - how could we fit all of the leftover food and trail goods in cars AND pile in hikers and packs?! Luckily, enough people live close to mom and Dan's house that we managed to get everyone here successfully. Plus lots of leftover food, quite a bit of which has been eaten already.Another good thing about this house: there are two showers! Everyone managed to get clean and comfortable, and most people even get to sleep in real beds. I think that all of my hiker friends were happy to have an opportunity to relax. Redback (the Aussie mother) kept saying how even on zero days, no one gets time to relax. We are always doing chores, and finding laundromats and grocery stores to resupply from. But today, at least some of the work was done for them, and they really did actually get a little bit of time to rest. Hooray, mission successful!The pizza fairy (who, I must say, put a RIDICULOUS amount of time, money, and effort into this picnic for me, and who I owe about 3093409 dinners and chores and errands and favors now, and mom, too) ordered the party size pizza from Big Y to feed the group. It was HUGE. You should have seen this pizza. I will dream about it for months to come. Coco was in the shower when the pizza-eating began and she almost didn't get any, because who can stop a hiker from devouring slice after slice after slice? I can't stop myself, that's for sure.We also had ice cream for dessert, because as I told the Aussies this morning, "I think we're going to have pizza for dinner.", one of them asked, "...can we have ice cream?". I never say no to ice cream. That request was easily filled.After two loads of laundry were finished and sorted (only two loads for eight people! We can't carry much clothing, so we don't!), Firebear realized that she hadn't separated her socks. They were still smelly! OH NO! "Don't worry!" I told her. "You guys all used towels, we can wash them with some of those."Disaster solved.I don't like posting pictures of people on here for privacy reasons (I don't know how I would feel if I knew that people were randomly posting pictures of ME on the internet), but I know that there are family and friends without Facebook that should see pictures. Also, tons of my hiker friends post pictures of themselves anyway. I am not sure if this is good or bad... but if anyone objects to having their picture on my photos page, please let me know and I'll take it down!It was an incredibly amazing day and I am so happy that we had so many hikers pass through. Everyone was excited, Aunt Vreni even said, "We should make this an annual thing!".And, of course, we should!The house is filled with (now sleeping) hikers, and the garage is filled with snacks and fruit and so many amazing things that I will leave as trail magic at trail heads for the rest of the week as I hike (and through the weekend as well, since I'll be home AGAIN for Jeralyn's wedding). Today has to be the king of all thankful posts. I am SO THANKFUL for everyone that came out today, hikers and non-hikers alike. I have the best, most amazing support system at home, of family and friends, that made this trail magic picnic possible. The best part is that it's not even over. I will be distributing trail magic for the rest of the week (and probably even more after that... anything left over will be mailed ahead to me on the trail and put into hiker boxes, or else distributed by mom and Dan). I can't believe the generosity that people show (I say that a lot, but I am still constantly awed). Complete strangers going out of their way to spend their Sunday giving food and Band-Aids and toilet paper to a gang of disgustingly wonderful hikers has made me the happiest hiker on the trail (well, I'll be back on the trail tomorrow).So thank you. Thank you so much, to everyone that came out today. Thank you for bringing salad, and protein bars, and fruit. Thank you for giving me tiny ziploc bags, for putting an ENTIRE picnic table in your truck. Thank you for giving my friends watermelon to eat with dinner tonight. Thank you for being incredible, and making a difference in the lives of so many of my friends and trail-mates. On behalf of everyone hiking the AT that has benefited, and will benefit from your gifts, thank you. Thank you so much. I am sure you can imagine, but even a cold drink, when unexpected, can make the biggest difference in a day's hike. And you have done that for so many people.Today's post is written with intense happiness and gratitude. I will go to bed with a smile on my face, and wake up again excited to return to the trail (after I cook breakfast for eight hungry hikers, that is).I am sending internet love and hugs to all of you out there. Seriously, I can't say thank you enough.