Date: 2007-07-07
From: The Park in Duncannon, Pa

To: The Park in Duncannon, Pa
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The Billville feast continues to be a success. I met a guy named "Busts Ace"(1973 AT SOBO). He is a Billville member and has quite a story. He hiked southbound in 1973, back when Men were Men. He had a great story and I listened to his story for about an hour. He actually had the ex governor of Georgia pick him up around Springer and treated them to a day of feasting. Im sorry I forgot the governor's name. Wes, Wac, Web, Mac Clement? I also saw Billville member "Bonzo". He has hiked the AT several times. I do not know the years or if he has done the whole thing. I also saw his lover "Neighbor". She nearly started crying when she saw me. Last year when "John MacEnroe(Aka "Roni")" were hiking thru Harper's Ferry: Bonzo invited us to go back to Neighbor's place for a couple of days to relax and recover from our hike. Well, when we were staying there; I noticed some work to be done. I like to do work for people when I can; especially if it is something that I can do. Yardwork and cleaning up outside is my Forte. I asked Bonzo where the mower was and I mowed the yard. Bonzo said, "Zero, you dont have to do this". I said, "that you did not have to invite me back to rest, either!" I looked under a porch and saw years of stuff under the porch that could be removed. Bonzo was all about it and we got "MacEnroe" outside and we had that place shining when Neighbor got home. She saw what we did and started crying. I loved it and so did Bonzo. I love "Reverse Trail Magic"(helping out people that do trail magic for you). It was good to see them again.FlashBack to February 23, 2000. My Granny and my Step-grandFather Bob Creager dropped me off at Amicalola. This was going to be my second attempt at the AT and you know what is funny? It was my least enjoyable hike of all time and I was the most prepared. I had alot of cash; 10 years of accumulating gear and Knowledge; and unfortunately, a messed up head. The reason that I say that I did not finish this hike was because I kept twisting my ankles. I would twist them about 20 times a day, each one of them. With all the twisting; my insteps were just thrashed and when I would twist them, they would hurt for 15 minutes. After Pearisburg; when I found out that Va was not flat; I gave up after Little Laurel Shelter and went down to Perdido Key, Fla. I swam until my ankles strengthened. Well, but the real reason was that my head was all messed up. I was fairly recently divorced; more recently lost a cool girlfriend; but, mostly, I was dealing with not having all of that power that I had as Program Director of that boys camp. I was all powerful and quite the demigod. I was the Jeffersonian Philosopher King and a real ass. It took me several years to kind of de-program. The philosophy of that camp was kind of like a cult and you can not really leave unscathed. I can say that the only thing good about that whole trip was a woman named "Groovy" that I met. I did not know her very well; but, wish I could have got to know her much more. I also met several others who are usually on the trail each year in one way or the other: "Miss Janet, Baltimore Jack, Bob Peoples, Otto & Raven, Uncle Johnny, etc"....This was also the year that I got the name "Zero" because I took so many zeros.