Date: 2019-06-04
From: AngelÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Rest... Vortex?

To: AngelÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Rest Vortex
Miles today: 19.4

Miscommunication! Not my fave. Somehow they all thought I was slackpacking southbound today, but I was not. They were waiting for me and Ambassador was very rude later when I saw her. I had literally told them all I was going northbound and didn¢t need to be on the shuttle because I was just leaving from here. But whatever. I was frustrated about the miscommunication, but got up at my own time and headed out. The owner Doc Peppa ended up driving me to the trailhead. I know I¢m stubborn about the north vs south thing, and as my hike goes on, that will change as I begin to open up and embrace different ways of hiking this trail. But for now, Deb is a stubborn little butt. The day started uphill and it was hot. There was a bit of road walking first. The uphill was annoying, but better without a pack. Once I got up onto the ridge it wasn¢t too bad. I heard some incredibly loud planes that felt like they were going to come crashing into me right in the woods. I wondered what they were doing. I ran into Cali, who was also southbound slackpacking, and Ambassador. I was making okay time, but going a bit slow. I passed a few more people and actually ran a little bit on some of the downhills, which felt really good. I miss that! I passed one guy who was about to go pee. Oops! He said ¢bad timing!¢ And I was like ¢haha I¢ve seen it all you¢re good.¢ I really have seen it all out here.I called the hostel when I was a few miles away. I was climbing up Peter¢s Mountain, which was a steep incline and a bit of a pain. It was all downhill after that though to the parking area. It worked out perfectly with timing and Acadicus was walking up the trail just as I came down to the parking lot! He¢s really cool to be around and it was nice to shuttle with him. When I got back I took a shower. I saw Blazer and he and Acadicus were going to the Chinese buffet for dinner. Both that and Mexican restaurants are in every trail town lol. They invited me along and I said I had a frozen pizza to make, but decided to come along anyway. I ate a bit of one plate of food, but it wasn¢t that good. It was half-price though so that was nice. Acadicus talked about the cult in Vermont that I met at Trail Days. This thing is REAL peeps! It¢s not just amazing pasta in the woods!! Their main location is Vermont and they try to recruit hikers into the cult every year. Acadicus knew a woman who was in the cult for 8 years and found a way out, but they make you change your name, they take all your possessions, this place is no joke. Acadicus thru-hiked two years ago. His thru-hike is honestly the way I would do this thing if I were to start again. He started in January and took his time, playing music and enjoying the sites, averaging 10-mile days, and making it to Katahdin in October. It took him 9 months, but he had a blast and wants to do another thru-hike southbound. I¢m feeling so much pressure these days, it would be so amazing if I could slow down and enjoy it and still make it to Maine. But alas, I don¢t have that kind of time. Acadicus was in CT by now. Man if I was in CT right now, my timing would be so perfect. Oh well.I got back to the hostel and watched TV with everyone for a bit. In the days I was here, we watched The Office, Community, Letter Kenny (which has to be the worst show I¢ve ever seen lol sorry Tramp), and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. That show is my freaking jam. My ex introduced it to me and I love it so much. It¢s so good. I joked with the peeps in the hostel that I was Amy because I really do see myself as her lol but a little less organized. I do like to plan though and clean and whatnot. And I¢m super energetic and just ahhhh most of the time. But I end up hanging with a lot of hikers who are more like Jake, a hot mess lol. Ugh it¢s such a good show. It¢s one that actually makes me laugh nonstop. I ended up making my frozen pizza for dinner despite eating Chinese food too. I met a few other folks, Camelback Santa being one of them. I kinda find him arrogant and he brags about how much mileage he can do and all the marathons he runs back home. But he¢s entertaining too. I went and hung out with everyone at the firepit tonight. There was no fire, but we were enjoying some laughs together. Acadicus was tapping on the wood with a metal thing and it sounded like the beat at the beginning of Crazy Train, so I began singing that and it was pretty funny. He was also playing with this chain they have that gets a hoop on the end onto a hook. They¢ve been here so long Tramp and Acadicus have come up with new ways to swing the chain. It was pretty funny to watch. Ziggy and Chug and that whole crew was there and it was just an awesome time hanging with them. Little Debbie