Date: 2003-05-15
To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

it was a 15 mile day into Waynesboro. this is the town where orb, kitty, and i are going to rent a car tomorrow to drive to damsacus while eating cheesecake and fruit. we're so excited.i got up around 6ish and took my pop tarts over to the vista to eat, which was close to lucky's tent. as soon as i got close to the tent, the zipper opens up and lucky comes out dressed and ready to go. it's like the twilight zone--lucky has been getting up earlier and earlier lately. so odd. it's hard to get use to. heck, i think today was only the 2nd time i've ever been around to see lucky eat breakfast!as i was headed back onto the trail, corin and julia came out to cook breakfast. corin is a huge LOTR fan and we talked about some of the characters briefly. as i said goodbye and started hiking off, she started reciting the poem "the road goes ever ever on..." and as i walked off i joined in for the rest. yes, i know it sounds corny, but it really made my day and fit in with what became a reflective mood for the next several miles.i spent the majority of the first 10 miles thinking of what i've done while out on the trail and what i want to do. i've been out here 2 months as of today and am more than 1/3 done (mile 846 by the end of the day). since then the biggest realization that i've come to about this journey is that it takes an interesting blend of solitude and dependence on others. no one can do this alone, or if they did they probably wouldn't have as good a time. the people (hikers, townspeople, family, friends) help you get through the low points and make the high points even higher. at the same time, every challenge i've come across is a mental one that i have to face on my own. I decide to keep going when the weather is bad, or if i'm homesick, or lonely.i Know at this point, that except for a physical injury, i can and intent to finish this journey. back in march, i wasn't so sure about my abilities and limitations. it's comforting to have this confidence that i was lacking in the beginning. i don't like thinking about the statistics involved too mcuh (don't want to feel like we're just numbers), but people say that 60% of everyone who tried to start the AT this year have already dropped off for one reason or another. it's definitely less crowded now than it was a month ago--i don't know if this is good or bad.in future journal entries, i might write more about my reflections than have in the past (besides, this journal is also to record my memories for later).anyway, it was probably around mile 9 that i decided to check gravity's ON switch and fell with my left knee aimed for a nice sized rock. it's now a bit sore and swollen but nothing serious. heck, i think i picked a perfect time to fall since i'll be taking 2 days off from the trail. i am SO smart i amaze myself. everyone falls out here now and then, i just pick good times to do it. gooooo clumsy me!it started raining on us just before we got to the road crossing. we got into waynesboro around 3pm and are splitting a hotel room. it's been pouring rain since we got to town and we haven't left the hotel room since we got here. so to sum up our day: we hike 15 miles before 2pm and sit/lay around until we go to bed. does this make us fast hikers or lazy hikers? well, i'm just thankful that pizza hut delivers :-).tomorrow we live the high life and get a CAR. we're so use to hiking 2-3 mph, it's going to be really scary going 60 mph. lucky's parents and sister are also coming down to visit--hopefully we'll smell okay by then. luckyand sister will then start hiking the shenandoahand we'll try to catch up with them when we get back from damascus.