Date: 2012-07-02
From: Millinocket ME

To: Millinocket, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today is a zero day for me. Just time to sit back and relax and enjoy the great weather... Will post more in a bit.Update: ok after all that time since two lines ago I can update it now.Thank you for all the emai ls so far, please keep them coming they are really fun to read!Last night was so nice. When I got to town I was welcomed at the Appalachian trail lodge, great spot. First order of business was food as always. I had heard about a ice cream challenge down the street so I went to check it out. 14 scoops. King sized snickers bar, banana, huge chocolate donut. Whipped cream. Cherries. Bag of m&m's. Totaling 4+ pounds. 13 minutes to make. They brought it out and I just started laughing as it made a thud when they set it on the table. I dove in. 33 minutes later... gone. Then I had to sit for 5 minutes and not puke. I made it 5 mins and 1 sec before I went into the bathroom, don't worry I only puked a little. You ask me why I did this? Simple... I got a tshirt!!! I needed a new one. I also got to put my name on the pillar of fame, and i showed up a southbounder who was bragging about his time of 59 minutes. Yea disgusting challenge.Today I recovered from my ice cream coma. AMS got his ride to Medway so we said our goodbyes. We hiked together for over a month. It is amazing the amount of memories that we have. AMS and tribhu are both considered part of my trail family.Otherwise today i was lazy. I ate some real food and enjoyed doing nothing. I am excited to get home but also not at all. This trip has given me a taste of getting away from the silly daily problems people have. On the trail we do not have those "first world problems" as tribhu would say. Here we worry about having water so we don't die of thirst. Or having enough food in us so we can get up and go. Society is very silly and dramatic, that will be sad to see again. People ask me, has the trail changed me? Yes. I have really learned to realize what is truly important in life and how little we need to survive. I just lived out of a 15 pound pack for 110 days. I have learned to enjoy the small things. A chair with a back on it. A cold soda and a ham sandwich. A nice conversation with friends. Clean water that does not need filtered. A bed with blankets! Wow. Amazing.My view of the world has also changed. As a city emt I have developed a distorted view of people. I only saw the bad... good was gone. Holy cow I was wrong, I was just not looking in the right place. Complete strangers have helped me countless times here, just because. Pay it forward.... what a crazy thing to do these days. I challenge you to go pay it forward today. Buy that old man's coffee in line, give that person a ride, offer that guy a place to stay, help out at a church, anything.... no matter how big or small. Lets get back to what matters. Heck we had a complete stranger give us his new truck to go run errands in, he did not even know our names... crazy! I had people take me in like family... wow. So humbling Well that is about all I have for now. Touch phone typing is tuff so I can only post so much. Enjoy and keep the emails coming if you have not sent one yet. Referring to my last post. Yea I know its not cool for me to give homework... whatever