Date: 2005-04-28
To: Partnership Shelter near Marion Virginia
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

A Slice of Life The alarm went off at midnight and apparently I did get some sleep. Just a few minutes of prep and I began to get dressed in "hiker clothes". Marlene got up and by 12:30 we were ready to leave. We talked quietly on the 25 minute drive to the bus station, but there were some moments of silence as we drove, maybe due to the hour, and in anticipation of a sudden parting. She did not want to hang around the bus station and I didn't blame her. So, with a quick peck of a kiss I hopped out, grabbed my gear and turned to go. It felt distant and abrupt to me. I got my ticket and sat to wait about an hour for boarding. It's been decades since I last traveled by bus. I worked at getting comfortable on the ride to Atlanta, and somewhere along the way I must have succeeded because I came awake at the noticeable change of speed on the exit ramp, looked out, and saw the familiar downtown skyline of Atlanta, draped in early morning half-light. This was an interesting experience. Both in Birmingham and Atlanta the passengers were from all walks of life, speaking many languages, and there was somewhat of a departure from the normal attempt by carriers to make other forms of travel seem elegant. Most of us looked sleepy and unkempt and we appeared quite bored with the whole process. They make some attempt to help you find your way, but I suspected it would be pretty easy to miss your bus. In Atlanta there were police and loud confrontations as they dealt with those whose schedule got messed up, all complicated by the added issue of language barriers. I listened to several conversations where bus line employees explained to passengers that they had failed to get on the right bus, thereby missing their ride. I witnessed no friendly conversations between strangers, and almost none between people traveling together, and likely uttered 10 words or less myself all the way from Birmingham to Knoxville, save ordering breakfast at McDonald's in Dalton, Georgia. I think this trip is a good thing for me. Many people do this regularly and there is a life going on around me that I had not known. I believe it helps to experience the experiences of others. My schedule took me through Atlanta, Dalton Ga, Chattanooga Tn, Knoxville Tn, and a host of other small town stops, most of which were too short for us to leave the bus even to stretch our legs. There is no smoking on the bus, but they would try to give the smokers a chance to get out for a quick one any time they could. After a 2 1/2 hour layover in Knoxville, we took the local "scenic route" on country roads and through small towns. The countryside was beautiful. I thought we were getting way behind schedule and wondered if I would get to Marion Virginia in time to get alcohol fuel and get a ride to the trail. It all worked out. Right at the bus station parking lot (strip mall) I walked into an Auto Zone store. There I was able to purchase the fuel (HEET, the same as denatured alcohol in the paint section of other stores), and once they found out I am a hiker, they called a taxi for me, and gave me half a leftover pizza - three sausage slices and three pepperoni slices. In 5 minutes I was completely taken care of, and 20 minutes later I was dropped off at the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area headquarters by a very friendly cab driver. One tenth of a mile south on the trail is Partnership Shelter, where my hike ended last year. Quite a day. Fraggle, Unknown, Angie and Box 'O Fun are in the loft with me. Deep Sea and Pacer (married) are down below with two others I have not met. The foursome have been hiking together for some time now, and seem to have a great relationship and many inside jokes for each other. Angie and Box 'O Fun are also known collectively as "The Laugh Factory". They are all younger than me, mostly in their twenties, but seem accepting and interested in my story. One or two of them have called me "Sir", and I will have to correct that later! So the trip to the trail has been successful. It has been a long day, but a worthwhile experience. Time to get settled in and get some sleep. It is quite cold, but my gear will be more than adequate. As I think back on the day, I wish I had had more time this morning to say goodbye to Marlene, but it was an awkward moment at that time of night in downtown Birmingham. I'm sure she is fine. It was just so abrupt and disconnected. I had lots of time to think about that and the last minute nature of my plans coming together. But I'm on my way now. I remembered the verse from the Bible, "Thy Word is a lamp onto my feet and a light unto my path". That will be my inspiration as I follow the trail ever north. Thank you Lord. Goodnight Sweetheart.