Date: 2015-06-26
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: Little Dam Lake
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: broken clouds

My toes are square. At least, squarer than they have ever been before. After being crammed into shoes and squished together for months, they all kind of calloused and confirmed together like puzzle pieces. They have become very boxy. It's weird.I felt much better this morning when I hit the trail, even though I didn't get a decent amount of sleep. Bo and Po got up at 3:30. THREE THIRTY. I have no idea why they would do this. I think maybe they wanted to beat the rain, but the rain was supposed to come between 2 am and 9 pm, so that didn't make sense (and it didn't rain AT ALL - I should have tented!). But they woke me up. Before the sun. Ughhh. And I thought I get up early at 5. Jeez.I do know that they were heading for the city, because they were catching a plane to Seoul early next week. Po is an exchange student from Korea - she actually attends the university that was only a ten minute walk from the apartment I lived in. Super weird coincidence.Anyway, she met Bo at her exchange university in Kansas and they decided to go to Seoul together (awww, so cute!). Somehow they ended up hiking the trail to NYC, though. It took them about a month.I told them that I had lived in Seoul and we talked about Korea and Koreans, and it was clear that Bo really didn't know much about Korea... I am not sure if he has gotten himself in over his head, haha. I am a little jealous, though. I would love to visit Korea again.I was so tired, I should have said goodbye to them this morning, because they were an awesome couple, but I just wanted sleep so I stuck my headphones in as earplugs and huddled back up to try to sleep.I am SO stiff when I sleep. And lately I keep getting chilly in the mornings, so I curl up on my side. But then my legs and feet don't get enough blood flow so I wake up and stretch out on my back. There is no comfortable way to sleep. Maybe if I had a hammock, it would be better. No idea, though.Anyway, today's hike was better. Lots of beautiful forest, many good, rocky climbs (I reopened a scratch from my big Pennsylvania rock fall on the last one). A beautiful waterfall where I soaked my feet... the trail was good to me today. I felt revitalized.It was also a day of eating, and talking. Too much eating, and too much talking.The guidebook mentioned a place called Hot Dogs Plus, only 0.1 from the trail (that's in miles). I was intrigued. Plus what?! Could I get apples? A salad?! I knew I was totally getting my hopes up, but it was so close, I decided I should check it out.Right before I hit the road crossing that would take me there, I encountered a trail magic cooler of soda and CHOCOLATE, which was great because I ate all of the M&Ms out of my trail mix the night before last (except one brown one that blended in with the raisins which I found last night while engaged in a frantic, regretful dig through my peanuts and almonds). I was trying to wean myself off of candy a little... but, I mean, it was trail magic. I took it as a sign that chocolate and I are meant to be. I chose a bag of chocolate covered pretzel bites to save for an afternoon snack. And I will never send M&Ms home again.When I got to the road, an Asian woman asked me for directions, pointing to her map. "Are we in the right place? We want to go to Wildcat Shelter." she said. Wildcat Shelter was the next one north."Um... not that way." I said, gesturing to the way I had come. I walked to the road, searching for the next white blaze. There it was! I pointed it out to her. "Just follow the white blazes." I told her. The story of my life! Always following blazes.And the blazes kind of sucked in a lot of places today. I feel like NJ/NY (I crossed the border into NY today) need more blazes. Some of the rocky parts were confusing.Anyway, next I headed to the hot dog place. It was just a stand. Plus meant chips and soda. Oh well. I think hot dogs are delicious, but also really gross, so I try to avoid eating them. However, I felt weird walking up and examining the menu but not buying anything, so I asked for a hot dog with cooked onions. At least I wouldn't have to cook lunch.The white-bearded, overweight hot dog man seemed gruff at first. He didn't say anything, just started working on my lunch. He seemed grumpy. I didn't want him to be grumpy! So I asked him, "How are you today?".And jeez, if only I had known. The man was so nice, but it was like he told me his life story.He told me about where he used to set up, but the land was bought by a millionaire and Price Chopper was put in, and problems with paperwork and how he ended up at that corner, and how the city had made him take signs down. He told me about how he had a truck that he sold to a guy who took off without paying him (but he still has the title). He told me about the crazy lines for the creamery down the street (I didn't go because it wasn't open yet when I passed through). He told me about how his friend died suddenly of an aneurysm, and how when it's your time to die, it's your time. The page in the book turns, and if you're name is there, you're gone. He also told me that he eats bacon or sausage and eggs every morning and snacks all the time, but he's still around (though maybe genes might have something to do with it, he said). He told me about a hiker who he yelled at for putting his gross feet on the table, and an older hiker couple he saw in April, who had started early to avoid the young crowd so they would be able to go to bed early at night without too much noise.I thought the stories would never end. My antisocial insides wanted to die.I didn't even get a chance to sit down to eat! I waited a few minutes and he didn't stop so I just ate it right at the counter where I topped it down? ketchup. Five minutes after I was done with my hot dog, I retrieved Gertrude and strapped her on. And he talked the whole time. He talked for FIFTEEN MORE MINUTES. I am not event exaggerating! It was really that long! I just stood there, WITH MY PACK ON, unable to get a "Goodbye, thank you!" in edgewise. My feet were killing me, holding all that weight on painful pavement.But I didn't want to be rude and interrupt (not that I had half a chance to). So I sucked it up, and listened (the guy was probably so bored), even though I wanted to cry and scream "I AM SORRY BUT I HAVE TO GO HIKE THE FREAKING TRAIL NOW, THAT IS WHY I AM OUT HERE. THANKS FOR THE HOT DOG."But eventually I escaped, and my legs, so stiff from standing so long with the weight of Gertrude, were killing me as they got used to moving again. I went back to the cooler for more chocolate to soothe my nerves.A mile later I ran into the Asian lady again, hiking with a young man who must have been her son. They moved aside to let me pass, and, recognizing me from before, she asked, "Are you thru-hiking?".Thus began social hour #2. I talked to Barbara and Jack (I asked their names as I told them mine) for about ten minutes, not an hour, and actually got to PARTICIPATE in this conversation (imagine that!). She asked me about the hike. She asked if she could take my picture. She told me that I was an inspiration, because she hopes to someday hike the trail, but doesn't think she can do it. She did say she might section hike with her friends, though.I thought this was ridiculous. I am just walking through the woods. People make such a big deal out of it, and I wish they understood, it's not as hard as it seems! Sure, it's not easy, but if you have the drive and desire, you can do it. I tried to encourage her. "If you WANT to do it, you can do it! It's totally worth it!" I said. I told her that there are tons of retirees out here, and plenty of people older than her. She shouldn't hesitate on at least attempting to chase a dream!And as I left them and continued north, I felt like I had been slapped in the face. What had been WRONG with me yesterday?! How had I let myself get so down? There are so many people out there dying to be in my shoes, living the amazing adventure of the AT, sleeping in the forest, bathing in streams, getting magical gifts of chocolate from complete strangers. How could I not love every second of it? I felt a little ashamed of myself, but glad, once again, to have my hike put in perspective. It's okay to feel a little burnt out, but I needed to remember why I am here and how lucky I am.Talking to Barbara also reminded me of a conversation that I had with Grasshopper last night at the shelter. He was lamenting how flip-floppers (who usually hike the north half of the trail, then return south to hike the other half, or vice-versa), and section hikers tend to introduce themselves and say "I'm ONLY a flip-flopper." or "I'm ONLY a section hiker." as if the length or direction negatively affects the legitimacy of the hike.I give anyone who is out here on the trail a lot of credit. Hiking isn't easy and it takes a lot of research and preparation to get the right gear and know what you're doing (and I still don't know what I'm doing half the time).I think that a flip-flop hike is just as legit as a thru. You're still hiking the same number of miles in a season. Who cares if they are in a different order than most people? At least you're chasing your dream. Hike your own hike!I do think that the issue is complicated, though. I don't really know why it matters or why I care, but I DO have an issue with people who yellow-blaze (skip sections of the trail), and still claim to be thru-hikers. Small, accidental detours are acceptable. I am not a psycho purist who thinks you have to hike EVERY SINGLE FOOT of the trail. But if you are cutting out miles and miles, skipping mountains on blue-blaze bypass trails, that just sucks. It's a little insulting to those who do put the effort into hiking the AT in its entirety.Otherwise, everyone is awesome for being on the trail at all.There are only a few things that some jerk hikers do that really bother me, which include:1. Leaving trash in the woods.2. Leaving trash in shelters and fire pits.3. Being rude in trail towns (this can sometimes be hard because we get so out of touch with the "real world", but I try).3. Tagging rocks and shelters (Seriously! STOP WRITING YOUR NAMES ON THE WALLS! I find this very immature).Rant over.I also met two young guys, who I stopped to warn about a bear, for social (half) hour #3. Tyler and Rae kept talking about the Spartan races they run (maybe I'll try one in the fall). Then they kept talking about $4 all-you-can-eat pancakes at Denny's, which just made me depressingly hungry again. So Tyler gave me THREE CLIF bars (like gold, I tell you!). AND ALL THREE WERE CHOCOLATE. EUREKA! I am the luckiest girl on the trail. I really enjoyed talking to them, and gave them awkward goodbye hugs with my wrists through my trekking pole straps. Once again, standing with my pack on made my feet hurt and my legs stiff and I had to hobble off like a little old lady until my knees remembered how to bend.And social (half) hour #4 was with Paddy O, an awesome trail angel who provided gifts of bagels, cheese, mustard, and Gatorade (I was never into Gatorade before but now I crave it. Need those nutrients!) out of the back of his pickup truck. We talked about John Denver and Katahdin, and he recited Shakespeare and Robert Frost. A very kind and interesting guy.And all I have to say is that I am SO HAPPY I am camped alone tonight, so I can enjoy some quiet time. I read my book for a while and plan to crash without the ruckus of other hikers to disturb me.Due to multiple episodes of trail magic, I feel like a big fat bear entering hibernation (I saw two bears today, neither of which cared that I was there at all). My tent is my cave. My fleece sleeping bag liner is my fuzzy bear coat. My layer of extra fat will last me through my long sleep.If only I could sleep for three months... but at 5 am I will be awake (actually I will probably be awake at 12, and 3, having to pee), and the hike must begin again.BUT tomorrow will be a nero. Yay!I am so thankful for so many amazing people in my life. And of course for magic from strangers and new friends! I am thankful that I am slowly learning patience. I am thankful for the upcoming weekend and for the picnic in the works for next weekend.I am thankful for the trail, and the peaceful night around me.