Date: 2004-08-28
From: Frye Notch Lean-to

To:  East B Hill Road
Miles today: 4.5

Finally, going to town and relaxing. The hike to theroad was easy but I could still feel the wear and tearof the last week on my bones as I walked. Right before the road was a nice swim hole. I took adip. Waited a few moments to drip dry. When I got there, I found a bleak, rarely usedthru-way. Joe Flamingo was standing reading a book.Hotrock was dropping his backpack. It looked likeeveryone was waiting for the bus. We were all justwaiting for a car to pass so we could hitch a ride.Nothing came by for a long indeterminate amount oftime. I tried calling the Cabin but had no signal onmy cell. Finally, a woman in a truck stopped and offered us aride into Andover. I could call the Cabin from theresince, she assured me, they had good signal. Bear, one of the owners of the Cabin, met me at thegrocery store. His wife, Honey, also came by because Ihad called her to pick me up. I had ordered a sandwichat the deli so Bear loaded up his truck with gas andfraternized with various thru-hikers while we waitedfor it to be made. He was encouraging them to stay anight at his place and slackpack the next couple ofdays. Critter, Smack, Catepiller, Octane, ZipOff, TheAbominably Slow Man, et al were arriving in droves.Hotrock and I grabbed some pizza and beer while we allmingled in front of the store--another nice day andvery relaxing. I tried to talk Crash into staying and taking a zeroday. Sadly, he could not be persuaded. I guess he hada schedule to keep. What an excellent place The Cabin of Maine is. I hadheard about this from AMC friends in Boston. Honey andBear run the hostel out of the basement of their logcabin they refurbished themselves. They are verytrusting and relaxed people. They make AYCE dinnersand breakfasts for everyone and offer free laundry,showers, and internet. What more does a hiker need? While hanging out and slowly working my way throughall the food, chocolate milk, beer, and chips I hadbought at the store, my friend Greenleaf showed up. Hehad tracked me down by following my trail journals,registries and interviewing fellow hikers. Honey and Bear knew Greenleaf very well andconsider him their "son".I found that I had lost 20 pounds. I was all skin andbones. No wonder I am so tired all the time. Greenleafremarked that I resemble a PCT hiker more than an AThiker. I was burning more than I was taking in. So, no excuses,I started eating lots that day starting with a blackraspberry frappe. Yum. We sat at the picnic tableshooting the bull when Catapiller approached. I knowyou, he said to Greenleaf. I guess he's a celebritybecause of some trail magic he offered in NY a monthago. It was fun to compare AT hiking notes, such as whenyou walk with sand and pebbles in your shoe, you sayyou'll empty them when you take the next break. Butafter completing your break and you are on the moveagain, you realize you forgot to empty your shoes ofthe dirt. I spent the evening watching The Good, The Bad and TheUgly with fellow thru-hikers. I realized I had neverseen the movie all the way through. Now I will have towait because the tape was damaged. I know there is ashootout at the end but...I'll have to wait until I get home from Katahdin. Don't tell mewhat happens!