Date: 2008-05-25
From: Daleville, Virginia

To: Daleville, Virginia
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Happy 21st Birthday, Timmo!!!The day doesn¢t start out so good. We had left our boots outside to air out and dry out so we didn¢t stink up the room. We had put them just outside the door under the air conditioner. Well, last night we turned the AC on. Brad went to get his shoes and found them full of water. To say he was upset would be an understatement. He layed them out in the sun to dry and stated he was not going anywhere with wet shoes. So we packed up all our gear, ate breakfast at the hotel, and waited. We hung out and pretty soon the old crew started to show up: Busdriver, Sunbeam, Sunkist and Kyanite, plus a few new faces. We start chatting and laughing and pretty soon Brad¢s giving me the old hairy eyeball, asking without words if we want to stay. And wouldn¢t you know, before I even knew what was happening, he is checking us into a room for the night!We go to the Mexican place across the street for lunch with V8, Auntie Mae, Busdriver, Brown Bag, Sunbeam, Sunkist and Kyanite. Sunkist secretly tells the waiter that it¢s Brad¢s birthday. The waiter returns with every single staff member following him while he is dinging one of those little ¢ring for service bells¢; Ding, Ding, Ding all the way to our table. They move Brad to a chair at the end of the table by himself, put a napkin on his lap and one on his chest as a bib. They try to blindfold him but Brad axes that idea. All the employees are clapping and singing in Spanish, though it¢s not Feliz Cumpleanos. One employee is carrying a plate full of whipped cream and another takes a spoon and begins to smear the whipped cream all over Brad¢s cheeks, first one and then the other. Then he smears it all over his head and plops a cherry on top. They finish by taking the plate and mashing the rest of the whipped cream all over his face! The song ends, they clap and throw a tiny piece of cake in front of him and walk away. Everyone at the table has nearly wet themselves from laughing so hard, Brad included. It is the most random, absurd, amazingly odd event I have ever witnessed in my entire life. We are all sort of in shock over what just happened because it is really quite inexplicable. I am kicking myself because it is the only time that I haven¢t had my camera with me. Busdriver got a couple photos with his disposable camera so we¢ll have to get copies. Sunkist and Kyanite buy us dinner¢¦I think they feel a little bad about saying it was his birthday. Who knew it would turn into a gringo bashing event? I think this definitely takes the cake for the most bizarre Trail event so far!!!We go back to the hotel room and Brad has to wash his beard with shampoo three times before the smell of sour milk is out of it! I think he¢s still in shock over what just happened. We hang out in the room all afternoon, not doing much of anything. There is a knock on the door and Brad is greeted by the WHOLE gang (Sunbeam, Sunkist, Kyanite, Brown Bag, Busdriver, Stubbs, Mr. Bones, Shout, Whisper & Blues Traveler) shouting happy birthday! It was Sunbeam¢s idea and she brings with her a cake that actually says, ¢Happy Birthday Shitty Forecast¢. We all stuff our faces with cake then enjoy a lazy night lounging around. Ahhh¢¦birthdays on the Trail are so much fun!