Date: 2003-02-27
To: Maildrops are #@%&ing expensive!
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday I sent my first two maildrops (posted at left) and was shocked and appalled that to send ten pounds of food down the country costs $20. I will be rethinking the remainder of my drops, using them only when there are no good alternatives and saving some for closer to home (CT+). I will either supplement this with a small bounce-box for batteries, lotion, replacement windscreen, etc., or just lay this stuff out and have my parents include it in a box as needed.I also made my last (sniff) visit to EMS Brighton, where the staff is knowledgeable, attractive and somewhat flirtatious but unfortunately not very liberal with sharing their employee discounts. I ended up buying a set of titanium cookware with my big fat merchandise credit: I was going to go with Teflon but didn't like the shape of the pot and the fit of the lid. I am hoping that if I tie my little pot shut with P-cord and keep it upright in my pack and bearbag, I can cook a big dinner and eat leftovers for breakfast/lunch. I also bought a 2-liter platypus with a drink hose (new to me), a bunch of Nalgene containers (couldn't find anything lighter), Potable Aqua for emergencies, some kickass lightweight waterproof (except for the closure) stuff-sacks and a special nalgene container for my Nutella. I finally decided that carrying a 13-oz jar of the stuff was a little extreme :). Also, Wednesday was banner (a new adjective?) because MY BOOTS ARRIVED A DAY EARLY. Kudos to FedEx and to Sierra Trading Post for steep discounts and speedy delivery (here's to you, Mr. Rogers. Godspeed.) I ordered two pairs and fell in love with my new ASOLO Fusion GTX 70's, which are cut much wider in the toe than the 520's. The only review of the shoes that I could find said they were a hard break in, but after 3 miles this morning with liners and socks I feel fine. I'm going to have my parents keep the other pair, also nice (Salomon Mach 8 GTX) and a little cushier, but a good 5oz. heavier each and not as cool-looking. And we all know how important it is to look good in the snow and mud after two weeks with no shower.Someone suggested in the guestbook that I take on the trail name "Shorty." Let me tell you a story. I was at the NYC Puerto Rican day parade with my good friend Stina. There were all these dudes with live snakes dangling over their shoulders, and as we walked by they would say, "hey shorty," "whassup, shorty," "lookin' fine, shorty." Finally, I turned to Christina and asked, exasperatedly, "Why is it that every goddamn man on this street is pointing out that I am short?" She cracked up. Unbeknownst to little white Jewish me, "shorty" just means "girl," so basically Stina and I were just getting hit on. Being short and a girl, the name is also a pretty funny double-entendre.Another funny, un-trail-related story. I went to see my friend Dave Skeist perform Shakespeare at Watertown Middle School today. Skeist played Flute, the Rude Mechanical in A Midsummer Night's Dream who plays the maiden Thisbe in a play within the play. All the middle schoolers were grossed out/intrigued that he played a woman, wore a dress and kissed another actor. As we left the school, one boy opened a window and said the question they had all been dying to ask: "Hey, are you gay?" As the teacher rushed over in a fury to close the window, Skeist had just enough time to say, "I guess you'll have to take me out for a drink to find out."Signing off,Mimi, who hopes it is okay to sing on the trail.