Date: 2004-05-06
From: Troutdale

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Baseball, pizza and comets; oh my! After an immense day yesterday I relaxed a litle and enjoyed all the day had to bring, which was plenty. Before I go into today's fun however, I have 2 thoughts I never touched on from yesterday's "super hike". 1. I have been reading in the Bible about "pressing on towards the goal". I often don't fully grasp what this means. Yesterday having hiked 23 miles with 11 to go at 3:15pm I wanted to stop, but knew I had to press on. It was not easy and I was tired, but I made it. Furthermore, when I arrived at my goal and saw my friends plus ate cheesteak , it made everything so much sweeter when I realized how hard I had pressed. I have no doubt that in my spiritual life the "pressing on" will be even more henuous and the "reward" even sweeter.2. I broke yesterday into 5 different 5-6 mile goals and when all was done I had covered all 34 miles. In real life I forget to focus on micorscopic goals and become overwhelmed by microscopic vision (on to today).I awoke and was packed by 9am. I was quite sore as we walked to the "trading post" for breakfast. Breakfast was so-so and I did not gorge myself (shock!). Fire Marshal, Krispy, Pegasus, Cotton and I talked and enjoyed ourselves. It was also nice to have coke. By 10am we split into 2 groups to hitch rides. Group 1 was cotton and fire marshall. We watched as they pandered for rides and we took turns on the real toilet. For at least the 2nd time on this trip Fire Marshall received a hitch from a woman (this is rare). We debated why Fire Marshall gets rides. I think its his sexy hat, but read "krispy's" journal if you want his take. Either way it was our turn.We tried to look pathetic, but the truckers and motorists were obviously to overwhelmed by our sexiness to stop and pick us up. So being bored we did he logical thing: we played baseball using our hiking poles and an apple core on the side of the road. The game rocked until I hit a homerun into the woods that split our "ball" into 6.000,000 pieces. We then played limbo and danced. To our shock still noone had picked us up after 20 minutes. At that point the owner of the store gave us a ride to the trail in her van. We still aren't sure if it was due to pity or fear taht we were driving her cusotmers away. Either way we had a ride.As we walked the surroundings were even greener than the day before. I saw a pink flower I do not know and an all white flower I belive is "yarrow". Krispy wand I talked and the first 4.1 miles quickly fell behinkd us. We reached Trimpi shelter well before noon. Trimpi was cool and had a privy with no walls that looked like a random toilet in the woods. I fixed my shoes with duct tape, ate a kudos bar and drank lemonade. Then it was time to move on.I sauntered on for the next 6 miles. We passed numerous piles of poop splattered in huge lines as though a horse had eaten at Taco Bell (I have a picture). we walked over a stream and through a gorgeous meadow, which I was surprised to see had an old schoolbus in it. To my surpise I later found out that the bus had a bed and a mini kitchen. Don't ask me why its in he middle of the woods. Eventually I hiked ahead of my friends in my own little daze. i prayed and enjoyed eveyhing around me until at 10 miles I took a break.My last 4 miles were no more different than the first 10. As I walked I planned. If I am correct (big if) I hope to be in Waynesboro, Va on Memorial Day and in Harper's Ferry by June 12th where I will visit home . I hope I can make it that soon and I can't wait to see my friends. Maybe I can even take a van load of hikers in for Crab Cakesa. As I pondered such thoughts I reached the coolest shelter n the trail. Partnership Shelter.The shelter has its own litle shower and faucet. I is 2 story room for 20 people easy. Furthermore it is a few hundred yards from a ranger station with an outdoor phone. In addition to the 5 of us who left troutdale we found Blaze, Boo-boo Vagrant, Arms, and Rael waiting. Shortly later Rooster, a cool section hiker who looks like Danny Bonnaducci and Sauerkraut, a funny German kid, also arrived. Then we ordered pizza and soda for a HUGE PARTY!I ate half of an extra-large pizza and half of a 2 liter pepsi. We were all so happy to be eating piza at the trail. The pizza place was a little slow (dramatic udnerstatement) so we were all starving as our feast began. We told jokes and gorged ourselves someone had a hula hoop so I had some fun with that too, Wow! It was all amazing fun. Before the night was done I called my sister. She seemed stressed out but OK. We talked and exchanged prayer requests. I also found out that a guy I have been praying for with BIG alcohol problems stopped drinking. Though mildly stressful in an idyllic night, it was nice to talk to her. I soon forgot any stress though as we gazed at stars. We also saw the "neat commet". It was "neat" but looked like a regular star without a telescope. Still the sky was amazing. As I go to bed I'm full, I've had a wonderful day and I'm still stunned by the beauty of the stars. This trail is so cool!Goodnight, Beatbox ttt