Date: 2004-07-02
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

I write to you with a smile on my face and a full stomach tonight. I am in a cozy home in Arendsville, Pennsylvania; which is known for apple orchards and applesauce factories. I will remember the town as the place where kind friends I met on the trail took me into their home. There may be no greater trail magic than taking a hiker into your home.        My day started early as I rose before 6:30 a.m. Rally was awake as well and looked like an entirely different person than the sick hiker I accompanied just yesterday. By 7 a.m. we had packed up and hit the trail: 10 miles to the halfway point! As we walked I teased Rally about her conversational skills the day before. Apparently it is easier to hold a conversation when you are not ralphing. The morning itself was brisk. A stark blue sky contrasting the previous night¢s storminess ruled the chill morning . The sun broke through the canopy of pine breaking into a thousand little rays of dawn. At each crossing of water total purity rippled leaving a magnificently clear view of both stream and bed. It was simply gorgeous.        We walked and talked about everything. Rally has a way of making me laugh with the slightest comment. We sang more worship songs: ¢As the Deer¢, and ¢I Lift My Eyes Up¢. Everything seemed so idyllic. The second song above is my favorite to sing on the trail and at the shelter Rally identified it as Psalm 121. I was impressed. We passed beautiful yellowish-orange flowers that may be ¢butter¢n eggs¢ and more glass- like brooks, but my attention would be diverted. Only one thing could have distracted me from the beauty: a discussion of food. I was not eating so as to save up for the half-gallon challenge and my stomach was wearing thin after 8 miles. We discussed Fudruckers, Chilli¢s, and even McDonald¢s. We also talked about crabbing, fishing, and the fresh spoils of such labor. I was ready to explode in hunger when we reached a road. There a man greeted us with the words ¢100 yards to the store; your friends have half gallons as we speak.¢        This year¢s exact A.T. halfway mark is within 300 feet of the store. As we approached I¢m not sure if I was more excited to be halfway or to be eating a half gallon of ice cream. Both were awesome! Even though my streak of cola ended at 41 straight days yesterday, it seemed only appropriate I do my challenge as a hugegantic float. A 12 gallon of Vanilla Breyers, 2-20 oz. cokes, and a large bucket and shovel later I was primed. One problem: My ice cream was a brick. As I let it melt I watched Poco y Poco, Podini, The Fugitive, and Lorax recovering. They looked ready to die and had ranged in time from 30 minutes to just over an hour. My float was ready.         Why would anyone subject themselves to 12 gallon of shear dairy? TRADITION. With ice cream all over my hands and beard I picked up my shovel and straw and went to write my name in the book of thru-hiker lore. 20 minutes later I downed my last sip before a group of my impressed comrades and entered the store for my huge prize: a dinky wooden spoon with ¢member of half gal. club¢ written on it in red letters. By 10 minutes later I could not move. 2,590 calories of soda fizz and cream were slowly bloating my stomach in a way I had never felt before. I lay down, stretched out on a bench, incapable of movement. I put a lock on my iron stomach and soon fully entered the phenomenon known as ¢food coma¢. As far as I know 20 minutes was the best time today. Who cares? I was just happy when I could move again near 2 hours later. :-).         I knew I was invited to join Nate and Doug later in the evening so I chilled at Pine Grove. Around 2 p.m. Rally left to visit D.C. with her boy (also a thru-hiker) ¢T¢. I would meet ¢Dr. Space Monkey 5000¢ and numerous others. I saw both ¢Franco N¢ Benny¢ and ¢Lefty N¢ Michigoose¢ for the first time in ages. In addition, I talked to people at the store. An awesome couple from Monksville (?), MD, bought me a coke and we discussed the trail. I also saw Graham, a section hiker I stayed at the Hiker¢s Inn with a month and a half ago in Damascus. All afternoon I talked, rapped, and had fun. I called home to my friend Micki¢s where I will be on the 4th of July. She told me how her fianc© and brother went to the store to get a 100 foot hose and 10 tubes of KY Jelly for the Slip N¢ Slide¢¦the cashier had the wrong idea. After recovering from laughter, I got a hold of Nate who was going to pick me up. What a great afternoon and the fun was not over.        Two nights earlier I met Nate and Doug in the woods and shared my ¢halfway cigars¢ with them. They, like me, were dirty. Tonight a much cleaner Nate picked me up with his fianc©e Rebecca (a.k.a.Becky, Becca, Kate, Beartracks¢¦and so on). It was ¢Kate¢s¢ beautiful S.U.V. that I entered with my hiker putressence. Despite my odor they were nothing but kind to me and by 7:30 p.m. I entered Doug¢s home. Shortly after entering I met Jessica, Doug¢s wife, who was finished cooking dinner :-). I also met a beautiful blonde-haired girl, Audrey, and her cute little 16-month-old daughter, McKenzie. McKenzie immediately looked at me and said ¢daddy¢. An embarrassed Audrey quickly corrected her daughter¢s mistake as we all laughed. Needless to say I did feel welcome. Quickly, Doug led me to a shower and gave me the most comfortable clothes I have worn in 4 month to put on. Showered and relaxed I rejoined the group 15 minutes later. Then Nate, Doug, and I went to procure some refreshments (beer). (*as a note, after discussing the issue with my parents I have decided that on occasion I will have a few drinks. Within moderation, I believe this to be clearly within my beliefs).         When we returned we all sat down for dinner. Jessica rocks! We ate Italian sausages, real mac n¢cheese, baked beans, and fresh salad. I was in heaven. Mark and Nate are both in their early 20s and all of us had a blast talking. We joked about the kids, I told hiking stories and rapped, and we discussed how and why Kate has 4 names. We chilled for hours and our discussion varied to such things as bad pick-up lines, quail eggs, being from ¢Canadia¢, chewing gum, QVC, and all sorts of randomness. I felt so welcome and laughed more than I have in ages. The only downer came when the neighbors could be heard loudly ¢disciplining¢ their kids. Despite that sad occurrence, the night was unbelievable. I particularly enjoyed joking with Audrey who even laughed at my bad jokes: Someone said ¢intense¢ and I said ¢that¢s where I sleep¢¢¦ugh.         As the night wore on we had more and more real conversation. Slowly Nate N¢ Kate went to bed and then Doug and Jessica. A great night would end weirdly. I went into the house and Audrey and I continued to talk. As we talked I gave her a massage (nothing dirty¢¦really) and listened. Then her ex, McKenzie¢s actual daddy, and Jessica¢s brother, entered the house. Apparently he heard us in the room and got the wrong idea¢¦ugh! I hope I did not cause any trouble, but at the same time A) they¢re not together, and B) We were not doing anything! After they ¢talked¢ I said goodnight to Audrey and went to sleep on the couch. I could see why he would be jealous :-) Oh, well. On the whole I had an AWESOME night that was trail magic at its best. I was so blessed by Doug, Nate, and the ladies of the house. It¢s 4 a.m. and tomorrow I go home for 2 days for the 4th¢¦AAHHH! Goodnight,BEATBOX   ttt