Date: 2004-05-01
From: DAMASCUS

To: DAMASCUS
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Another zero day, but a productive day none the less. As I awoke at the Inn and Conference Center, one of the most posh places I've ever stayed, I was extremely hungry. I took a hot shower and packed up. I felt great as Fire Marshall and I left to look for the Continental Breakfast. It was not in the hallway so we went to the first floor where we saw 2 bikers with the breakfast cart. After a second, we realized that the bikers were making their own Continental Breakfast cart by raiding the kitchen. Apparently no Inn staff had actually prepared the breakfast on wheels that we had been promised. Although it was tempting we decided it was best not to partake of the stolen treats. Fire Marshall and I ate at the local internet cafe SideTracks instead.    When we returned from a great meal I spoke on the phone with my sister Carla. She may try to join me for an evening in 4 weeks and then day hike with me the next day. I love her SO MUCH and I really do hope that I get to see her. By noon we found a new place (and by new I mean less expensive) place to stay called The Hiker Inn. Thye owner Suzanne weems very sweet but tough too. Blaze, The Canadians, Pooja Blue, and Fire Marshall are here as well tonight. Suzanne made Cherry Cobler and also washed my putrid clothing for a slight fee (YAY!). Tomorrow she is planning on making breakfast too . Her house was built before 1900 and is very cute. She had us rolling as she told us about a time she saw a van leave an empty six pack on the ground. She grabbed the trash, followed them, and then opened their van door and returned (threw) their trash back to them...HA! She's a great host.   I spent all afternoon reading e-mail and updating bills. I was thrilled to hear from as well as write to friends. I also responded to e-mails of course. I was particularly stunned when I received a message from a girl, Alissa, who was in a youth group I led 6 years ago when I was 18/19 years old. She was always a sweetheart and is 22 now, which blew my mind! I finished an e-mail to her and then met Fire Marshal and Blaze for dinner. After an apetizer, 2 glasses of wine, and ordering a delicious rare Filet Mignon, Blaze insisted on paying. I felt guilty but finally obliged. In addition I spoke with the manager Michelle and solidified that in 2 weeks I will work as a waiter on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. I'm so PSYCHED!   I chilled more at SideTracks before bed. Mad amounts of hikers are here in town: Krispy, Pegasus, blaze, Fire Marshall, Tinker, Boo-boo, The Canadians, Pooja Blue, Speed, Breathless, Little Bit, and Padre are only a fraction of the hikers here in town. This really is an awesome and friendly town. Padre had a hurt leg and needed a prescription filled pretty badly, so our host Suzanne drove 45 minutes to fill it even though Padre is not one of her guests. WOW! Speaking of friendly, The SideTracks Cafe is also an amazingly friendly place. It may be the most hiker-friendly eatery I have been to yet on the trail. Sadly it is up for sale . The workers there a re a riot and many of them are hikers. I chilled with "Nuffy", a funny Austrailian girl who is not afraid to speak her mind, as well as "Cotton Candy Man", the other Cuban in town besides Boo-boo. I finally left when they closed at midnight and now I have crept into bed. Tomorrow I will go to church and probably leave...we will see. To date, I have yet to take only one zero-day in a town . I like people and food to much.8 Fun Thoughts to close:1. Tinker hiked a 40 mile day to get here (Damascus), but he has followed it with 4 zero-days. A total average of 8 miles a day. 2. I miss smelling good . I'm too cheap to buy real cologne for my town days though, so I went to Dollar General and I bought "Johnny" (an alternative to "Tommy"). Cheap cologne beats hiker stench!3. Even after 2 showers it is really hard to fully eliminate the hiker "aura" that wafts from my body...EWWW!4. A few hikers are calling me "Snake Charmer" after reading the accounts of my girlish screams in the shelter logs.5. I REALLY WANT TO SKINNYDIP AGAIN ! (Am I a freak?)6. I love the churches in the South, but every woman over the age of 20 seems to be married...I miss Maryland .7. My sister Carla considers "excersize" to be a dirty word and "gym" to be a boy's name. I will totally flip if she hikes with me for a day (In case anyone has not noticed I love using the smileys )8. Things at the Dolllar Store here cost more than a dollar...How does that work?   I'm done with all of these deep thougts and I have church in the morning, so Goodnight: BEATBOX ttt.