Date: 2005-09-03
To: AFTERJOURNAL
Miles today: 0.0

After JournalI woke up with a hang over. I had a lot to drink at the club last night. Still woke up at 5. I went down to the laundry room in the EconoLodge and got my continental breakfast. A few cups of coffee, a few English muffins smothered in butter. I took a five mile walk this morning; a little hour and a half quickie and was done by 8:00. That¢s one of the things about being on the Trail; you can¢t stop walking. It¢s pretty hard to do that. I was actually going to put on my Trail shoes and some shorts and try to run ten miles this morning, which at this point right now would be no big deal to go out and run ten miles. I would be back in two hours, but the knees are pretty swollen. This happens every time that I¢m off the Trail for more than 24 hours. My knees blow up. So, I decided that a walk would be more appropriate. I took a walk around Bangor Airport, looking at the garbage that people had thrown on the side of the road.I got back, took another shower and finished up my packing. I was really ready to go at 8:30. I made a bunch of calls from the phone there to whoever I could reach. At 9:00 I finally decided that I¢d had enough there. I already had reserved a shuttle back to the Concord Bus Lines Terminal for 10:00, but I called the front desk and they said that they could take me whatever time I wanted to. So I went downstairs and they gave me a ride. By 9:30 I was over at Concord Bus Lines Terminal. I went over to Hanaford's Grocery Store and stocked up on all kinds of goodies, including a one quart bottle of Jim Beam, which I poured into a plastic bottle because I¢m going to be on the train for two days. At six bottles a pop, I would mix my own drinks. I'll buy Cokes and have a jolly old time getting back on the train. I was first in line, of course, two hours early to hop the bus to get to Portland.By the way, for any of you guys who are wanting to travel from Bangor to Portland to pick up a plane or train or whatever it is, take Concord Lines. Don¢t take Greyhound. It¢s an awesome ride. Beautiful bus. First rate movie and headphones. A gal, who like an airline stewardess, walks around and gives you pretzels and water and stuff. You get the full treatment and the time passes real fast. Right about the time that the movie is over, you pull into the Concord terminal, which is also the Amtrak terminal. So they¢re right in the same building. Concord Bus Lines is the way to go. The only unfortunate thing is that the times don¢t coincide. I got here at 1:25 from the bus and had to sit here until 6:40 when my train leaves. Then I get into Boston; sit another three hours, because I have to switch trains there; then get into Washington tomorrow morning, and wait another five hours, until I switch trains again. I won¢t be into Charlotte, NC until after dark on Sunday night. It¢s going to be quite a trip. I think I¢m well stocked for it. Tons of candy bars, three oranges, three plums, three apples, a couple packs of beef jerky, some Slim Jims, a bottle of Merlot stashed in my Platypus bottle, and my little bottle of Jim Beam, which has been rapidly receding today with all the sitting around. It seems to be draining out of the bottle. I don¢t know where it¢s going.My train leaves here in two hours. I don¢t know if I¢m going to continue any more journals at this point. I¢m off the Trail. I¢m going home. I think this is where I¢ll end it, other than some closing notes, which I¢ll take a lot of time to think about what I want to say. I have a lot of strong things to say about a lot of subjects that don¢t have to be included in this. I¢ll do it in an Afterwards. This will be me, SWIFT, signing off for a perfect year of hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2005.