Date: 2009-08-06
From: Dalton, MA

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Zero Day today! Gonna take the day to get chores done. Doing laundry right now at the hotel. Laura, hotel manager, is letting me use her laptop right now while my laundry is in. Thanks Laura.Later, I'll do other normal hiker chores .... get mail drop at Post Office, get snack foods, and try to get photos uploaded. Should be a nice relaxing day.Dalton seems like a very nice town. The people have been outstanding so far.(Later in the day)OK. Spent some time in the library checking in on some other hikers that I have met. Some are still going strong, some have left the Trail, and some I have simply lost contact with.After doing my "research": I get an idea of what to expect from reading the journals from those up ahead. I always whine about not knowing about "good spots" up ahead until you get there....or pass them. This is one way I can find out about them ahead of time and plan to enjoy them. Now that I'm seeing southbounders, they are also a wealth of information.It is time for me to "man-up". I've been complaining about the bugs and weather, and stuff like that. Mostly because my whole plan for this hike was to simply come out here and live and enjoy the Appalachian Trail. Time for a new mindset. The training period is over, and the pleasure hiking is over .... it is time to conquer this trail.I just read Wags journal entry dated 31 July. Wow! I have no reason to complain. And it's time to get ready for what is coming up. Time to get tough! She had an interesting quote in her entry: "I'm reminded of a favorite quote of mine, 'The sign of a true adventure is that it is never any fun while it is happening.' " I understand what she is saying, not sure if I agree that the adventure is not suppposed to be fun. Have to mull that over for a week or so.Wags and Plunger's entries have me so fired up for the upcoming mountains. They have both stated that the climbs are monsters.....and I love climbing .... I mean I love the workout. Everyone looks for some form of exercise that is fun, and I have found mine.I also have to get my mind over summer and get prepared for cold and wet again like in the beginning of the hike. I'll spend my time over the next segment deciding when to get my winter bag back.....and my favorite clothing item, the indespensible parka!! I won't wait very long to get that stuff. Not a significant weight increase. The winter sleeping bag only weighs a little more (less than a pound) than my summer bag. The parka does weigh 1.5 pounds, and the gloves weigh soemthing also. But I expect the total addition to be about 2.5 pounds.I've been routinely carrying 3 liters (6 lbs) of water with me during the summer, going through 6-9 liters per day. I expect to only need to carry 2 liters at a time in colder temps, so this might offset the addition a bit .... although not really, since drinking the water drops that weight continually through the day until the next fill-up. Bottom line; I'm not expecting to feel the difference. OK. Plan to leave Dalton in a new frame of mind. My mindset each day is going to be to tackle the Trail, get in some good workouts, and try to even get stronger .... and to see it as a challenge; not a walk in the woods!Don't worry! I'll find time and a way to have fun!! But putting in that perspective will make the challenge of tackling the Trail part of that fun!