Date: 2004-06-28
From: Harpers Ferry WVa (via Washington DC)

To: Big Meadows Campground
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

with a bunch of other "normal" campers11:15pm....oh, the places you'll go You know what? I've had a pretty good past couple of days considering how crappy my past couple of days have been! Where to start even...well, my wonderfully-beautiful girl came and picked me up two weeks ago this past Saturday (6/12)and we took a trip to D.C. We stayed with an old college roommate of mine (thanks Mit!!) and tooled around the city, visiting the National Zoo, petting the baby elephants, walking around the Mall...the usual. God I had a great time with her, but it just wasn't enough and I had to leave to go to Telluride, Colorado for the bluegrass festival. That was a blast too. I got to hang out with my brother, who was totally surprised, and although they didn't win the band contest, I still had a great time. Then I had to fly back to D.C. last Tuesday with the full intention (ok, so with the not-so-full intention) to return to the trail...but, again, the 3 days with my girl just weren't enough. Sooo, when I got back to D.C....I bought another plane ticket, turned around and came right back home to see her! EEEEEEEE!!!...she was surprised too! Heeheeheeheehee...so much for my predictability, but she had to pick me up so I couldn't surprise her at work like I really wanted to...and she didn't believe me when I called her. Oooooh God, was it worth it. She had me smilin' from hairline to hairline for four wonderful days!...I don't remember the last time I was that happy. Oh wait, it was when she kidnapped me a week before. But I also got to see some friends, all the ladies and gents at the Dee Lite, and I got a complete gear make-over...but mostly it was for the girl...ok, it was all her! Damn, she made it hard to return to the trail...which brings me back to my crappy, but good days. I cried when I gave her the biggest hug goodbye I could muster...and I cried on the plane...and in the airport...ahhh hell, I cried most the day when I thought of her! I'm such a sap...but I like it! But back in D.C., I walked around, walked around the Capital building, got looks from the cops like I was carrying a bomb in my big ol' pack, saw some really cool exhibits at the National Art Gallery, walked through the sculpure garden, saw A-Dawg at Union Station...and by the time I got to Harper's Ferry, I was feeling better. I got to watch the Simpson's, see a gorgeous sunset, call the parents...and talk to an even more gorgeous girl...god, I love her. She put me so at ease that I was able to go to sleep with a smile on my face and her in my head....aahhhhh. Then on the next day I hung out with people I've been missing, like Ursa Minor, Swan, Blue, and Statler...I may even catch them in a while, which would be cool. But even more cool was the magic. People always have stories about when times where the toughest and someone helped them out in a way so wonderful, it could only be real magic. That was me yesterday. I needed a ride way back to Shenendoah and had no clue where to start, but one of the ATC volunteers named John offered to give me a ride when he was off work. He was heading down to Georgia and said he could get me as close as he could...which ended up being all the way to the place I left off!! I couldn't have wished for anything better...thanks John!!...man, you have no clue how thankful I really am! So, I ended up staying at the campground, because I talk too much and it got dark. My neighbors were cool, though, they offered me their leftover shrimp (which was damn good!) and we talked for a while. But now I'm back on the trail for real tomorrow...and although I got too comfortable at home and I miss my perfect girl more than anything else, I think I'll survive. We'll see....we'll see.