Date: 2007-05-02
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: trailside near Alec Kennedy shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Tues., Mr. 2 afternoon lunch break just beyond Tag Run Shelter (which for some reason I missed):That seven miles passed way too quickly so I'm wondering if I know where I am. It doesn't really matter, I suppose. Yesterday proved such a fun day, I just want to get some of it down. Let's see, I was lying in the sun.....Actually, I'd just gone for my second cold Sprite of the afternoon to the near by little store's vending machine and was hanging about when in walks "Hobbit", a thru hiker from Wisconsin that started at Springer Jan. 31 (Jan. 31!) He's a retired gym teacher who wants to finish the AT in time to get back to his former high school to coach the cross country team this fall. Oh, boy!   We had plenty of time before the hostel opened, so let the stories of tribulations and exhilerations of his first half of the trip begin! (His journal can be found on Trailjournals.com too.) We enjoyed the story swapping until check in time. We joined Karen and Dale and all agreed that going out to dinner at a decent restaurant would be a great idea. This meant "cleaning up", of course. The primary joy of a hostel is its hot showers. But then comes the following problem: For myself, I have only two sets of clothing, my trail walking pants and shirt and my polypropelene stretch jogging wear that I sleep in. The sleep wear was a whole lot cleaner! Needless to say, it feels a little strange to be going out to dinner in the clothes you sleep in! Donna, the woman who manages the hostel arranged for a man named Robert George ("Junker") to help us out with a ride. For $20 he ferried us the ten miles to a nice restaurant. He joined us at the table and while we drank our cold beers and ate fine food he regaled us with "stories of the AT". I have to say that Junker is a true "AT groupie". Like Carol (Three Dogs), he is absolutely loyal to the Trail. But Carol has other things that interest her as well, one gathers. With Junker, his whole life is about the Trail: its terrain, its history, the people involved in hiking it and maintaining it, the stories passed along it. He makes a good part of his living ferrying people around like ourselves (from the airport; to trailheads). He'll be working this summer as a "trail runner" over a VA section of the AT, traveling up and down reminding hikers of the "leave no trace" policy, helping with any problems, etc. He seemed to know every inch of the trail from personal experience over many many years, and he and Hobbit had a lot of common experiences. Karen, Dale and I, the newbies, just enjoyed taking it all in. We learned some of the terms: "slack packing" (the hiker does a day's trip without his backpack while Junker, or someone like him, ferries the pack by roadways to that day's destination); "zero day" (no milage that day- ie, a day spent in town, usually); "near- 0 day" (almost no milage day).Hobbit says Junker isn't the first AT junkie he's met since leaving Springer! There's a whole community of people who can't stay away from the trail.What fun it was. And when we got back to the hostel we kept the socializing going some more.I went to bed JUST HAPPY. I can't remember feeling so contented since this break up saga began l5 months ago! Two things I know contributed to my serenity: Hobbit treated me as a "woman" and we really liked one another. He'll never know what a boost to my injured female ego he gave me. Second, I found myself confident socially! I enjoyed my fellow travelers; they enjoyed me. Having been joined at the hip with Jim for so many years meant I was a little vague where his personality left off and my own began. Tonight was the first time I sort of tested out who I am, by myself, and I liked being just me. Whew!Trailside, 8 pm. Again, I missed the shelter turnoff. I suspect Karen and Dale are there. Hobbit maybe, though he goes much faster than the three of us. I just pulled over onto a grassy spot and set up. I'm exhausted: 17 miles today. Wow, who would'a thunk it.