Date: 2006-07-11
From: Clarence Fahnestock State Park, NY

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: haze

It has been a wild ride since Saturday. So much so that I haven't been able to write since then. It was almost a wash, but I think Swansons and I have pulled ourselves together and we are yet again on our way to Maine. We would have it no other way.I'll try to start at the beginning...Saturday, we left the Monastery and from the first moment on I was not having a good day. For no particular reason, I was tired, pissy and unmotivated. So when Swansons and I stopped for lunch I asked him if it would be OK if we only did another 3 miles to the state park to camp. Of course, it was OK with him, there was a snack bar and a lake to swim in..what could be better? So we ate a quick lunch...me very quick because my easy cheese had exploded all ove my lunch bag!   This little incident left me teetering on the brink of insanity. I was hanging by a thread. But we only had three miles left to hike..thats it...just three.Half way done with our last three miles and everything was going smoothly. I was happy again because I knew we were stopping soon and there was a chance of burgers. Then it happened. No rocks or steep hill, we were walking completely straight and my ankle just gave out on me. Just lost its will to hold me and the rest of my weight came toppling down upon it. Bring on the pain! I mean this thing was rip roaring hurt. I've rolled my ankle a million times, but damn this one stood up there with the times I've really sprained it. Yeah, I was cryin' like a baby...it hurt! I mean, holy wow, it hurt.But I think I was crying more because I was tired and just about had it with hurting myself out here. I wanted to throw everything I owned. But Swansons helped me pull myself back together and we hobbled along trying to make those last three miles to the road, which proved incredibly difficult with my whining ankle. But the world works in mysterious ways. About 1/2 mile after I rolled my ankle we came upon a man and his dog, and he offered to drive us to the state park.This guy didn't only drive us but gave us beer and tea and gave me his own bandana with ice for my ankle. I wish we had gotten his name, but I wasn't in the best state of mind. But he proved to us, yet again, that there are amazing people in this world.The head park ranger at the state park also proved to us how great people are. He gave us our own campsite free of charge, instead of a usual back woods thru-hiker campsite. Said he wanted me to have a picnic table to prop my foot up on and he put us in a lot right next to the bathroom so I wouldn't have to walk far.We spent the first night there then the next morning we took a chance and walked to the family camping next door to us and inquired about any hotels in the area where I could really rest my ankle and get ice for it. They didn't know of any but offered to drive us if we found out wehre one was. They were a great family out from Long Island for 4 days. They had big giant roomy tents and cooked up bacon and coffee. Swansons and I were in awe of them.Then they took us to the nearest hotel (15 miles away) and let us check in, but they didn't stop there. Then they took us with them to the grocery store to resupply. We couldn't have met a better family.The trouble began after they dropped us back off at the hotel. I was spent and a little depressed about my once again busted ankle...and then my constant state of swollen bruised ankles. We were both tired...and were pretty close to killing each other.The next morning, after we both spent the night in separate hotel rooms, the subject of leaving this expedition behind us and rejoining the real world was finally addressed. For the first time out here I began to seriously consider giving up and going home. The thought instantly lifted a weight off my shoulders. Driving a car, going to work, home cooked meals..no hitch hiking around..no worrying about how many miles we hiked that day...It was alluring...too much so...So we decided to take another day to dwell on it before we made any drastic decisions. We wandered off down the street, stuck out our thumbs and got a ride down to the local food store and shopping center. We ate a great breakfast, then headed over to the movies. We haven't been to the movies since before we began. so we figured that would do us good.While waiting for Pirates of the Caribean, we hung out at Charlie Browns and the bar. As we weighed the pros and cons things seemed to lean towards going home. We were missing our normal lives too much, and the more we drank the more this hiking from Georgia to Maine seemed absurd. But, in the back of our minds, we knew we would regret it.We saw the movie and walked back to the motel still convinced that we probably would head home. But, we would hike out first and catch the train out of Pawling to the city and then home.But, after two hitches back to the trail and being stalked by a thunderstorm, we were convinced that agian, we loved the trail. We weren't going anywhere.And, to top it off, we had a great night with a bunch of people with beer and pizza. It sealed the deal. We were thru-hikers again. What a scare we had! But, I'm glad to know we are on our way to Maine once again. It's been a rough couple of days.