Date: 2006-06-04
From: daleville

To: richmond VA
Miles today: 0.0

I wrote an entry while in the hotel in VA so i will just keep that one, since it will be better then trying to remember how i felt a week ago.WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I am so SAD!!!!! I just spent the past couple hours reading every one's trail journal, that i met on the trail. I can not believe i have to go home. I can not believe i will not be hiking every day with these people. There is no chance i might randomly run into them at a shelter or in town. I am done. All i can say was that it took a 3 day hospital stay and an infection that took over my whole body to get me off this stinking trail! i will miss the little things that you find funny out here, that only a fellow thru hiker will understand. I don't think i could ever describe to you the experience i had out here, all the laughs and hard times, the magic, the reports from feng shui "up, up, down, up, up, up, up, down, down, down ,down, up, big up, oh boy this is gonna suck yo", yer mom jokes, The days when we thought it was too cold, and the days i wished it was still cold, pumping water, sundance, lipton sides with tyson chicken, snickers bars, damascus,tater, swimming in a waterfall, trail work with bob peoples, miss janet, springer mountain family reunions, blisters, pain, not being in pain, jody foster night hike siesta times, the wild turkey boys, merlefest, trail angels, a thermarest making a world of difference, late nights in my tent listening to my ipod with sleeper, camp sites with just the two of us,elmers, unplanned zero days, my birthday, baltimore jack advice, 42, making it up mountains without stopping, making it up mountains that seemed to have no end, feeling like the day was easy, feeling like i could not hike one more stinking mile, single malt, not having to shave, meeting new people, making new friends, laughing, too much and enuff, the fact you never knew what the day would bring and the realization that plans just don't work. i could go on forever. I am so glad i met adam "sleeper" and my laughing index went up 10 fold. Merlin said there had to be something wrong with us and said we giggle too much. We found out people don't like it when you are having more fun then they are. And boy did we ever. I want to send a very special thank you out to sleeper who came to the ER with me after watching me shake and cry for what seemed like forever, held my hand as they blew a few of my veins with the IV's, and packed all of my stuff from hotel room to hotel room as i lay in a hospital bed for 3 days. If it was not for him i don't know what would have happened to me. It was in a round about way because of him that on the day i got sick i was not 10 miles from a road in both directions, but in a town. How do you thank someone who holds your hand while you cry in pain, who weeks ago was a stranger? "pilgrim" the guy who brought me to the trail almost 12 weeks ago told me, once you are on the trail you have a family, some of them are strangers to you, but will be there for you like a family member. That is so true. I have been helped by so many people out there, i am blown away with every thought. I really did not want my time out here to end, i thought i could make it a few more weeks at the least! And here i go learning that lesson, plans don't work. I was not sad when i had to say goodbye to sleeper and merlin this morning, it was not a tearful goodbye like the last one was. Maybe i know its time. And when i look down at all the bruises on my arms i remember why. But there are tears in my eyes now, and i feel really alone, and i wish it didn't end like this. My adventures of thru hiking are not over! I want to do one more then ever now. It was not really the trail that kept me on this long to tell you the truth. I kinda got bored of the same shades of grey mountains... It was the hiking family i had. The giggle attacks, small joys, the climbs when they were over! The fact that i was doing something i never thought i could do. I have so many journal entries and pictures to post on here. Over the next few days it is at the top of my list of things to do! I get on a train tomorrow, and i am in one of the nicest hotel rooms i have been in. I wonder where all the stinky hikers are and why no one is asking to sleep in my floor. I can understand now why people do this, yeah they are crazy is one reason, but the smartest people in the world is another. i wish everyone who is on the trail all the luck in the world. Keep in touch with me and tell me where you are so i can send you cookies and treats! I will never ever ever forget the times i had with all of you. It is forever etched into my mind and heart! My goal now is to pay off this hospital bill and start saving for the PCT! 2008 hikers with me???