Date: 2004-10-10
From: down the knife edge

To: back to the world of numbers, again
Miles today: 0.0

I am eternally grateful to Trailjournals for allowing me to post a journal that normally has very little to due with the hike. They are really the first trail angels that anyone ever meets. It is through their web site that people can find and live the dream of long distance hiking. Many thanks! I also want to thank all the other journalists for sharing their hearts with the rest of the world. In 1999, I read and followed three people's journal and that served as the fire to my dream. I hope that somewhere in some twisted way my words can inspire someone to follow their heart and walk their dream... it is a life changing experience... a discovery of yourself. I want to thank everyone I met along the trail. I do not want to name people specifically because I will forget so many and I do not want to ive the impression that their contributions were any less, although I do want to thank Jimmy Dean for being himself, Jeff and Nancy Hoch for being the wonderful people they are, Murph for being the physical manifestation of why we all should aspire to live ourlives, to Bluejay for being at the right spot at the right time, to Loon and Lizard - people with whom I hope my life will someone, in some way be connected to, to Rambunny for being the biggest trail cheerleader the Appalachian Trail has ever known, good god this list could continue forever... To my parents and Lisa's... I never could have done it without their love and continued support. Mostly I would like to thank Lisa for simply being. She has taught me the true meaning of love. She has taught me to be a better person.The transition back into the great troubled republic is always hard on the soul. For repeat offenders, you know what I am talking about. It is no easier this time than last time, or even the time before that. It is so hard to go from one world to the other. The stark differences of the peace and serenity of the nature world. I have hiked two election years (2000,2004). Every time I return to Babylon it is during the height of the campaigning. Unfortuneatly we only have two viable people to vote for. Neither party is good. And voting for the lesser of an evil is still voting for evil. My heart yearns for the woods, sunsets and cool nights. I try, often in vain, to recapture the feeling of thru hiking with small side trips. Lately I have gone to the Porcupines, Painted Rocks and tomorrow Lapham Peak. It is not the same. When you plan your hikes you should also plan your re-entry. For those you argue that there is no pain, I say you haven't allowed the natural world into your heart. You did not succumb to the beauty of the unspoiled world. To you I do not speak. I leave you with lyrics to two songs, Melancoly Mood by Ziggy Marley and Mountains of the Moon by the Dead... Both are songs that have meaning to me...Peace...a little collie weed to ease I grieftoo much agony living in the limits of big citya little collie weed to meditatetoo much insanity in this societymelancholy mood I eat for my food melancholy moodrise this morning smile with the sunoh I'm blessed another day has beguneverything in life has its purposefind its reason it has its seasonmelancholy mood I eat for my food melancholy moodtears leave my eyes I just want to flydeep down I feel painbut I know I must rise againfrom this melancholy mood melancholy moodmelancholy mood I eat for my food melancholy mood Cold Mountain waterthe jade merchant's daughterMountains of the Moon, Bow and bend to me Hi ho the Carrion Crow FolderolderiddleHi Ho the Carrion CrowBow and bend to meHey Tom BanjoHey a laurelMore than laurelYou may sowMore than laurelYou may sowHey the laurelHey the cityIn the rainHey, hey,Hey the white wheatWaving in the wind20 degrees of solitude 20 degrees in allAll the dancing kings & wivesassembled in the hallLost is a long & lonely timeFairy Sybil flyingAll along the all alongthe Mountains of the Moon Here is feast of solitudeA fiddler grim and tallPlays to dancing kings and wivesAssembled in the hallOf lost, long, lonely timesFairy Sibil flyingAll along the all alongthe Mountains of the MoonHey Tom BanjoIt's time to matterThe Earth will see youon through this timeThe Earth will see you onthrough this timeDown by the waterThe Marsh King's DaughterDid you know?Clothed in tattersAlways will beTom, where did you go?Mountains of the Moon, ElectraMountains of the MoonAll along theAll along theMountains of the MoonHi Ho the Carrion CrowFolderolderiddleHi Ho the Carrion CrowBow and bend to meBend to me