Date: 2006-04-27
From: Jarman Gap

To: Rockfish Gap
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: overcast clouds

ThursdayStart 8:25The first poison ivy shoots make an appearance. Purple Rose says her daughter knows someone who eats poison ivy. Eats it? Yes, he¢s an herbologist. He believes by eating it you¢ll build up immunity.Apple trees in bloom. Buttercups, bluets, mallow, chickweed, dandelions.11:30 Hello for the 4th time to Mrs Gorp! Hello to Spiritual Pilgrim.Mrs Gorp is feeling sad about a thruhiker named Yahtzee from Plymouth MA. Yahtzee has the worst blister and foot infection Mrs Gorp¢s ever seen. She brought him to her friend Gourmet Dave¢s house. Then she got a doctor in Waynesboro to make 3 house calls (that doctor owed me, she says)!! This morning, Yahtzee¢s foot worsening, the doctor sent him to the ER. She thinks the foot is so bad Yahtzee may have to leave the trail. She wishes there was more she could do to help him.Yes, the New Skin bought in Marion worked. Her blister is gone.After they pass, Amoeba thinks about Yahtzee. She¢s planned to hike this afternoon to Dripping Rock, 14.5 past Rockfish Gap. While she walks south from Rockfish, Purple Rose and Purple Sherpa will set her car at Dripping Rock before they leave for home. That extra 14.5 will be a good workout and a head start on the next section. But she¢s due in Massachusetts for a bridal shower at noon on Saturday. A long hiking day today will be cutting it close, probably too close, especially where¢s she¢s planning to stop off at Bear¢s Den tomorrow along the way. Better to stop at Rockfish and drive to Bears Den tonight. That¢ll give more time to get to MA on Friday before the heaviest NY/Boston afternoon traffic. Since she¢s going to Massachusetts anyway, if Yahtzee needs to go home to recuperate, he could come along. Plymouth is not that far from where she¢s headed. But how to get a message to him?At Rockfish Gap, Purple Sherpa is waiting in the VW. They all start back to Jarman where Zig Zag¢s and Amoeba¢s cars are parked. On the way, who are walking along the Skyline Drive (the original AT) but Spiritual Pilgrim and Mrs Gorp! Mrs Gorp gives Amoeba contact info for Dave, who¢ll be picking up Yahtzee from the ER. Hello to Wrong Way and Otter Bill, just out for the day. Lots of info from them about local sights and migratory birds.Back at Jarman, goodbyes to Zig Zag, Purple Rose, Purple Sherpa, Cinder and Dixie. Wish this time together could have been longer, but we'll be seeing each other again before a month is out. May 17 Purple Rose and Zig Zag will be hiking the section from Petites Gap to Rockfish. Amoeba will join them May 22.Amoeba stops in at the Info Center and calls Dave. No answer. Leaves message she can provide transportation today and tomorrow back to MA if Yahtzee needs it. Dick at the Info Center finds the Augusta Medical Center ER phone number. Yahtzee was just discharged but the nurse saw him in the waiting room trying to find transportation back to Plymouth. Hang on. The nurse comes back to the phone. Now he¢s gone. He was picked up by somebody. Amoeba leaves a second message on Dave¢s machine. I¢ll be at the library all afternoon. Call me if Yahtzee needs a ride back to Massachusetts. A minute later Dave calls. Yes, Yahtzee needs a ride.Yahtzee stretches out in the back of the Element, his bandaged foot elevated on pillows.At first Yahtzee wanted ¢Fool on the Hill¢ (after the Beatles¢ song) as his trail name. When he realized that a long trail name like that would be shortened and in this case shortened to ¢Fool¢, he nixed that name. Ever since starting his AT hike he's been carrying a set of miniature Yahtzee cubes. Athough he has yet to play that game on the trail, fellow hikers have christened him ¢Yahtzee¢. He'll continue to carry the set and will play a game on the summit of Katahdin. They¢ll go to Bear¢s Den tonight and tomorrow leave around 7AM for MA. At Bear¢s Den, Queen Diva, Circuit Rider and Sherlock. Queen Diva has to go home for a few days. Circuit Rider and Sherlock will be holding the fort for her. They¢ve made a special ¢thanksgiving¢ meal of turkey, a gigantic bowl of real mashed potatoes, green beans, bread, sweet tea and cherry pie. B-Man from Pittsburgh, Batman and Robin¢s Nest, Taco from Memphis (who Amoeba met in Georgia March 3) and Scott (who will start a flipflop hike in PA tomorrow) are there. FridayEarly departure for MA. It¢s Amoeba¢s good fortune to have Yahtzee along. He¢s great company. About 4:30PM Yahtzee¢s brother, who works at Logan airport, meets them at the Marriott in Newton. Yahtzee¢s foot is looking a little better. He¢s young and healthy. Hopefully, he¢ll have this infection licked real soon and be back on the trail.Amoeba: Thanks, Yahtzee, for sharing expenses and keeping me company on that long ride that I had to take anyway. You¢re my trail angel.P.S. Mrs Gorp says Yahtzee¢s doing great. He¢ll be at Trail Days and from there he¢ll go to Waynesboro to resume his thruhike.