Date: 2004-04-15
From: No Business Shelter

To: Erwin TN
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: clear sky

What an immense day! Today was a mix of humor, mild disasters, reunions, new friends, drunkeness (not mine) and more. My goal today was 18 miles: 6 into Erwin, TN to eat at the Pizza Hut Buffet and 12 out of Erwin to a campsite where I would meet Walk Softly. The day started fine as I hiked. 3 miles in I met "Jan LIght Year" who hiked last year. She talked about how nice Erwin was and joked that I could come back to the Pizza Hut for a 2nd meal. What a moment of forboding. I hiked with Koi and Goldfish into town, where a nice pastor almost immediately gave us a hitch to the hostel: Miss Janet's House. Miss Janet's house is cool. The Roman Noodles were there, Dragonfly was there, Dutch, T.J., Red, Jeep and others too. I also saaw "Paddler" a hiker I met the second day, and found out that he is off the trail due to his leg. After quick reunions Koi, goldfish, and I set off on a 3/4 mile walk to the Pizza Hut Buffet.At pizza Hut, I ate 10 pieces of pizza and then I went to the salad bar. It was cool to talk to Koi and Goldfish. When I went to leave something happened. I stepped nto the outdoors and experienced shock. The combination of 5 lbs of food in my stomach and sudden sunlight caught me off guard. I tripped over the sidewalk and pulled the left achilles that bothered me all last week. Only I could manage to injur myself at a buffet! I feel like a tool and my leg hurts. The Roman Noodles" are doctors and told me that I need to take a couple days off, so here I am in Erwin at Miss Janet's house. I don't know when I will get to leave The good news is that Miss Janet is one of the nicest people I have ever met, and I love staying with her. This afternoon we (some hikers and Miss Janet) went to Johnson City. I went to Walmart to buy coke and fudge rounds. I joked with Miss Janet and her daughter Kaitlyn who is 14, it was like being at home wiht my Mom and 4 sisters (I miss them). Then after a shower and laundry, Miss Janet drove us up to a Mountain called "Beauty Spot" for a cookout/party. There even more fun ensued.I can't say I'm thrilled to take even more zero days from my hike. It is very hard because I want to be on the trail. Furthermore, my injury will keep me from hiking iwth "walk softly", which is sad because we get along very well. I was blessed through taht the cookout tonight was a half-mile from where "walk softly" camped. Miss Janet let me use the van and drive down to his campsite. At 10 pm, I found him in his tent and scared him a good deal. The good news is that I was able to tell him what happened and say goodbye. I iwll miss him a lot, he's a cool friend. We hugged (like men) and said our goodbyes. I wonder if I will see him again on the trial. After the goodbyes, I drove the van back to beauty spot.When I returned, I had 3 hot dogs while Miss Janet shot her potato gun. I talked with "puddler", "Dutch", and "Fly Boy". 2 former hikers "dirty" and "sunkissed" were there too. All was going well when a hiker named "K-less", who was very drunk ralphed. It was nasty and I was one of 2 hikers beside Miss Janet who was sober. Puddler and I took "Drunk Duty", while Miss Janet packed up. After many struggles we got K-less safely to the van with a grocery bag that he proceeded to fill (ewwww). By 12:30 we got K-less to sleep and some of us talked on the porch.I talked with Miss Janet until 1:30am. She encouraged me to rest and finally got it in my head that I am being smart to rest an injury. She also told me that I have plenty of time. I really needed that talk. So my goal is to relax and take as much time as I need to heal. Even if it is frustrating. That said, God has blessed me with a wonderful environment and host for my rest. I was able to say goodbye to walk softly which was also cool. Even better, a local pastor is looking for a hiker to speak Sunday with the youth group. Maybe that is why God has me here, I dont know. So from the only hiker ever to injur himself at the pizza hut buffet: Goodnight and please pray for me,Beatbox ttt