Date: 2015-07-06
From: Kent, CT

To: West Cornwall Road
Miles today: 15.9

It is SO LATE and I am SO TIRED but I'll never be able to sleep if I don't journal, because at this point I'm so used to it and it helps me process my day.So today was kind of weird. So much different from a usual trail day.I got up after I heard Dan get up to get ready for work at 5:30, because I had about 980908 billion things to do. I had to get ready for my own hike, feed 8 hikers breakfast, prepare trail magic coolers and bins for dropoff... so many things!Trying to make as little noise as possible, I broke out some pans and bowls and (most importantly) FOOD. Redback was the only one even pretending to be awake while I clattered about making pancakes. I am pretty sure I woke everyone up (sorry), but they clearly were not willing to get out of bed.So I made blueberry pancakes, eggs, and sausage I stole out of mom's freezer (thanks, mom!). Redback got up, and packed up all of her things, and sat at the table. I was so involved in breakfast that I almost forgot to offer her coffee. Oops. But I did. And then, halfway through pancakes, I said, "Do you want to eat something NOW?!" I am a bad hiker-host. Hikers are always starving when they wake up (at least, I am). I should have given her the first pancakes off of the griddle! She was very happy to accept the offer.Slowly, other people started waking up and migrating towards the kitchen. And a feast was had by all. I even cut up another watermelon, and they ate quite a bit of it. I cut the rind off the rest after dinner and distributed it in coolers this morning as trail magic - by the end of the day, almost all of it was gone (thanks, Fran and Bonnie!).Seriously, we brought home so much food, but the amount has already decreased AMAZINGLY. They ate a ton of fruit last night. They polished off the rest of the pretzels from Mel. They ate two containers of ice cream, a jar of hot fudge, and a can of whipped cream last night AFTER the giant pizza (okay, I helped with those, too... I helped a lot, actually...).It was pretty awesome.Sadly, the hiker slumber party eventually had to come to an end. Dad, Carol, and Eddie showed up on time to help shuttle hikers back to the trail. Of course, none of the hikers were ready. And of course, we all had to say goodbye - the Aussie Legs were heading to Sheffield, I was heading back to Kent, and everyone else was heading back to the picnic area, between us.We took a very nice group picture (Carol and Dad both got good shots), and hugged and said, as we always say, "I bet we'll see you soon." and "You're fast, you'll catch up.". The Aussie Legs always claim, "We're going to be slowing down soon." but they never do, and no one ever believes them.So packs were loaded up and poles tucked into vehicles, and the caravan moved out. It was fun to have my car full of hikerfriends. We talked about hiking things, as we always do, as we headed back to the trail. After arriving and unloading, it was time for the second round of goodbyes. I hugged everyone in turn, and got the, "You're fast, you'll catch up!" all over again. And then they headed down the road and up into the woods. Goodbye, my bubble! I hope to see you again!Then I jacked up the radio and drove off, back to Kent, to pick up my own solo adventure again. But then I picked up Klank and Danger Ranger off of the side of the road in Kent, so it was only solo for a little while. But actually it became solo again soon after, as I left them behind with the coolers and bin of MAGICAL DELICIOUSNESS that they helped me move from the trunk of my car into the woods as I hiked on. Klank was VERY excited about a nice, cold Coke (so thank you to whoever brought them... I can't even remember at this point). I got to the trail way later than I expected, and had to book it to make sure mom (who was picking me up) didn't have to wait forever. I wanted to get there before her... it's much easier to find a bulky Red Panda on the side of the road than to try and spot a white blaze in the woods from a car window.So I hiked. It was another gorgeous day. A little warm. I started in a good mood, buoyed up by thoughts of successful magic and awesome people. I enjoyed stopping early in my hike and listening to all of the squirrels rummaging around in the leaves. I probably scare about six hundred squirrels and chipmunks in the course of a day. The squirrels sometimes seem very angry about it. Sorry, little guys. I decided to try out my new running shoes today, so that if they sucked horribly I wouldn't be stuck with them.They kind of sucked horribly. They shot holes in my mood balloons of happiness. They were slightly too big. I tripped a lot. My feet hurt even more than usual. I hate these shoes. I did get more used to them by the end of the day, but I still hate them. I tripped and fell today over NOTHING. I tripped over my own shoes... or myself, I'm not sure which. It sucked. It put me in a very bad mood for the next mile. It was an angry mile. I have been very mad about my chubby buns lately, too, so that didn't help. Hooray for trail therapy! Nothing like hiking when you're angry to help soothe those nerves. I also saw a very, VERY weird bug today. I have no idea what it was. It was big and creepy. I took a picture of it that I will try to remember to upload. It's not a very good picture, though, the bizarre little dude wouldn't keep still, and my phone camera is not top quality.Today included two very familiar stretches of trail. One stretch, along the Housatonic River, was nice and flat and leisurely (but I was mad in my horrible running shoes). I walked (I'm not even going to claim it was a hike... it was a walk) a mile or two of this stretch years ago with Jim. It made me think about Jim. It made me miss Jim. This was shortly after my klutz trip and fall, too, so it was just a bad hour altogether.The second familiar stretch was between Breadloaf Mountain and the Pine Knob Loop trail, part of which coincides with the AT. Blue and white blazes alternate, which I don't think I've seen anywhere else on the trail. This was where I used to hike a lot in the fall and winter, as I tried to get in shape for hitting the trail. It looked SO DIFFERENT, full of leaves and greenery! I kept getting lost in my own thoughts, and then looking up and thinking, "Hey, that looks kind of familiar.", and then realizing where I was. I think I am getting more and more brain-dead as I progress through this journey. Maybe it's just because I'm so tired.Anyway, I hiked and hiked and hiked some more. I finally made it to the road crossing where I was supposed to meet mom, but a little late (sorry, mom!). I had started so late that even with only a few short breaks, I couldn't stick to the schedule. She found me, though! I hopped right in the car as she drove by, waving to Moosehead (I didn't recognize him, but recognized his name from when we had met in the Smokies multiple times... I felt kind of bad, but seriously, there are TOO MANY PEOPLE out here to remember!) as we departed.Then, it was back to Kent! I packed the trail magic back in my trunk, and gave Cast Away (and another guy whose name I can't remember... ugh, no brain, I swear) to the outfitter in Kent, saving them about half a mile of walking. I was happy... I had NINE hikers in my car throughout the course of the day. Wonderful, smelly, disgusting, grateful hikers. As a smelly, disgusting hiker, I know how much even a half-mile ride into town can mean. Walking on roads sucks.And then it was back to the picnic area to pick up the cooler we left yesterday after the picnic. I opened it up and peeked inside. It was DECIMATED. Seriously. There were like... two packs of crackers and a few apples and oranges left. It had been pretty full yesterday, packed with Gatorade, soda, snacks, and candy bars. Hooray for trail magic success! Then, home! I made dinner (delicious Korean food). During my shower, I shaved off half of a tick (but noticed that it looked kind of funny), and had to enlist the help of mom and the pizza fairy (newly appointed to the rank of surgeon) to remove the dangerous bits still dug in behind my knee. Not cool. I had forgotten my bug spray today, because I only had my daypack instead of Gertrude. I knew I was forgetting something important! I missed Gertrude today. Hiking without her felt so weird. I don't even think I was much faster without her. My legs were so stiff, and my calves so tight this morning after taking a few days off. Plus my body had to get back into the groove of hiking.Also, MY KNEES HURT so much lately. I think New York destroyed them. Some of Connecticut, too. Dear My Knees,Please don't fall apart yet. We haven't made it to Katahdin. Only a couple more months. You can do it!Love,-Red PandaAfter the tick-extraction wrapped up, I packed up my tent, half-packed Gertrude, and decided to leave the rest of the chores for the morning. Journal time and bedtime are consuming the rest of my evening, even though my to-do list grows longer and longer and longer by the minute.Tomorrow morning, I hit the trail again! Magic will be made! Miles will be hiked! Toes will swell and feet will ache! Knees will cry out, "STOP KILLING US, RED PANDA!" and I will shout, "SUCK IT UP, KNEES, WE ARE ALMOST THERE!".Thankfully, we aren't almost there. So much more adventure is still to be had.I am thankful to my mom for picking me up so I could sleep in my own bed. I am thankful for smelly hikers that I can leave coolers of fruit in the woods for. It feels nice to know that I can help others the way so many have helped me. I am SO THANKFUL, AGAIN, for the awesome outpouring of support and donations of snacks and soda and Band-Aids that are filling the garage, waiting to be sorted and packed into coolers and scattered along the trail. You guys are all awesome!Also, before I forget, I have to say that I really was sad that I didn't get a chance to talk to more people and have good conversations with friends and family. I am really sorry, I was so busy! I owe you!I am now going to pass out. Hopefully I'll still be alive in the morning.