Date: 2002-08-07
From: MAINE

To: GA
Miles today: 10.0

August 7, 2002What a night. I spent the night on top of a mountain.   The wind was blowing all night long, raining all night but it quit now and got out of the tent to take a leak and looked up at the sky and the stars are just Oh Just beautiful. It¢s the closest I have seen them since I was a kid. I can see them up through the pine trees. See the Big Dipper, it feels like I so close to them up here. It¢s cool, everything is sort of wet and damp but I will get by and get going here soon. Start packing up. My left foot has a place on it; it¢s not a blister it has a bump on it. It hurts like heck. I can¢t figure it out. I might have to go to the doctor with it. Just doesn¢t seem right. But my heels seem to be getting better. I feel like I have overcome something today, last night. I talked about being afraid of the dark.   Last night after I pitched my tent, there was no one within miles, I am not sure, because I don¢t know how close the shelter was but I was all by myself up there, I heard things out there, and thought I heard a bear growl and you know what? I said the hell with it.   I went to sleep and I didn¢t sleep well because I don¢t sleep well in a tent, I figure that will come later. But I did overcome some fears and that is why I went on this trip, not the only reason, one of the reasons.   I made 15 miles yesterday, only 7 miles to Monson now.   Going to get a hot shower, clean bed (soft bed), good food and get re-supplied and some things I need from the drug store etc.   I might have to spend a couple of days there to recuperate.   Get these feet back in shape. Who knows if they don¢t come around, I might have to come home. Got into Monson about 10 got a ride in with a guy, didn¢t charge me a thing. He said he likes to help the hikers out. The last 6 miles from where I camped was almost too much. The bump on the ball of my foot is just excruciatingly painful. Can not step on it and if I do I lose my balance because I just want to get off of it. Well I got to Shaws and what great people, great people. Finest people you would ever want to meet. Right away the lady, Pat called the clinic and got me an appointment. 15 miles away in Gilbert and Keith her husband 77 years old got me and took me down there. Never charged me a thing. Waited for an hour. That doctor worked on me for an hour, trying to kill the pain with Ladocaine and stick me, and stick me just several places with that pin and whatever it is she is trying to drain. She gave me a whole bunch of antibiotics. She said that she didn¢t think it would help but to try. Said to go to my doctor when I get home and they will probably have to take it out.   Probably a cyst. I just can¢t keep going. It was so bad today; I can not walk and am hopping around. I called the airlines and I could change my ticket to leave at 5:40 am Friday morning. SO young Keith will take me tomorrow afternoon and will have to sleep in airport. So I guess I will be coming home. I hate to do it. All that planning and all that and here I am and some little thing like this is taking me off the trail. But I guess this is the way god wants it. Very disappointing.   I guess this wasn¢t supposed to be.   Big pause.