Date: 2008-07-13
From: Gifford State Park, VT

To: Strafford, VT
Miles today: 0.0

It was a crappy nite's sleep with traffic on VT 100, and I kept getting hot and cold all nite (No! I'm too young for hot flashes!). I got woke up this morning by the crazy wind, which was SO strong..coming in waves. I've learned that here in the NE (unlike Oklahoma where it's windy for the sake of being windy), that usually wind like this means bad weather is on its way.I got up a bit later..around 7, and peeked out to see that hazy greyness to the sky and figured it was only a matter of hours before some sort of weather hit.I packed up and ate my last granola bar. Bad Influence was going to call around 8'ish, so I had plenty of time. I walked all my stuff back down to the ranger's office, and as I'm digging around, freakin Buns & Roses, Spock & Twiggy, and Tupperware come DRIVING up in someone's vehicle! I swear that crew is hilarious. They asked if I wanted to go into Rutland for McDonalds, and I was like heck yes!I threw my pack in the vehicle and climbed in. Apparently the woman who was camping next to them let them borrow her vehicle...crazy.It was only 11 road miles into Rutland, and we went into McDonalds, which was busy. I got a chocolate shake, bacon-egg-cheese bagel and hashbrown. I don't remember the last time I went to McDonalds actually.We all ate and they played some old rock songs on the jukebox, and then we went across the street so they could get a few supplies. Then we drove back. How hilarious huh? Wasn't expecting real food this morning (actually, can Mcdonalds legally be referred to as real?).By this time, the skies were grey and rain was pretty unavoidable. They were all trying to figure out what to do, and they dropped me off.I sat there and called Karen (woke her up..whoops...still a big time difference). We talked for a bit and then Bad Influence showed up. Oh, he had called me @ 8 and told me he'd be there in about 1.5 hrs.It was crazy, as if I'd known the guy forever, even though we'd only technically talked for 15 minutes way back in NY on the trail.I hopped in and we went into Rutland to pick up some trail magic supplies. While he's slacking me, he's going to do some magic. Uncle Tom (ME) (from last year) had even sent some $ to him to donate to trail magic. Cool how people who may not live right by the trail can still get involved. Man I can't wait to explore the roles of trail magic-ee and angel who brings hikers into my home, living so close to it and all.In the meantime, I asked B.I. about getting ill. He explained he had run out of gatorade 2 days earlier, so he was drinking pure water. He said he sweats A LOT, so apparently, he had drank 6-8 liters of water in 1 day and this totally overhydrated him and made his electrolyte levels disappear. He said he felt like he was getting the flu, chills, no energy, and then by the time he got to the Econolodge, he got worse and became confused, loss of balance and finally didn't even know his own name. This was when the Econolodge staff called an ambulance and he spent the next 4 days in the hospital. Apparently, overhydration affects your nervous system. So listen up folks, you need salt\electrolytes out here. If not through gatorade, then thru your snacks. Any hiker will tell you that @ the end of a hot day, after you've cooled down, you literally are coated with a layer of salt (good for margarita drinkers), and it has to be replenished. I've not heard of this happening bef! ore, but B.I. figured since a handful of people read this journal, maybe it would be a good way to educate people, and future hikers. It makes me realize I need to probably supplement my water with some gatorade to replace the elecrtolytes I'm losing. I'm so glad he's ok.THEN (you won't believe this), Cathy @ the Econolodge actually offered to drive him ALL the way back to his home, 5.5 hrs away in VT! Can you believe that? I'm telling you folks, Cathy and her crew @ the Highland Falls Econolodge rock! B.I. wouldn't let her do that, so they agreed to go half way and meet B.I.'s wife. People helping people in time of need without there being a natural disaster and a zoo of media..what a concept. It's been several weeks, and he's still getting his body back into balance. Wow...I never knew.So we made a few more stops and then headed to his home in Strafford, VT It was raining like crazy by the way, and he said there are supposed to be strong storms tonight and possibly tomorrow. What luck to time this like this huh?So on the drive we had a great talk about all sorts of stuff, and let me tell you, if you all think I should write a book, you ought to hear some of his stories from life. He jokes that he's got more than 9 lives, and I'd have to agree.We got to him and his wife, Katie's, house..a great place on several acres with a pond, 2 goats, horses and dogs and 1 cat. More animal therapy!He showed me my room and there was a robe, towels, and toiletries waiting for me already. Wow, how cool is that?I took a long shower, and B.I. threw my laundry in, while I sat down and enjoyed some quiche and yummy cabbage salad he had made. I'm on a total quiche kick, and couldn't believe it when he offered some to me. Oh, and at the store, I picked up the 2 things I've been craving for weeks..beef hotdogs and stuff to make fresh guacamole. Watch out stomach..it's comin your way soon!They are having Katie's mom and aunt over for dinner so I'll get to have dinner with new people. Pretty excited about that.We are going into Hanover tomorrow to get all my stuff from the PO. I can't believe I'm just 43 miles from NH. I think slacking and this rest will really help me build up the mental strength to face what is ahead.So, another tale from the trail, I had been contacted by Auntie Mame, Uncle Tom's wife who hiked with her sister from GA to VA this year (almost exactly what I did last year). Well, they are all friends (via the trail) with BI, so he knew her # and I gave her a call. She had asked about hiking some with me, and in typical trail fashion, I'd been thinking about 5 days prior to her first email that maybe it would be nice to hike with someone for awhile...and boom..there's an email from her. (amazing)So I called her today, and told her what my plans are for the next few weeks, and there's a possibility she will join me @ Glencliff and do part of the Whites with me.You all know this by now, but if there's any part of the trail I'd like to have someone else around..it's the beginning of the Whites. I'm pretty freaked out by what the topos look like, and think having another person around will be a tremendous relief. Don't ask me why I'm so apprehensive, maybe because I KNOW the talk of how hard they are is totally true, and as I was talking to B.I. tonight, I really believe that hiking this trail is just harder for me than the average person\hiker, so if the people that generally blow by me are having a hard time in the Whites, then that tells me I might just be able to go like 5 miles a day or something (actually...I'm going to "plan" 8-10 at first).I can look back @ life and see a pattern that when it came to sports, running, physical activities, etc., I've always been below average..not the back of the pack, but not a star athlete by any means. Of course, then there was the time in 7th grade that I tried out for the basketball team and ended up in the position of water bottle girl. Yup, I got to run to the REAL athletes and make sure they got water during time outs. Once, I didn't move quickly enough, and I got yelled at by Ms. Roberson...who hated me for some reason.OHHH! Now I see what's going on....my childhood struggles are slowing me down out here now as an adult...*sobbing* I need a hug now. LOLAnyways, Auntie Mame is calling me back to let me know what works for her logistically and I am THRILLED!Katie, who is a very talented competitive horse rider, got home and I got to meet her. Cool woman..a go getter for sure. Shortly after, her aunt and mom showed up, and B.I. and Katie have another girl\student worker with the horses, who lives here and she's WAAAAY cool too. (side note...I have bee sitting on the couch this afternoon icing down my right knee with a bag of frozen green beans...it really works better than ice!) We all enjoyed a most delicious dinner prepared by B.I., salmon, broccoli, a type of rice, wine, and then ice cream for dessert. (Yup...I'm roughing it now!)I have to say, the dinner conversation was so wonderful. We talked about the issue with the summer olympics and air quality in Beijing, cultural differences when it is normal to marry your daughter off @ 12 yrs old, and cool topics like this. Wow is it different being around people in VT versus other parts of the country. I think VT rocks. Did you know this state is always trying to (still) seceed from the U.S.? That is hilarious! I like the independent thinking of the people here. They have neighbors who are living totally off the grid, in one of those big things the nomadic Mongolians lived in (looks like a big canvas dome tent..can't remember the name).So ater dinner, B.I., ^^^^^, and I all stayed up and talked. It was a good time. By the way...pouring rain all evening. I wonder what Tupperware and that crew decided to do.So tomorrow, crappy weather forecasted again, so B.I. is taking me into Hanover to get my stuff @ the PO. Good thing, my next memory card is there and I have about 30 pics left on this one.I'll slackpack the next day, and the plan is for B.I. to take me (about 1 hr) back down to Gifford State Park on.....HIS HARLEY!! You all have NO IDEA how excited I am just about that!Don't worry..I'll get pics. ~Certain