Date: 2007-06-05
From: home in PA

To: Doyle Hotel, Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

My brother has kindly offered to take me back to Duncannon today after a few days off with family and friends in Pennsylvania. Isn't family great? During my time at home, I definitely accomplished a lot, but didn't seem to find the rest and relaxation my body is so craving. Something about going back into the real world after spending three months in the woods, granted many moments and many meals are not technically spent in the wilderness as the AT is a trail as much about American society as it is about nature, causes stress, such as paying bills, getting my car inspected, trying to figure out what exactly I want to do with my life once I return to the real world. It's an odd dichotomy - part of me now feels so at home in the woods, yet a part of me still longs for the comforts, and stresses, of civilization. On to what I actually accomplished during my time off... I got to see my students graduate! As they all stood in line waiting to walk to their designated seats, I went strolling across the lawn towards them. One spotted me and screamed out, "Senorita's here!" When I mentioned that I walked all the way from Georgia to see them graduate, the most common response was laughter, like what is this crazy woman going on about? No, seriously, I walked over 1000 miles to be here today. I guess it shows how much these fabulous young people still, and will always, mean to me. Quite simply, I miss my kids, the teacher-student relationship, seeing them grow into promising young men and women, the part of my life where I feel I am making a positive impact on future generations. I have given this up for the time being to be on the trail. I met my nephew! Although he cried and screamed, kicked and fussed the first time I held him, I must admit that he is a cutie. When it was time to return to the trail, it was hard to give him back. Doesn't quite make me want to have kids, but I definitely fell in love quite quickly with this little guy. And my little brother and sister, now teen-agers and not so little any more, were such a blast. Add time spent with my mom, stepdad and grandparents; visits to see my best friends; dinners and breakfasts to attend and I was one busy and loved girl. Again, I have given this up, willingly and knowlingly, for the time being to be on the trail. The trail preparations, which seem to never end, even after being on the trail for three months, also took up a good part of my time. I spent an entire day choosing a new backpack, a full 4 pounds less in weight and 25% smaller in volume than the one I had been carrying. Let's hope it makes a difference. I also spent many hours with my podiatrist, who assured me that new orthodics would relieve from 60 to 100% of my physical discomfort in my feet and ankles. I was already hiking with orthodics, but since I got them, have had surgery on both ankles, metal added, one bone put back together as well as could be but not exactly as it was before the break, so what I had was no longer effective. Kudos to this doctor for the time he spent with me after hours, going the extra mile so I can finish mine. The rocks in Pennsylvania beckon and threaten, and so I am back to the trail.