Date: 2016-07-01
From: Monson, ME

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 2 in Monson. Breakfast starts when the coffee is ready, about 0645. Food follows. Poet does the cooking. I noticed that Hippy Chick is absent. Poet cooks eggs to order, a rasher of bacon, and some of the best home fries I've had in quite a while. It's probably the century old season of the overgrown cast iron skillet. Poet said it came with the building when they bought the hostel. Eggs, bacon, potatoes are followed by blueberry pancakes. And more blueberry pancakes. Pancakes continuing until the last hiker has had his absolute fill. I return to my room for another round of stretches. I'd done two different stretches before getting out of bed. I didn't notice any difference, but it wasn't any worse. I'd slept reasonably well, I was up twice, I think, both times due to the back. I found a book, a quiet spot, and spent three or four hours reading. I'd stop every chapter or two for more stretches. Then finally more medication and a nap.About 1530 I dressed and hobbled into town, not far really, I think 300 yards covered most of the business district. A stop at the library was required. No WiFi, anywhere. There was another hostel with a bar and restaurant; well more the other way around, a bar and restaurant with rooms available for hikers. There was live music, the food was good, and reasonable, and you can't mix certain beverages with certain medications.On a side note... Last night I'd emptied everything into one wallet and slept with it under the pillow. Since I was dressed in running shorts for breakfast I'd left the wallet in my backpack. There was one other hiker in the room but he was packed to go. After breakfast I'd stretched and dug into my pack for my wallet. But it wasn't there. So I made a careful search...very careful, very thorough. First, empty the pack, one item at a time. If the item was in a stuff sack it was removed from the sack. Every item was laid on the bed. Open all pockets of the pack. Turn upside down, shake, repeat... Then repack the bag. Put all items into their respective stuff sacks, or not as the case any be, and then everything into the backpack. Next my environment. Strip the top sheet and blanket from the bed. Lift up the mattress. Twice. Once laterally, then once again on its length. Under the bed. Nothing. Frustration. All my identification, cash, and plastic. Now I'm checking waste baskets and trash cans. Nothing.The rest of the house is nearly empty and Poet is awaiting commercial washer and dryer. I think about breakfast and who was, or wasn't, there. After about another hour I mention the missing wallet to one person. Oh, I can't cancel the ATM card, there isn't ATT service in Monson. There is, however, WiFi. Nearly town wide, every business has WiFi. You can sit in one business and if you don't like their WiFi, connect to an adjacent building/business. So I'd done the Messenger thing. Not my thing, but a necessary evil under existing circumstances. So I contact Melody using the hostel's WiFi. Update her on situation.The laundry equipment inside and nearly installed, I mentioned my "walking" wallet to Poet. He insists on searching the room. And he finds the wallet. No joke. Grabbed the top of the mattress near the headboard, slid it a little, and reached in, came out with a wallet. Of special note, there were three people in the room; me, Poet, and the person to whom I'd spoken about the wallet. Who would have thought that possible?As noted, the rest of the day was uneventful. I returned after my fairly early dinner, stretched, medicated myself, and off to bed.