Date: 2018-06-07
From: Burlington, VT

To: Burlington, VT
Miles today: 0.0

I have really enjoyed being home, sleeping in my own bed, and being with my husband. We¢ve been together long enough ¢ 41 years ¢ that we don¢t pine away when we are apart, but still, it¢s nice being together. Besides, today is his birthday! I wanted to be home for that. Church was great on Sunday. I was greeted like the prodigal son, especially by members of the choir, and the recessional hymn (#530 in the Episcopal Hymnal) was one I know as the peanut butter hymn, starting, ¢Spread, O spread, thou mighty word ¢¦,¢ a reminder that I need to eat more of it. And ice cream was served after the service. When asked which flavor I wanted, I resisted answering, ¢Yes.¢I¢ve gone through all of my gear. When I return to New York tomorrow, my pack will weigh about 2-1/2 pounds less. That¢s not even counting the weight of the dirt removed by washing everything! The major savings are going stoveless (nearly 1 pound including the fuel canister) and leaving the Ex-Officio Bugsaway clothing (1-1/2 pounds) at home.  It was simply too hot to wear, in spite of the superior tick protection it offered. I¢ve treated my other clothing, backpack and tent with pyrethrin. I¢ve also switched to a picaridin-based insect repellent from DEET, based on the recommendation of Doc Holiday, a hiker I met who recently retired as a primary care doctor with the Veterans Administration. He says it is far more effective against the black-legged tick. I can¢t find support for that assertion on-line, but everything else that I¢ve read indicates that picaridin is at least as effective as DEET against insects in general. So why not try it? There are other minor weight savings, like leaving the AT DataBook (3.7 ounces) at home ¢ I never used it ¢ but they are offset by weight gains, like adding a second pocket to the back of my pack for keeping peanut butter and Fritos accessible during the day. Ten Fritos Scoop chips and one level tablespoon of peanut butter is a quick 250 calories! I¢m also packing more snacks and even Snickers. Instead of depending on Knorr¢s noodles and rice sides for calories, I¢ll rehydrate tabouli during the day and use it as a base for salmon or tuna. Instead of tortillas, I¢m planning to buy real New York bagels when I get to Grand Central Station tomorrow! I¢ll also prepare a daily snack baggie to keep in one of my hip belt pockets. Eating everything in it, plus three or four servings of Fritos and peanut butter, ought to increase my calorie intake by about 1,500 per day, and at least slow my weight loss. I¢ll reevaluate my food again when I return home in late June for a dental cleaning and to switch out my summer sleeping bag for a 20-degree bag before hiking New Hampshire and Maine.  Being home and resting for a few days has also healed me of the vestiges of the cold I picked up in Pennsylvania. I¢m still having some tree pollen allergies, but they are easily dealt with, and the tree pollen season is nearly over.  My third pair of shoes is broken in. My legs and feet feel good, so I¢m ready for some new pains. We¢ll have to wake up early tomorrow. It¢s about a two-hour drive to Rutland for the Amtrak Ethan Allen Express that leaves at 7:46AM. If it arrives at Grand Central Station on time, I should be back at the Holiday Inn in Ft. Montgomery about 3:30, but it could be much later. I really enjoy taking the train but it¢s essential to view the published schedule as only a suggestion and not to get upset at the almost inevitable delays. The MTA Hudson Line runs until the wee hours and Academy Taxi was very responsive on the trip home, so why worry?I¢m thankful for the time I¢ve had at home and looking forward to meeting new friends on the Trail, and possibly catching up to old ones. It¢s all good!