Date: 2005-05-07
From: Damascus, VA

To: Derby day
Miles today: 0.0

Well, the trail isn't always about putting one foot forward on the leaf covered mtn's. No, the trail has other adventures to reveal themselves to you along the way. Take this beautiful Saturday, the first real day of Trail Days which is generally, from what I can see, the day the local town folk get into the spirit with their anual yard sale. I mean, EVERYONE is selling something in this sale. Everywhere I look or go there is Stuff. I stayed with my buddy Bottoms Up last night at Dave's Hostel. Unfortunately, Tiny Dancer and Fireball had their stuff stolen from their tents on cinco de mayo over at The Place. The first real black eye of this trail season. Now, everyone is a little paranoid and watching out for each other. Thanks to Pacman and the Sundog outfitters for getting gear together for these two guys so they can continue on their journey. We alld onated a little $ to the cause.I spent the day preparing to hike out tommorrow by buying new grips for my STICKS. They are Green Bicycle grips with yellow chili peppers on them They are cool. I had to whittle down the ends of the poles for about an hour. Sat out on the front deck of the hostel watching the sales and eating burgers and hotdogs that the chuch was selling. They had set up a tent in front of the hostel. Very convenient. Anyway, I also made the (now famous) WOOD'N MAID'N t-shirts for us and got my bounce box ready to store at the outfitters until I come back next week for the REAL Trail days...the one that involves thousands of hikers...So, I get to the Old Mill at 4:30 to do some "prep" for the derby when this conversations occured:Domino: "Hey Kevin, you said 'first person here controls the remore for the TV's' so, here I am, first one."Kevin: "give her a whirl." tosses remoteDomino: "serve me up a frosty beverage from that tap"Kevin: "cain't do it, not working."Domino(with shock and disbelief on his face): "What the he..hey, what do you mean, no Happy Hour beers on a Saturday with the Kentucky derby AND the NASCAR race on and thirsty hikers already seeking to come here and throw some down their dry gullets?" (note: Happy Hour at Old Mill is $.97 beers from 2PM to 7PM)Kevin: "Well...kegs not working, think it's the CO2 and the beverage guy doesn't come until Monday or Tuesday."* Now this could be a catastophe but alas, Domino knows a thing or 5 about beer.Domino "Hmmmm..." (thinking...has sudden realization) "ya know, Kev, I notice you up there at Dots (yet another favorite Damascus watering Hole that I frequented) the other day talking with all those employees like you know them pretty well..."Kevin: "yeah, and?..."Domino: "Well Kevin, I am a problem solver, and we have ourselves an issue here. So, couldn't you just call down there to ole DOTS and ask them to borrow a C02 tank until Monday or Tuesday?"Kevin; "Brilliant, why didnt I think of that?"*15 minutes later, Domino looking on eagerly, A guy arrives with a new CO2 tank from Dots. Domino smiles :*)Kevin: "damn...won't fit in the cooler! Guess this is not our day for Happy Hour."Domino (looking at clock drendling towards post time at 6:05, it's now 5PM): "ya know Kevin, those CO2 systems have cords that stretch OUTSIDE the Keg fridge, just set it right outside and hook it up."Kevin: "L I B, that worked, here, a drink on me."*15 minutes later- crowd begins entering, beers start flowing more frequently, everyone is happy...for the next many hours. Longshot Giacomo wins the Derby, Domino eats twice and drinks all evening. Total bill $9 dollars. Life is truly an adventure. Keep your heart open as a shrine. (I did put all money I found on the floor - over $15 - in the tip jar throughout the night).Ah, life on the trail.