Date: 2003-05-27
From: US 220 near Daleville VA

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

In Brunswick, Maine at my daughters graduation from Bowdoin College, it rained during the ceremony on Saturday, May 25th. Everyone was given a plastic poncho and we still ate lobster under a huge tent and in the indoor sports arena. The poor graduates, especially the girls, froze in the cold, as they endured the 3 hour long marching around,listening to speeches, and gettting their diplomas.My wife, Liz, and I visited a lighthouse in the pouring rain and learned that Maine lobsters can grow up to 40 pounds! We saw a specimen that weighed 28 pounds. Then we all went to the beach on a nice day and explored the giant steps and other areas of interest. Saturday and Sunday we helped Laura pack and ship her things back to Oregon via bus and UPS. Laura still had two large bags which would not fit in the small Mustang rental car. We drove to Portland, Maine to trade it in for a Ford Explorer. Herz did the switch without charging us anything extra. Now we had plenty of room for people and luggage. Monday, May 27th, my family drove to Logan Airport in Boston and flew back to Oregon. I took the bus, after watching the Memorial Day parade in Brunswick, back to Roanoke VA. Because of the parade, the bus could not get to the bus stop. We had to walk three blocks to meet the bus behind a grocery store. I met a student from Colby College who was from Zimbabwe. She was going to New York City to work for Solomon, Smith, Barney on Wall Street for the summer. She is a senior and is majoring in economics. She told me the school picked her after she wrote an essay. She got a full-ride scholarship. I asked her what she liked about the US and what she liked about Zimbabwe. She said the freedom to make a difference is greater here than in Zimbabwe. However, she said she misses the community and family life in Zimbabwe. She told me that she belonged to the Buffalo totem which is ike a tribe or enlarged family. If she met a person from the other end of the country who belonged to the buffalo totem, she would be considered part of their family and treated like a sister and the kids would call her mother. There are other totems like the leopard, lion, etc. Belonging to one connects you to a larger family of people. Now I finally know someone who actually works on Wall Street.When I got to New York I had a long lay-over. I ordered a hamburger from a stand inside the bus station at the Port Authority. It took me over a half hour to get my burger since everyone was cutting in front of me to order and to pay at the cash register. Since I'm retired now and was not in a hurry, I really didn't mind. It's just interesting how New Yorkers learn to push and be aggressive in order to get something where there are so many others who want the same thing at the same time. After I got my meal I sat down at a table with one of the ladies who cut in front of me. After a bit she asked me how my sandwich tasted. I told her it was good. She was very cordial and nice to talk to after she got her food, but was like a wild animal in line.I made it to Roanoke after almost 24 hours on the bus, arriving at 9:45 AM. I had left Brunswick, Maine at 10:20 AM the day before. I tried to hitchhike back to Daleville and the AT, but a policeman indicated that hitchhiking was not allowed, at least in the city limits. So I called Mark Futrell at Outdoor Trails who gave Fly By and me a ride to Roanoke. He said he'd be there after 3:30 and could pick me up again. So I ate at an AYCE restaurant for lunch and met Mark at the International Food Mall in downtown Roanoke. He drove to Roanoke just to eat at the Greek place there. He surprised me when he arrived by giving me my pack as well as my REI hat which I lost before going to Maine. Bob from Athens, GA picked it up and brought it into the outfitters for me. Although he didn't ask for it, I gave Mark some money for his time, gas, and trouble to shuttle me to Roanoke and back and keep my pack for me. What a wonderful service he provides to the hiking community.