Date: 2007-04-02
From: The Place, Va

To: The Place, Va
Miles today: 0.0

Ok, last day here. My buddy "O.G." is going to meet me at the Partnership Shelter on the other side of Mt Rogers on Friday 4/6. I am going to give him my winter gear. I will lose ten pounds right there. Ok a flashback story: in 1990 I took my student loan and had my buddy "Mountain Mike" drive me to Appalachia from Dallas/Fort Worth. I kept watching the discovery channel and they kept saying that the wilderness was being destroyed at an amazing rate. Cable was new then and I had always loved the AT. I was kind of in a panic and just had to get out there before it was all destroyed. I also felt that Appalachia start in Alabama and that is where I had Mike drop me off. Now I did not know at the time that there was a trail called the Pinhoti trail that goes about 100 miles through the Talladega National Forest. Anyway, I had him drop me off just north of Sylacauga Ala. The only map I had was a highway map that had a big green spot between Sylacauga, Ala and Piedmont, Ala. As Mike dropped me off he was stunned by the beauty. He said that he was coming out to join me. I immediately told him that he did not understand about what I was undertaking. He was insistent, he was coming. I was happy; but also knew that Mike had not really done anything hard in his life. So I was concerned. He also talked me into giving him about $500. He said it was too dangerous to carry that much cash and I agreed. I was so easy back then, I still am to a certain degree. It was March 23, 1990. Well, I hiked into the bush. I Basically bushwacked for 10 days through brambles, swamps, clearcuts, and thick pine forests. I learned alot about isolation. And used tricks that I read in the book PAPILLION by Henri Cherier(misspelled?) to keep from going crazy. I saw a big German Sheppard about day 8 and tried to get him to come and be me friend; but, he ran away. I still remember to this day that I had the song IT AINT FICTION ITS A NATURAL FACT by Paula Abdul stuck in my head. Over & Over & Over. The way Papillion said he got these things out of his head was to build a motrorcycle in his head. I did not know how to do this; so, I designed football plays. I finally hit a forest service road and followed it down to a highway that lead to the town of Talladega. I never had hitchhiked in my life and was a little apprehensive. I did get a ride right away. I went to a hotel and called Mike. He said that he would meet me in Aniston, ALA. He was going to take a bus. On my way out of town, I had a some local fella's invite me to hang out with them. We went to a bootlegger and got some beer. They took me by their sister's house and she was mad at them for picking up a drifter. One of the guys said he's harmless, look at him!. I was like, "a drifter, and what does that mean just look at me!" I looked like a baby I guess. Well, the next day they dropped me off on the Pinhoti Trail. I was so excited about having a trail to walk on. It got down in the teens that night and I laid by a fire all night. The inflatable raft I brought to sleep on had so many holes that I could not repair it and all I brought to cover myself was an old patchwork quilt my greatgrandmother made. I would freeze all night. Well, I met Mike in Anniston. On the way out of town, we got rousted by the police. They wondered what we were doing. I explained the Appalachian Trail. We were detained for about as hour, then they let us go. That night when we set up camp; Mike pulled out a crossbow! I said, "Dude!" Why did you bring that. He said for protection. There went about $200 of my hiking money.(will finish story later)