Date: 2003-05-27
From: Seth Warner shelter

To: A guid Scotsmans hoose
Miles today: 10.5

I met a religious icon on the trail today , he went by the name of Mosess and he even had the shepards stick and beard to go with the name.I stopped and talked with him for a short while and he is a 2 times thru-hiker who is back on the trail doing a section hike , he knew who I was since he had read some of my cra__p register entries down in P.A a few weeks ago so he knew I was on the trail.I wished him luck with the trail ahead and I told him how how water logged the trail was but he just winked and said if I can open up the sea I am sure a few puddles on the path will be no bother.The trail was pretty easy walking today and when I got down to the road I decided to go into Bennington and have a look around and grab a bite to eat.I Just made it in before the rain started as it was trying all day and it looks like its going to rain for the rest of the week , so I will finish my hike with the same crappy weather as I started with.When in town I got talking with one of the locals who's father came from Glasgow and before you know it I was invited to stay at his place with him and his son , we talked all night about Scotland and he was so happy to have someone from the Motherland to stay in his house for the night.Jim & his son Andrew were very friendly and took me for a few pints in the local and then took me out for dinner at a local restruant , we had a good night and I also got the chance to do my laundry and get a shower which I was needing to do.I am on the last few days of my trip now and the Hospitality is as strong as it was from the very first day I started , I can't say enough good things about the amazingly friendly and open people I have encountered along my way.I feel although I have seen the true guts of America and I must say what an great country it is and its probably my #1 favouraite place of anywhere I have visited before.Oh I nearly forgot I seem to have made an enemy along my way , a guy called Wild Turkey has been close on my heels for a long time now and when I came of the trail in Dalton he seems to have passed by me.When at traildays I met up with a couple of girls from Texas who I met when in West Virginia and they were going south and we talked for the afternoon at one of the shelters , well when I met with them at traildays they told me about a guy called Wild Turkey who was not far behind me and he seemed to have a big grudge against me because he was really mad that I signed the register "if its nae Scottish its cra__P".......he was drinking with them and after every drink he had he went on and on about how he would catch me up and tell me who do I think I am and "if its nae American its cra__p".....Now the expresion I use actually is from a hollywood film called "why I married a axe murderer" and Mike Myers is the one who uses this in the film and on Saturday Night Live......now most people find this funny and I only say it in a fun way because I know people can relate to it over here,In fact to tell you the truth I had never heard the expression before I came to this country.Anyway the girls from Texas and I had a really good laugh about this sad guy and they told me I should be seeing him soon,So since I have got back on the trail I have noticed that he has passed me and is signing the registers with some childish remarks and always signs "if its Scottish its Cra__P"Well I must admit to you when I first seen this the other day I was so happy and laughing all day long and it really made my day,every time it springs to mind I think about this poor guy trailing behind me for 1500 miles through snow storms , rain and wind and thinking to himself "I must catch him" , "if its Scottish its Cra__P" ......He has probably thought about Scotland so much he may even resemble the Loch Ness Monster.So if any of you see him up the trail please say theses simple words to him "if its nae Scottish its Cra__P"..... and regards from me for brighting up my day.