Date: 2004-07-17
From: Duncannon

To: Lehigh Gap
Miles today: 0.0

Oh the horror of hiking in Pennsylvania. Tonight it was so rough, so strenuous and so wonderful. First, I experienced my second shower in as many nights. Then I was forced to struggle through a delicious dinner of spinach Caesar salad, steak and a side of tortellini. To top off the torture I was made to recline on the front porch smoking a large cigar with a snifter of Grand Mariner in front of me¢¦Oh the pain! My torturers: Crazy Pace, his lovely wife, Michele, and his cute-as-a-button daughter, Amanda. Wow! No hiker could even dream of the Trail Magic I¢m experiencing this evening.Today was zero #38, but this one was planned. My goals: catch up on my email, find a ride to Port Clinton, and hook up with Crazy Pace. I awoke early and slid out of the hotel room while Gordy was still asleep. Soon I found myself at the downstairs area of The Doyle. By having transferred money to pay off my credit cards¢ minimum payments, I have a sliver of available credit. I dipped into four dollars of it for a delicious breakfast of two eggs-over easy, sausage, home fries, and a Coke. Did I mention that The Doyle is completely wonderful? After breakfast and a crossword puzzle, Gordy came downstairs ready to hike out. I will miss Gordy¢s light nature, her smiles, her randomness and her company. Gordy is totally out there¢¦but a beautiful sweetheart nonetheless. Without her, I have no one to play the guitar and sing with! It was hard as I said goodbye with a hug and held a smile on my face throughout. Just after 10:00 am she was gone. I packed up my room and went to find a library where I could check email.I found a cute little Presbyterian Church library that had one computer for hikers to use. The Saturday hours were 10:00 am¢2:00 pm. After teaching the church volunteer how to turn on a computer, I began. I had over 1,000 SPAM messages to delete, 44 emails to read and respond to, and I needed to check my journal site. I raced frantically to finish and I did, at 1:58 pm (whew!). I was not allowed to leave without taking Combos to eat and lemonade to drink, so I obliged the woman¢s request. At 2:00 pm I felt the relief of finally updating email for the first time in a month. Then I headed to inquire about a ride out of town.Since March, I¢ve been in contact with a section hiker in Palmerton, PA named Crazy Pace. He signed my Guest Book back then and told me I could join his family for church when I was near him on the trail. I called his cell to explain how I had hiked south and was now stuck in Duncannon. Before I could finish explaining, he offered to drive over an hour to come get me. Wow! I played pool at The Doyle while I waited. I was nervous, yet excited when the stranger came to pick me up about 3:30 pm. A man walked into the bar and said, ¢Beatbox?¢ Crazy Pace didn¢t recognize me from my site photograph because I now have a massive beard. He was younger than I¢d expected (late 30¢s) and I was caught off guard when I heard my name called. We shook hands and then I followed him to his vehicle.As we left The Doyle, he pointed to his SUV, but I thought he was pointing at an old blue car. Two of the locals at the bar walked out and it looked like I was trying to break into their car. One of the men yelled, ¢Steal it if you want it!¢ With an embarrassed smile I apologized to them and joined Crazy Pace in his SUV. As we drove, we talked about the hike and the trail. Apparently Achilles had told Crazy Pace that I hurt my back and was off the trail. Maybe Achilles had been drinking again? I assured him I was very much on the trail and we joked throughout the ride home. I relayed my history, and one thing I mentioned was how I would rather have one nice drink with a cigar than ten beers. I¢m so glad I mentioned this; it would pay dividends later. Crazy Pace is an awesome ex-Marine, 39-years old, who loves to hike and loves hikers. Just before his house, we stopped at the trail to carry cold beer up to the shelter, but no one was up there. It was time to go to his home and meet his wife and daughter. Before we pulled into the driveway, I already knew I would my visit.Crazy Pace, Michele and Amanda were all so nice. I took a 20-minute shower, dabbed on a little Old Spice and slipped into clean clothes provided by Crazy Pace. I felt like a new man. Poor Michele, she took my nasty hiker duds for washing. At dinner, which by the way was delicious (thanks Michele!), I talked about home, hiking and related a plethora of stories about my trip. Then, upon request, I beatboxed for them. The look of shock and excitement on 7-year old Amanda¢s face was worth a million bucks. As I sang N¢Sync for her, I knew I¢d made a friend. Amanda is very precocious and proceeded to tell me that her friend is a ¢big liar.¢ As I sat there and we talked, I felt as though I had been adopted into a hiker family. It was incredible!After dinner, I talked more with Michele about college. She went to Penn State and teased me about U.of Maryland's mascot [a turtle!]. I explained that Terrapins are original. Then Amanda captured my attention. She showed me her "hip clips." Hip clips are little Walkman-type devices, but smaller. They play one song at a time that you put in them and play it through one headphone. They're like a 2" by 2" way of playing a single. She laughed as I "jammed out" to Destiny's Child and Madonna. Later, she performed her 'old woman' impression by pulling a shawl over her head and hobbling with her cane. I nearly died laughing. Amanda is so cute! The festivities finally ended as Crazy Pace came upstairs with two cigars and Grand Marnier....I could not believe it!We just relaxed, and I could have talked for hours. Crazy Pace is just a cool guy. I gave him as many tips about the trail as I have learned and encouraged him about thru-hiking one day. After our porch chat, I read some journals to him. He laughed a lot and told me I should write a book. We were both still smiling as he went to sleep and I crashed happily on the couch.I could never dream of a family welcoming me in this way. They are so sweet and I just felt like I connected with them so much. Tomorrow, I will go to church with them. Then Crazy Pace and I will day-hike the rocky 5-mile section out of Palmerton. Then, in the evening, I will spend more time with the family. I¢m so excited and so blessed! I will end with a poem to Todd (aka Crazy Pace), Michele and Amanda.Some people see hikers, drive faster and hideBut you drove an hour to give me a rideSome people smell hikers, run away and dodgeYou gave me a shower, let me sleep in your lodgePeople see us and think, ¢Oh for goodness sake!¢But you gave me salad, tortellini and steakYou¢ve made me a hiker, who¢s wearing a smileAnd I am so happy to join you for a whileFor 1,200 miles now, I¢ve taken time to roamAnd have not seen kindness like I¢ve seen in your home.Thank you, Beatbox ttt(Note: Doug and Nate also were awesome to let me in their home. Thanks, Guys!)