++ Trail Days Detour ++
Day: 31->35
05/15/96 3:40 pm

Got a cab coming to take us (that is me, Waldo, J Hiker and Wooden Nickel) to Hot Springs in a few hours. That will hopefully put us in a possition to get to Damascus for Trail Days this weekemd. I hope all this trouble is worth it, but I would not have gotten too far this morning since it was raining until about 10am. I also need time for my heals to heal so it was a good time to take a few days off.

05/16/96 12:01 am

Well the cab never came. At about 7pm Moma said that she would take us after she closed at 8pm. We even stopped at Pizza Hut and stuffed our faces full before heading to Hot Springs.

Once at H.S. we had problems finding a place to stay. One place the office was closed and two others were full. Ended up just pitching camp at the campground.

Then a few minutes ago, Waldo came with the wonderfull news that he has a ride for us to Damascus! Thank G-d this wingdind has not been for nothing!!!

All in all an intresting day.

05/17/96 3:17 am

Round two: Woke up at the campground, took a shower and packed. Tried to pay, but the office was closed, just left (since they did not know we were even there it seemed ok).

Ate breakfast, well more like lunch, good food. Then Waldo and I tried to get out mail, but it was noon and it was closed for lunch. We all ended up going to Wingfoots. We spent quit some time with hm, thhe rest of the day actually. Great man and he has quite a vision for the Center too. We talked on all matters of subjects. He is quit intrested in what Waldo and I are doing with computers and he hopes to have an internet sight soon (and asked Waldo to help out with this).

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We all went out to dinner, and Waldo and I got our mail.

We talked some more.

We went back to Wingfoot.s place and more talk and beer. Finally Waldo got hold of his freinds and they had the name all wrong, they were looking for someone named .sugar root. wich they could not find. Connection was made at about 9pm (they arrived at 6pm) and we headed off to Damascus. It was a rough ride with fog complicating the trip. What should have taken 2-3 hours took 4-5 hours. But we are here now. Se .... (blew my flashlight bulb...to be cont)....

05/17/96 9:29 am

Almost got car sick on the way here, guess going from 2.5 mph to 65 mph just got to me, especially on the winding roads out of Hot Springs.

Good nights sleep, but it looksa like it is going to rain today. Hope not.

05/17/96 3:37 pm

Forgot to mention, when at Wingfoot's, we had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Lawson, who.s parents are burried near the Deer Parm Mountain Shelter. They were hoimesteaders way back when, and she lived there for a number of years before moving into Hot Springs. She is now 89 years old and would like it if we checked on the graves for her. Waldo is even going to take a digital picture to show her.

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Now for today, so far all I have done is get my water filter fixxed by Pur. They were great! They found out about the problem with their filter a few months after I bought it and had a kit to replace the handle with a non-hollow type, and then also updated my pre-filter for me and cleaned and greased my filter... All for FREE! Thats what I call a good company.

Also went to Mt Rodger's Outfitters and showed them my heal problem. They told me, and proved to me, that my socks were worn out. I bought new Thorlo Trekking Crew socks (TKX-13 shoe size men.s 8.5 -> 12.5 for $12.80). Was told my Wooden Nickel latter that they are ½ price tomarrow, I might have to return them and rebuy them if that is the case!

Started to go through my mail. Keith sent the Gore-Tex treakment I asked for along with a letter and buble tape (with the note .Hey Dan, Want some buble tape? Hay, I could have sent a Pemmican Bar. Maybe I will. HEH HEH HEH!.)

Other than that, not much going on yet, the real fun is tomarrow (I hope). It is sunny and HOT!

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05/17/96 9:45 pm

Just saw Warren Doyle.s .Appalachian Trail Slide Show. and it made me realize that I am hikiing the trail wrong. I have been concentrating on equipment and mileage, not emotions. I need to get away from the how, and get into the why. I realy need to work on this not only in my logs, but in my minute to minute thinking about this whole experiance. This is a revelation, and I hope I do not forget this lesson from one of the masters of the trail.

05/18/96 11:20 am

Woke up pretty early considering the drum concert last light. Took a free shower then off to the pancake breakfast and then took care of writing letters and mailing stuff. Had a big proiblem with my ship ahead box, some ants found it perfect for a new nest. What a mess.

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Now I am in the laundromat doing cloths and my sleeping bag. Hope it lives through it.

Still thinking about what Warren said last night. I hope I will start looking at it from an emotional standpoint, and I think I have a new view of things so far today.

Should be intresting latter with the hikers prade and tonight.s talent show.

05/18/96 11:50 am

Got a ride for me and Waldo back to Mt. Moma.s. I need to see .The Cernel. (SP) also know as 'Boomerang' at 'The Place'. He is leaving at 10am on Sunday.

05/18/96 4:49 pm

Well I did get into the thru hiker's prade. What a GREAT time. It was EVERYTHING crazy I wanted to do in marching band during a prade but couldn't. Waterbloons, waterguns, smokebombs and walking, not marching, were the norm for the day.

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Then I was abble to meet two more trail ledgens. I was able to talk to Ed Garvey, who wrote the frist book about the AT I read, .Appalatian Hiker II., and also Larry Luxemburg (?) who wrote the .Appalacian Stories. book wich I read in preperation for this hike.

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Also got a kick over the celibration in the park. It reminds me of Canal Days back in Ohio, but with better music. Also got me a funnel cake.

Soon the hiker talent show. It should be INTRESTING!

05/19/96 12:13 am

Well the hiker talent show did not disapoint. The acts included: singing, matial arts, digery do.s (Austrailian instrement), Moth harps, harrmonicas, comidiansa, jugglers, and poetry. Iron Phill own first place and got a backpack, Waldo, who juggled fire, came in 13th wich was a rip off. It waxs fun with only one act, a singer, going over the gray area line.

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It is a number of hours latter, and the natives are restless once again (The drumming from last night is going on once again, but further away this time!)

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Waldo turned down the ride I found, but I will be leaving tomarrrow to Mt. Momma's once again. Must go to sleep now, since I have to be ready to go by 10.

Funny thing is I will be riding with a girl that I do like to be with and talk to (but I can.t remember her trail name for the life of me even though she has told me 4 or 5 times now). I saw her yesterday at 'the palce' after meeting one time at Fontana, I think, and I asked her if she would like to walk with me to the free food. She did not know that we needed plates so I lent her one half of my cook kit. Well after that, and then the coincidents today, the Kansas brothers are giving me a hard time about .the only one getting luckey on the trail. but they mean it all in fun. Oh, we did go for ice cream after the talent show though so maybe I am starting to have feelings for her.

05/19/96 10:16 am

Waiting for my ride here at .The Place., and just decided to start typing. This side trip was definitly worth the effort that it took to get here! I hope to come back next year, but finishing the trail will probably be more important.

This is a good hostel, and I look forward to staying here and seeing Damascus once again.

Now back to Mt. Moma's

05/19/96 9:24 pm

Well old 'boomerang' got me here as promised, even if we left a little latter than planned. To add to my last entry, the woman.s trail name is 'Break-a-way'.

Took a 'swim' in the Pigeon River, G-d it was cold, but since it was 90, it felt great. Guess I will be doing that more often in the months to come.

Missed the grill, so no cheeseburger. Ended up eating canned shrimp and crackers. Never saw caned shrip before, but it was pretty good, but right now probably cat food would taste ok.

Here now with 5 thru hikers (including Bert and Ernie, who are brothers and a load of fun) and 2 hikers that just got on the trail but intend to go to Maine (one called .Traveling Man. is belived to have just gotten out of jail, and is querky, but ok).

I was asked if Trail Days was worth it, and for the most part it was, but will I be able to hike after 5 days off? Only tomarrow will tell.





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