Day 119 – Hiker Nearly Dies At McDonalds

Ok nobody died, or even came close, but somebody did pass out cold. I’ll circle back to that in a moment.

As it turns out, sleeping on the floor of a motel is no different than sleeping in the ground. You toss and turn just as much on your sleeping pad and sleeping bag. Avoiding huge swarms of mosquitoes when you get up to pee however… priceless.

I got up with everyone else around 8AM. The first order of business was getting food from McDonalds. My order you ask? Well I had the Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddle with hash browns, a coffee shake and an Icee. Also to get an additional 8$ off on the McDonald app, I needed another item. A bakers dozen of chocolate chip cookies for the whole crew it was (spending to save).

Just as everyone was about to dig in, it happened. The individual slid from their chair and fell back onto the ground (head slamming onto the floor). Their identity will remain anonymous to protect their dignity, their delicate sensibilities, and because HIPAA might apply as well.

They came to, slightly confused but alert and oriented to person, place and time. Paramedics were called but luckily there was a Witch Doctor there on the scene. The most likely cause of the vasovagal syncopal episode, was related to the devils lettuce they were smoking no more than 20 minutes prior. All vitals checked were normal and an ambulance ride to the ER was declined.

After some food and beverage the individual was right as rain. It was a scary situation for a moment but the tension was broken by the McDonalds employees. I guess nobody knew I had ordered cookies for the group, and when they brought the cookies to our table, everyone thought they were a gift for the person who passed out.

Random Thought of the Day:

Don’t smoke too much weed and pass out at home. Smoke too much week and pass out in a public venue…be a man!

After all the hubbub, we all went back to the travelodge to chill. I got some more cuddle time with Stanley (Hatchers Dog). The majority of the group was going to zero in town but I had plans to put up some miles today. I got vortex’d into staying for a few more hours but eventually got a ride with Hank, the shuttle driver extraordinaire.

He got me back to trail around 2PM. With the late start I had a few options for camping but I decided I’d just see how things went. There were more mosquitoes again and I donned my bug net for protection. After a few miles of flats, there was a manageable climb of about 1000 feet. I stopped in at a shelter to sign the logbook and ran into Ruby. I last saw him in Duncannon, PA so it was nice to catch up.

With a few more miles left in me, I decided to camp at the Benedict Pond. I got in just as the sun went down around 8:30PM. This is the first week I’ve noticed the days getting shorter. The app says it’s for day use only, but what does day use really even mean? Friday is a day (all day even)!

And what a pond it is. Numerous campsites with picnic tables and fire pits. Bathrooms with flush toilets and an area in the pond for swimming. The swimming I’ll check out in the morning. Im tucked into my cozy camp spot for the night. It’s bringing me back to camping with my family at Burney Falls, CA. I was probably only 10 or 11 years old at the time. I remember being excited to sleep in my own tent for the first time. Now if only I can find a boat to round out the whole nostalgic memory.

I have zero plans for the for the morning yet. Night y’all.

Stow away in my pack for day 120 of the Appalachian Trail.