Brrrrr

Misery, VA There actually is (or was until it was divided up to adjoining townships in 1989) a place called Misery Gore in Maine; I don’t know if there is actually a place called Misery in Virginia. But today that should be the name of  the Bland area: right now it’s windy, raining, 39 degrees and the temperature is dropping. Luckily a trail friend and I got the last room at the Big Walker Motel. We might slack pack tomorrow but – one shuttle driver has a flat tire and he doesn’t know when he can get it fixed; the other says he’s too booked up. So I may have a zero tomorrow. And that’s OK; my feet are sore and miserable and it will feel good to rest them. Though my new trail runners arrived from Zappos. That should help.  

Boomer report Boomer got shit faced the other day. No, alcohol was not involved.  He’s under age. But a fresh cow patty did the trick as we hiked through a field.  

Gear report My Gossamer Gear backpack developed a critical tear. The company sent me a replacement. My husband was supposed to send me my smaller waist belt. Instead he mailed me my camera holster- of absolutely no use on the trail. 

I finally found my missing hat and rain pants. Yay! They were in the bottom of my pack underneath the trash compactor bag pack liner. 

Chutzpah That’s the Yiddish word for nerve or gall. I stayed in a shelter a few days ago because I was sore and exhausted and too lazy to to set up my tent. Yes, I know, dumb move.  Because two of my shelter mates were even lazier. First, they said “We prefer our tent but it might rain.” So I asked, “Does your tent leak?” They said , “No, but we hate to get it wet.” Hmmm – why have a tent then? Anyway, at about 8:30 pm I was lying cozily in my sleeping bag when these same two numbnuts hung their bag of food from a nail above my head.  Are you freaking kidding me?!! I told them in no uncertain terms to go hang their bear bag properly. “But no one ever made us do that before,” they whined. It was actually the very first time on their NOBO hike that they hung their bear bags. As my friend Dan I. says, they are Darwin Award candidates. 

Interesting feedback on my blog. I received an email from an investigator in Boone, NC. Someone called her after reading my blog post about the strange man who had inadequate gear and claimed to be out of food and didn’t know where he was.  It turns out that they have a missing person case. My person was the wrong age and build, definitely not her case.  But she sent me the flyer in case anyone sees the person she is looking for: James Martin Roberts, age 19, white make, 5′ 10″, 145 lbs., and a tattoo of three mountains on left forearm. 

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Comments 2

  • BunnyHikes : May 5th

    Boomer shit faced! hahahahaha!

    Enjoy your zero! You’re earned it 🙂

    Reply
  • Daniel : May 8th

    Hi Mom. Happy mother’s day! I love reading your blog! Hope you have a good day out on the trail. Amy and I wanted to send you something but we weren’t sure where you were going to be. Give Boom the show boat a pat for us.

    Reply

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