Thank You, Thank You!

I’m Back!

I want to thank all of you for being so patient with me! My apologies for leaving you hanging, but I’m keeping my word (get it?) and continuing my blog! We left off in Pennsylvania so lets start back up there!

Congratulations!

Freebird, Dori, Centaur, and myself awake at Windsor Furnace Shelter. Normally I’m in no rush to break camp (why rush your extended vacation?) but today is different. Today is the day that Centaur finishes his flip flop! We are all excited for him, and a little sad that our friend is leaving us. We hike the short, flat, 5 miles into Port Clinton where his mother picks us up and takes us all out for lunch at Cracker Barrel. Afterwards she drops us off at the local Walmart where we grab a few staple items before Freebird’s uncle comes to pick us up for a visit.

A home away from home!

We have a lovely time with them in their cozy home with their loving pets. They set us each up in our own private rooms to sleep in which is a luxury in hiker-land where you are almost always sleeping next to someone, (unless you opt for your tent.) We spend the next day at a shopping mall, which is culture shock when you haven’t been in a crowd for months. We get to enjoy an early thanksgiving dinner with the family and eventually make our way back towards the town. I have a package that is supposed to be at the post office which is closed when we get there. We make our way down the road to 3 C’s diner to eat some food and kill some time.

Buck.

Once the post office opens I am disappointed to find that my package has not arrived. I am able to send home my shakedown though so not all is lost. Before leaving town, Freebird and I stop at the Barber shop for a free cuppa joe and a cookie. Its full of older fella’s listening to some sweet blues music. I use the restroom before we leave and there’s naughty cartoons on the wall hehe. There’s a nice big climb out of town to warm up my muscles after not hiking for 3 days. I meet a gal named Skootch. She’s big into politics so she pushes on to the next town to catch the debate. Its a full shelter tonight! In the morning, after a nice conversation with Poindexter, I’m packing up the last of my camp when a buck walks gracefully passed the shelter. He must not have seen me lurking in the shadows! Its a peaceful, beautiful moment.

An angel from Colorado!

I take my lunch break on a log not far from a road. As I’m eating this beautiful pupper comes up to me to say hello! His human comes over and exclaims, “Wow! you’re Beautiful!!” She’s a tall, gorgeous, redhead that is just beaming with light and love. She asks if she can sit with me and we talk about what its like to long distance hike. After a bit we decide to hike together until she has to turn back to her car. We take a break after about 3 miles and I decide to take a picture of the scenery, when I realize that I left my phone at my lunch spot! I tell her its no biggie, and that I’ll just drop my pack, hike back to my phone, and hike back. She says, “That’s silly! Its getting dark out..” She offers to let me stay the night at her house and I accept. She brings me to a beautiful acreage where she sets me up in my own room with a waterbed! I take a bath in the luxurious bathtub made for tall people! We have such a great time together. She is one of those people you feel as if you have known your entire life. We eat pizza, drink home made beers, play mario kart, watch funny movies, and color. I end up staying the following night as well because its raining (but mostly because she is so cool and I don’t want to leave!) Eventually I must continue my journey though, and after heartfelt goodbyes I venture on.