[at-l] Wanchor Report

[Bluetrail@aol.com (Bluetrail@aol.com)]

Jon called tonight from Waynesboro, VA. =A0He was happy to report he was=20
sharing the "upscale" (for us) motel room with a hiker named David ("207"),=20=
a=20
young ultralight backpacker from Philadelphia. =A0Jon says 207 is a great gu=
y,=20
and also that it was great to split the cost of the room! =A0Jon and 207 hav=
e=20
been keeping about the same pace, low 20's mileage, and have run into each=20
other several times.

Jon had tried to get a haircut and made it to the barber shop 3 minutes=20
before closing, but neither barber would stay long enough to cut his hair.=20
=A0This perturbed Jon as he said he has so little hair he takes half the tim=
e=20
of a normal haircut anyway.
Jon has some ability to walk in after five days on the trail and still look=20
extremely pulled together and presentable (if you don't get close enough to=20
smell him). =A0Part of the reason may be his frequent haircuts, but at any=20
rate, he always has that kind of military air about him; I, on the other=20
hand, can look dissheveled in the time it takes to get from the bathroom=20
vanity to the car. =A0

He noted that the town of Waynesboro, at least the part readily accessible t=
o=20
hikers, seems to have more and more stores closed. =A0He mentioned that the=20
Kroger was very nice, nicer than Kroger stores he remembered. Dinner tonight=
=20
(split with 207) was a roasted chicken from their deli, a loaf of bread, and=
=20
a 24 oz. beer.  At least he said he bought a package of carrots to eat the=20
next few days.=A0

Most of our conversation covered Hiker Logistics Supply Command=20
chores--changes of maildrop addresses, info I had to pass on to him about=20
friends he's supposed to meet in the next two or three weeks, and other such=
=20
dry topics. =A0

I did whine to him about the mistake I made when I decided to paint the=20
family room this week. =A0I don't know what possessed me to think I should "=
go=20
Carribbean" (sp?), but that's what struck me on the way to Home Depot. =A0Wh=
en=20
I got there, I chickened out somewhat and ended up with a very pale aqua wit=
h=20
crisp white trim. =A0Unfortunately, it looks like we're walking around in a=20
bowl of after dinner mints. =A0Even 15-year-old Greg said, "Mom, you don't h=
ave=20
anything Carribbean in here; it's all outdoorsy looking stuff." =A0He sugges=
ted=20
I move a hand-tinted photo of turtles Jon bought me into the family room, an=
d=20
Greg's right; the photo does at least have the right colors. =A0Jon tried to=
=20
console me by saying, "If you picked it out, I'm sure it's great." =A0Wonder=
 if=20
he'll still be saying that when he actually sees the family room.

I forgot to mention that back in Damascus, he succumbed to comfort in the=20
battle of comfort vs. weight. =A0He sent me back his very tired Z-rest (clos=
ed=20
cell foam) sleeping pad and bought himself a 3/4 length Thermarest. =A0He sa=
ys=20
it's worth every ounce because he's sleeping so much better. =A0He noted tha=
t=20
the Z-rest made a better seat and kneeling pad, but he's really happy to be=20
sleeping better.

Incidentally, after the spilled Gatorade incident a while back the very kind=
=20
Gary Buffington (Bear Bag '00) sent a Hiker Logistics Supply Command Hq a=20
supply of Conquest, the sports drink he invented.  Gary said he needed it=20
tested by a "professional hiker."

Back to packing the boxes,
Joan





=A0




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