[at-l] Wanchor Report

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

Jon called Thursday from some state park (he often doesn't know exactly wher=
e=20
he is; he just keeps following the blazes).  (I could guess from the map, bu=
t=20
does it really matter?) =A0That call was mostly logistical. =A0Although he w=
as=20
very careful how he put it, I had sent the heavy rain pants when he wanted=20
the lightweight rain pants. =A0He said the heavy ones were fine through the=20
Whites, but would I please send an additional package (unscheduled) to=20
Andover, Maine, with the lighter rain pants and the zip-neck long-sleeve=20
shirt he just sent back. =A0So, it was home to throw the shirt in the washin=
g=20
machine and a dig to find the lightweight rain pants. =A0Luckily, this was a=
n=20
easier task than the weekend hunt for the water filter. =A0Let's just say Jo=
n=20
and I share the packrat gene.

Today Jon called at noon from Mt. Washington, New Hampshire. =A0I immediatel=
y=20
hit the website for the Mt. Washington webcam to see if I could see Jon when=
=20
he came out, but it was so socked in up there I couldn't tell if the ghostly=
=20
forms were people or shrouded aliens. =A0The temperatue was 53 with a 25 mph=
=20
wind.

The last few days for Jon have been proof of the "small world" theory. =A0At=
=20
Zealand hut he met David "Wildman" Cook, a 62-year-old northbounder who=20
started his hike March 18. =A0David is from Winter Park, FL, about 9 miles f=
rom=20
us. =A0Jon says David is a much faster hiker than Jon, but David hikes much=20
shorter days. =A0Jon ran into him again at the Mizpah (sp?), where David pai=
d=20
for his stay by giving a backpacking talk to the paying guests.

Jon left earlier than David this morning and was hoping that David would hav=
e=20
found Jon's yellow hat which he left at Mizpah--and would maybe be carrying=20
the hat when he catches up with Jon. =A0=A0Yes, this is the replacement hat=20=
Jon=20
had to buy back in PA.  Someday the Eco Police are gonna arrest that man for=
=20
littering the trail with his lost stuff.

Back a couple of days ago, Jon had stopped near a spring on the Kinsman ridg=
e=20
for his short noon nap. =A0=A0=A0As he awoke, a southbounder named Linguini=20=
(sp)=20
hiked up. =A0As they introduced each other, Linguini said, "I've been lookin=
g=20
for you!" =A0Turns out Linguini is a friend of Mix Stix, a fellow southbound=
er=20
of Jon's back in '95. =A0Last year Linguini was doing the Long Trail and hel=
ped=20
out Mix Stix's girlfriend when she had some problems on the trail.  Linguini=
=20
even drove her back home--and that's when he met Mix Stix.

At home my arm and shoulder still hurt. =A0MAYBE my neck is a tad better, bu=
t I=20
have to squint to see the improvement. =A0However, I am back at work 8 hours=
 a=20
day--it's that or burn up all my leave time waiting around for the pain shot=
s=20
to kick in or to get surgery. =A0In light of the 8-hours-a-day at work, I've=
=20
decided to burn up some of that saved leave time by going to Maine anyway.=20
=A0Jon says we can stay in more motels if tenting proves too uncomfortable.=20
=A0I've saved the pain pills, so I can break some in half and get knocked ou=
t=20
if necessary. =A0If worse comes to worse, we'll just come home early. =A0But=
 no=20
backpacking--the idea of anything on my shoulder makes me shudder. =A0I ough=
t=20
to feel guilty about taking leave for fun when I'm probably going to have to=
=20
take leave for surgery, and I do feel somewhat guilty--but not enough to sto=
p=20
me from going. Somehow, the office will cope. =A0Life is too short to spend=20=
it=20
all doing what I "ought" to do.

Joan




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