[at-l] Ready's Journal August 3 TD 50

[kahley7@ptd.net (kahley)]

Ready and Spur do a Datto Day!


We awakened sometime just past 7:00 AM, eager for pancakes,
but also enjoying the chance to sleep in a bit late on this low
mileage day that we were about to start.
We got to the cabin just past 8 to learn that the pancake feast
was over and done, we'd have to wait till tomorrow if we wanted
pancakes. We were disappointed but settled for oatmeal and
good conversation with JackRabbit and Isis, instead of pancakes.
Everyone else had set off up or down the trail by now.
Jackrabbit continued to feel poorly and they were planning to go
into town to get some medical advice. Joanne the caretaker would
drive them to the emergency room.
After they all left, Spur and I had the place completely to ourselves.
We pulled a "Datto day" - we took a nap! After, we headed for the
pond for a short swim.
We decided in the meantime to turn this day into a 0 day, and start
out tomorrow. I suspect that each of us was eager to hear the news
about Jackrabbit.
Several weekend hikers, along with Lollipop and Angry Jack and Tanya,
a hiker from Russia arrived during the afternoon. Tanya's pack was
easily the largest I'd ever witnessed. Placed on the floor, It reached
my rib cage and its girth was enormous! Our conservative estimate
placed it a 70 pounds.
She was carrying a 4-person tent and enough food for two people
for 3 weeks! Her partner had apparently quit and left her with all the gear!
During the late afternoon, folks started arriving in droves. I couldn't
possibly name them all, but will attempt to relate as many as I can.
Two pairs of hikers, one south- and the other north-bound (Mr Magoo
& Lisa and Featherweight & Lightfoot, respectively) are each being
sponsored by GoLite Gear. We tried to give Lisa the trailname,
  "Dancer" due to her graceful and lithe appearance, but she resisted
the name. Too bad: it suited her well!
Joe, a weight trainer/body builder with sciatica, gave me an impassioned
speech about the merits and howto's of an ambitious stretching regimen.
(I've been doing these from the minute he showed them to me until now,
and they seem to be really helpful!)
Packasandra was there too. The more time I spend with her, the more
I like her, and I liked her from the start! She is an up front, kind and 
gentle
spirit who seems to really be enjoying her hike. I sense that it is a true
quest for her.
Mark Rebuck, still trailnameless, had come in sometime during the early
evening, along with Honey and Moon. Mark is the male version of the
  "unsinkable Molly Brown." Maybe there's a trailname for him!
The "energy" at the Cabin tonight was purely magical. What a collection
of amazing folks! Joanne the caretaker had her hands full trying to make
everyone comfortable and accounted for. Her loveable dog, Mookie
(a chocolate lab/pit bull mix), was busy greeting everyone too, but
seemed to be taking it all in good stride.
Jackrabbit returned with reports that her illness is likely to be early
stage Lyme Disease and that she'd been given antibiotics. She told
us how Mother Hen had again come to the aid of hikers.
Mother Hen had learned about their plans from the Flash and had
driven to the emergency room to meet and stay with them. She then
shuttled them around to the drugstore and grocery store before getting
them back to the road nearest the cabin, where they walked in the last
1/2 mile. We were so relieved to know that JackRabbit would be fine.
We journaled some and tried to soak up some of the great vibes
chatting with everyone. We also managed to snag a futon mattress
and set it up near an open window for lots of fresh air. We would
sleep well tonight. Last night's hard tent platform had made for a
restless sleep for me. Tonight should be better.


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