6/14/01
Thrill Bill promised us last night that he wasn't a snorer. He lied. Several times last night I was awakened by his eruptions of erratic clatter. This morning I announced to him that he indeed has a problem, to which he replied that his son has made a similar claim and refused to sleep in the same room as Bill. My goal was crystal clear this morning. Hike to the Green Mountain General Store and eat some ice cream.... 1.6 miles later I arrived at the store and searched for a half gallon of chocolate. Success! Though alone, I proudly paid for my prize and exited the store to the picnic table to begin the great ordeal. It was only 8:10 a.m., but I exuded great confidence in my ability to claim my trophy, despite the early hour. 48 minutes later the ice cream was gone and I beamed radiantly as a small hoard of thru-hikers came into view, heading my way. Soon I was congratulated by my counterparts for my grand accomplishment and officially welcomed as a lifetime member of the half-gallon club. The real challenge was hiking the next 12 miles after the gastronomic shock to my system. After all, how much acidophilus lactose dairy bacteriophilus stuff can the body really take? ? ? Somehow I managed to crank up the legs at 9:45 a.m. to begin a long uphill climb to the next ridgeline. Gypsy lagged behind me for about a mile, then went screaming past as I struggled to keep it in gear with the 5,000 fresh calories working their way through the digestive tract. Somehow I managed to catch up to Terry (ODB) and Lori from Seattle and they helped me find my way toward Boiling Springs.
By mid-afternoon the heat and humidity were nearly unbearable but I was in high spirits as the trail exited the ridgeline and led me through the PA farm country into the charming quaint town. The trail leads the hiker past the town lake, which is surrounded by residences and town buildings. Thru-hikers were congregating at the regional ATC office there, contemplating the extremely limited camping and housing options offered. All of us made the same decision to go to Mother Hen's Roost for the night. Mother Hen's Roost is actually a family residence in a modest middle class neighborhood. The family has opened their house to thru-hikers for many years. When I arrived with ODB, Lori, Whippersnapper and Peter Pan, the parents weren't home but the kids directed us to the back yard where we set up tents, then took turns with the shower to get cleaned up. I headed back to town to run some errands. When I walked back to Mother Hen's to hook up with my compatriots I learned that they had already made their way to the Boiling Springs Tavern for an early dinner and cocktails. Minutes later I joined them at the bar. Whippersnapper, Peter Pan, ODB and Lori were busy stuffing their faces and raving about the quality of the food. My half-gallon of ice cream was long gone, so I oohed and aahed as I poured over the extensive menu. Gazpacho soup and Maryland crab cakes were excellent choices and I savored every morsel as if it was the first time I had eaten in a week.
Soon Lori left the tavern to search for Angry Jack and Lollipop and Gypsy. The BIG news of the day was Angry Jack's marriage proposal to Lollipop. Soon Lori returned successfully with the two lovebirds and Gypsy, and we all toasted the newly engaged couple and wished them happiness and success. It's hard to image that they will be any happier than their time on the trail together but I'm betting they will have many more wilderness experiences since Angry Jack has spent his entire life in remote places in Alaska. Everyone left the tavern before dark, but Gypsy and I were determined to continue the halfway celebration in earnest. Though we didn't close the place down we enjoyed the ambiance and friendly atmosphere of the tavern until 11:00 p.m., then walked the dark quiet streets of Boiling Springs back to Mother Hen's Roost to get some sleep. What a grand day and evening it was on the AT. Today's stats: low 65, high 90. Sunny and hazy. Today's mileage; 12.2; cumulative mileage: 1.101.8.
