July
3, 1981 Friday From Gonzo!s Appalachian
Trail journal
Tried out my new Silverstone sauté pan this morning by
making pancakes . Oiled it up good first as it recommended, then blasted
away making pancakes. They were working stupendously! Just let ‘em
cook on one side for a while, give the pan a little jiggle and the
pancake would unfasten itself from the pan!
I heard
that the Post Office closed at noon as the morning was about to
become afternoon, so I made a quick trip to check for mail. Sure
enough, it was going to, but I made it there in time. I received
a post card from Amy in Carbondale. She thought maybe I was homesick,
so she sent a post card of Neely Tower with a little bit of Boomer
and Trueblood Hall shown on it also. She wrote that she had been
to Devils Kitchen last Friday, and that there was a big party planned
for the fourth. After the PO, Chuck, (who had arrived with Bruce
and Pat) and I stopped at the Virginian Restaurant and a drug store.
After a little while there, we headed for the Laundromat where I
did my wash, a little of his and a little of Bruce’s. On the
way back, while passing near the Pizza Hut, I noticed a Bronco with
several people standing around it and apparently getting into the
vehicle. I ran because I figured it was Bob’s parents and I
wanted a ride. Actually I didn’t know whether they were just
getting there, or if they were just leaving. Luckily, they had just
finished. We all crammed in and were driven to the hospice. I later
walked back down to the bus station to see about a bus out of Pearisburg
to Charleston. The cost was about $80 and 2.5 days via Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania. On the return trip to the hospice at about 2:20pm,
I stopped at the Pizza Hut and asked if there was any extra Pizza
since I had learned that they occasionally give the leftovers to
the hikers after the lunch buffet time had expired. I received
a whole mushroom, green pepper and onion, T & C (thick and Chewy?)
pizza. Even though I usually do not eat green peppers, I ate some
and brought the rest to the hospice for anyone else. There were
only a few takers, so I filled up for free! Laid around all afternoon
until later, when Larry fixed Uncle Bens rice with turkey and invited
me to eat with him. Very delicious.
I took a few photos of the mountains behind “the Barn”,
and once again began debating whether to quit or go on. The things
involved in my debate are: keeping up with someone, hiking or not
hiking with someone, amount of food eaten, constant thought of food,
impatientness to get to the next camp spot, sore back, sore back
of heals & side of right foot. My father’s vacation is
coming up soon and Mom was wondering whether I wanted to be picked
up or not. I will let her know. If I’m OK I think I would like
to keep going. (This statement seems to put the reason for what
was to come upon my physical condition at the time more than any
of the other items stated.) I sat around a fire someone had built
outside for a while before going to bed.
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