Saturday, 9/19

AT Miles = 0 / 2063.8
Other Miles = 0 /63.0
Total Miles = 0 / 2126.8

Miles to Katahdin = 114.5

I didn’t do much today, which is exactly what a zero day is all about.

I, along with Dioko and Rookie, went over to Shaw’s for breakfast. We
had called yesterday to let them know we would be coming. Shaw’s
serves an all-you-can-eat breakfast for $7.00. It starts with you
telling them whether you want 2, 3, or 4. This means 2 pancakes, 2
sausage links, 2 strips of bacon, 2 eggs, and homefries, or 3 of each,
etc… And that is just round one. After everyone gets served, they
start taking second orders. If one were a real glutton. one could have
8 pancakes, 8 eggs, etc. And the food was really excellent. I ended up
having 3 bluebery paancakes, 4 bacon, 2 sausage, 2 scrambled eggs, a
pile of homefries, and 2 glasses of orange juice.

After breakfast I went through the box of food Jodi had sent me and
combining it with what little I had left in my bag when I got here,
discovered all I needed to buy for the next and last leg of my hike
was some kind of snack to eat with my lunches. I also had a couple of
maps I am finished with so I took them to the post office and mailed
them home, then I went to the general store and bought a box of
“Chicken in a Biskit” crackers. I’m not sure I spelled that right. I
haven’t eaten those since I was a kid!

That was all the chores for the day. I spent the afternoon hanging out
in the pub behind the laundromat, eating, drinking martinis, and
chatting with other hikers. I spent quite a bit of time chatting with
Banjo and her boyfriend. Banjo thru-hiked last year and they were at
Katahdin climbing the mountain to commemorate the one year anniversary
of completing her thru-hike.

Later when I was back at the pub for dinner I chatted with Bison for
quite a while. It’s kind of strange because everyone is starting to
reminisce about their hike. Bison and I spent a long time comparing
notes on who we had hiked with previously that had gotten off the
trail for one reason or another. There are so many! The attrition rate
for thru-hikers is about 75%. We talked about how amazing it is that
we are actually still here. When I started this hike I knew the odds
were against me actually completing it, yet here I still am, after
many ups and downs (both literal and figurative). Of course, the hike
isn’t over yet. I still have over a hundred miles to walk, and
anything could happen.

Well, it’s off into the Hundred Mile Wilderness tomorrow.

—
~~~~~
Allen F. Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com