Day 41-Trail Days

Having trouble sleeping; could it be that there are 20+ tents around me in a lawn instead of the woods, the fact that I am near the porter potty and everyone keeps letting the door slam, a girl has been giggling for the past hour straight (either very high or she giggles in her sleep: how is there that much funniness going on right now?!-it's 4:15am and no one else seems to be interacting), I have to pee but don't want to get out of my tent because I can't just pop a squat, or the fact that Lynn left and it sucks...If you are an owner of a dog on the trail, two things should be common sense: we don't want your dog between us and our stove when we are trying to eat, and it's not cool to tie your dog next to tents and have him complaining and whimpering at 7am when I clearly don't want to be up that early. Ran into Prince Charming Dave this morning, he rolled into our tent spot late last night with Remedy and Spitfire-what a small world (we camped with them on top of the bald when I spilled my breakfast in my tent.) Korey and I headed to Blue Blaze for breakfast and sat with ManBear. It took about 45 minutes to just order; I swear these restarunts seem surprised how many people are here, and the lack of workers. There were two women taking orders; or should I say lacking taking orders, they walk by with blinders on. After Wild Child joined us; Spider showed up and he asked the waitress what she recommends, she replied, "oh. I don't eat here." So I was like ok, so where do you eat? And she was like "not here." I'm like thanks broad; I'm about to eat here and your working here and saying you won't eat here, you could at least lie to me. I ordered scrambled eggs and two banana honey pancakes-it was ok, nothing spectacular or horrible but all I could think of was that lovely scene in Road Trip where he orders French toast without powder sugar and sends it back and the cook in the back licks it, sticks his fingers in it, puts it down the back of his pants and then serves it back to him. AWESOME. It took forever to pay as well-it's like they don't know what's going on. After, we hit up the outfitter so Korey could get new pants. The ones he bought yesterday the button broke off. I got a text photo from Lynn of her nails so I sent her one too! After being in the woods squatting, the outfitter thinks you should throne it. Two step style. We went to get our photos taken for the year book and the photographer said I was so cute, it was a woman; but I'll take it! Gotta love the rules at some places...I've washed a good part of myself in a sink, I've washed my socks in a sink, but I have not peed on the walls! Walking around the vendors is always fun, I got free Cliff bars, bought two organic energy bars that have some great natural calories in them, some free pins, and a hand-crafted polyurethane acorn necklace. Tested out some hammocks with Rocky...they are comfy! He bought one, not sure where he will hang it in his truck?! Met Awol and got a photo with him, as well as marking my progress on his book pages on the wall. And of course I ran into Chuck...from Laughing Heart; the second photo he told Korey to just say he is still taking the photo (so he could continue side hugging me.) Damn Chuck Norris. Korey made me eat a fried Oreo, and it was pretty good. We ran into JD and Little Man (who bought all kinds of lovely neon thrift shop attire.) The sky then got dark, the band stopped, the wind and the rain set in, and then everyone closed up-and the rain came. It turned into a somber ghost town so we headed to Pork Belly Cafe for a burger, macaroni and cheese, and a Shocktop. By then the rain cleared, the people came out of hibernation and the day continued on. I was informed I was complaining too much (this morning), I'm sorry folks, it happens sometimes please forgive me. We hung out at tent city with Korey, Alpine (Nick), Moose, Whiskey, Black Beard, ManBear and some others and saw what's goin on out there, basically bedding in poison ivy. There was word of a free chili dinner so we walked back to get our pots and spoons and put on some warmer clothes. By the time we made it back they were out of chili but I was able to get 2 hotdogs and a banana. It started to rain again so we made our way back into the woods and hung out under some hammock tarps with Refugee, Littleman, Persistence, WildChild, Pigpen, and a couple others. The temperature is dropping and the rain is falling so we opted on live music in the ministry to stay dry and listen to some local talent! Once the group went on break; we decided to get some food at Hey Joe's. After listening to some more live music for a half hour or so, it was then we figured out that they were out of food. We headed back towards the vendors and heard live music at the pavilion. With one place open for food, we got a BBQ pork sandwich and enjoyed some music there as well. While talking with a guy who just got into Damascus; he said he did 40 miles, and it was snowing in the mountains. Tomorrow is his month anniversary of his start date! He wore a Bruins hat which made me smile, he's from Boston!

"You can't always get what you want 
But if you try sometimes well you just might find-
You get what you need."