The Way You Look Tonight:
Prelude
100.9 miles. We'd made it to the fire tower atop Mt. Albert. I had just walked 100 miles. 100 MILES. Before doing it I wouldn't even have been able to comprehend what walking 100 miles means. Certainly the farthest I'd ever walked in my life and the snow had made it less than ideal conditions for most of that. I was at the top of this mountain with Mike, Jan, and Gator. We were celebrating our first 100 trying not to think about the 2,100 we still had to go. Somewhere in the merriment we all decided we go down to Franklin and rent a motel room together in order to hang out for the trail festival happening the next day. We busted out the last 7 miles and I thumbed us a minivan who cracked a beer for each of us and let us out at the Sapphire motel (or something to that effect). The festival wasn't until the next day so we mostly just chilled out. Found ourselves a free breakfast at a church doing trail magic for hikers. They serve breakfast every morning, they alter between having bacon and pancakes one day, and then pancakes and bacon the next. As much as you can eat and at that point in your hike you can already eat more than the average few people put together. Anyways, all this info isn't important to the story. What is important, and what this prelude is about is 2pack. I'd met 2pack before around the trail. She was rolling with Goatman and Headstand at the time. But me and 2pack really bonded at that Franklin trail days. She made such a large impression on my drunk self that night that I'd considered pink blazing (following a girl on trail) for her. She was incredible. The things she'd done, the attitude she had about life, all of it was flabbergasting to me. I just hadn't met that many amazing people at this point in my life and it was a little shocking at how cool she was. So long story short we hit it off really well that night. Really really well. But I hiked out the next day, and she stayed for another night. Like I said, I'd considered staying another night and hiking out with her, but I decided to move on instead hoping they would catch up to me in the days to come.
The actual story
Crazy Frogg!!! It's time to get going!! We gotta get started early, we've got a good little ways to go.
Crazy Frogg stirred somewhere deep down in her sleeping bag. We'd stayed the night at her friends mansion which was somehow really conveniently located right between 3 ridges and the Priest. It was an incredible place, but today was the day to go to the real trail days . The trail days in Damascus, Virginia. Her friends gave us a ride about half an hour to the highway that'd take us South and dropped us off there with farewell hugs. It didn't take long for me and her to get kicked out of that gas station for soliciting rides. So we walked across the highway to the gas station on the other side and started asking for rides. All we were getting were tons of nos, when a truck we'd already asked pulled back up in front of us. He said he'd thought about it and we could just sit in the back of the truck with all his luggage if we'd like. Well of course we didn't care so that's what we did. We rode in the back of his truck for 2-3 hours all the way down to our cutoff to Damascus. The whole while me and Crazy Frogg talked excitedly about all the old friends we were going to see at trail days. I mean that's the only reason we were going back was to see all the hikers we loved and missed. We weren't exactly sure who would be there but doubtless we would be seeing tons of people we'd met along the way. Especially since plenty of people were doing the same thing we were, they were all hitching back down to trail days from wherever they happened to be on trail. We finally hopped down out of the truck a little more sun burnt than when we'd gotten in. Snapped a quick photo with the guy who'd given us a ride and then we hit up the next gas station to get to Damascus. It took a total of 2 minutes before we found someone willing to give us a ride in the back of their truck all the way to Damascus. It was easy as that. This had been one of the easiest hitching days ever.
Coming back into Damascus was, I imagine, like being an actor at the Oscars. You're all famous and everyone knows each other. That's exactly how it was because everyone loves the hikers and we all knew each other. Or if we didn't know someone we'd heard about them somewhere on trail. Anyways, this is the place where all hikers come to unite once a year and it is a sight to see. I swear you will never ever see anything like it anytime in your life. It's crazy. Watching all the reunions with people who thought they'd never see each other again. Having all those reunions yourself. One of the first people I saw there was Stretch, a girl I'd met one of my first days of trail, but hadn't seen since. And that kept happening and happening and you'd just see people you never thought you'd see again over and over again. It was emotionally exhausting! So many greetings to friends you respect more than anyone in the world. It was an incredible feeling.
But let's get to the point about all this. Maybe one day I'll write about trail days and the thing that it is, but I am not ready to tackle that beast today. So let's just get to the point. Tent city is the place where all the hikers pitch their tents to stay for trail days. Half of it is a giant field and half of it is hidden in the woods. So me and Crazy Frogg arrived to tent city not knowing who we would find. One of the first people we see is Goatman and he convinces us to come over by them, I didn't know who them was though. Until I saw 2pack run clear across the parking lot and her jumping onto me in a furious hug. It was everything I'd needed. I'd thought I'd lost her, never to see her again when I left Franklin that morning and they didn't catch me in the next few days. I'd thought she was lost to memories, only to be remembered as a missed chance I should have taken. But then, then out of nowhere here she is wrapped around me laughing. I was so relieved I couldn't stop laughing either. That hug lasted so long and when she finally let me go she took my hand and pulled me behind her as she ran excitedly to show everyone else who she'd found.
Coming back into Damascus was, I imagine, like being an actor at the Oscars. You're all famous and everyone knows each other. That's exactly how it was because everyone loves the hikers and we all knew each other. Or if we didn't know someone we'd heard about them somewhere on trail. Anyways, this is the place where all hikers come to unite once a year and it is a sight to see. I swear you will never ever see anything like it anytime in your life. It's crazy. Watching all the reunions with people who thought they'd never see each other again. Having all those reunions yourself. One of the first people I saw there was Stretch, a girl I'd met one of my first days of trail, but hadn't seen since. And that kept happening and happening and you'd just see people you never thought you'd see again over and over again. It was emotionally exhausting! So many greetings to friends you respect more than anyone in the world. It was an incredible feeling.
But let's get to the point about all this. Maybe one day I'll write about trail days and the thing that it is, but I am not ready to tackle that beast today. So let's just get to the point. Tent city is the place where all the hikers pitch their tents to stay for trail days. Half of it is a giant field and half of it is hidden in the woods. So me and Crazy Frogg arrived to tent city not knowing who we would find. One of the first people we see is Goatman and he convinces us to come over by them, I didn't know who them was though. Until I saw 2pack run clear across the parking lot and her jumping onto me in a furious hug. It was everything I'd needed. I'd thought I'd lost her, never to see her again when I left Franklin that morning and they didn't catch me in the next few days. I'd thought she was lost to memories, only to be remembered as a missed chance I should have taken. But then, then out of nowhere here she is wrapped around me laughing. I was so relieved I couldn't stop laughing either. That hug lasted so long and when she finally let me go she took my hand and pulled me behind her as she ran excitedly to show everyone else who she'd found.
Prologue
I hitched a ride back part of the way with 2pack and the tribe. They were at a different part of trail than I. The farewell was a sad one, but I had to keep hitching North and networked my way into going North with some of Headstands family. I stayed with them a night somewhere in Virginia and had a wonderful time with them. But the whole time I was thinking about 2pack. Not sad about leaving her again, but more reminiscing on the time we'd spent together at trail days. And I remember sitting there with Headstands family all sitting in the den when a little bit of background music floated it's way through the conversation and, 2pack,🎶 Some day, when I'm awfully low. When the world is cold. I will feel a glow just thinking of you, And the way you look tonight 🎶
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Ticks Flock (Tik Tok by Ke$ha)
I could feel the road up ahead. I couldn't see it yet, but I still knew it was coming. There is a way a trail gets near a road, it's not the same as the rest of the trail and you can just tell you're about to leave the wilderness. Yup, there it is, here's the road. I came out onto the road full stride, no falter as I took a left towards the direction I knew the gas station would be. My clothes were still drying from jumping into the river and I knew Frodo and Tempo were up ahead waiting for me. Lost'n'found wouldn't be far behind me and then we could be on our way to the destination for the night. Earlier that day I'd hitched into town at a road crossing for a sandwich with Tempo, the young girl who'd happened to pick us up invited us and our friends to stay at her house for the night. I was looking forward to having a real roof over my head and I think everyone else was too. I came around to the gas station to find Tempo and Frodo out front laughing hard. I suspected they'd been working on Frodo's parody. Frodo has an exceptionally clever wit and is really quite good at making up lyrics to silly songs. The parody of this song happened to be to Ke$ha's Tik Tok, but he was calling it Ticks Flock in reference to the amount of ticks on trail. I could hear them working out a line as I approached... and zip up my pack.... A burst of laughter, and then they see me rounding the corner and beckon me over to show all they've got so far. Frodo asks if I'm ready and I give him the go ahead as he starts to sing.
Wake up in the morning feeling hot and sticky
I'm up I'm out the flap I'm gonna hit this privy
Before I lea----- HAHAHAHA
Lost'n'found comes up and burst out laughing at the sight of us all huddled around Mister Frodo singing a Ke$ha parody. We quickly calm her so that Frodo can continue.
Wake up in the morning feeling hot and sticky
I'm up I'm out the flap I'm gonna hit this privy
Before I leave brush my teeth and zip up my pack
'cause when I leave for the hike I ain't coming back
I'm talking about mud between our toes toes
Bugs flyin' up our nose nose
No service on our phones phones
Pop squat comin' out looking like PB
Usin' up all our TP
Nora's gotten us queazy....
And then we all lose and start laughing hysterically. It's too good for it's own good. So I call up the girl I met that morning and she says she's on her way to get us. While we're waiting we go in and grab some sandwiches from the gas station because, well, because hiker hunger is ravenous at this point of the hike. Maria is there before we know it and we spend the night with her and her parents playing instruments and eating food. It was exactly what we all needed at the time and it was such a nice and relaxing stay. Plus, I received the most interesting thing I have ever gotten while hitching. I got Questor, the dead dog.... But hey, that's a story for another time ;)
Frodo, Lost'n'found, and I
Questor's house
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Wake up in the morning feeling hot and sticky
I'm up I'm out the flap I'm gonna hit this privy
Before I lea----- HAHAHAHA
Lost'n'found comes up and burst out laughing at the sight of us all huddled around Mister Frodo singing a Ke$ha parody. We quickly calm her so that Frodo can continue.
Wake up in the morning feeling hot and sticky
I'm up I'm out the flap I'm gonna hit this privy
Before I leave brush my teeth and zip up my pack
'cause when I leave for the hike I ain't coming back
I'm talking about mud between our toes toes
Bugs flyin' up our nose nose
No service on our phones phones
Pop squat comin' out looking like PB
Usin' up all our TP
Nora's gotten us queazy....
And then we all lose and start laughing hysterically. It's too good for it's own good. So I call up the girl I met that morning and she says she's on her way to get us. While we're waiting we go in and grab some sandwiches from the gas station because, well, because hiker hunger is ravenous at this point of the hike. Maria is there before we know it and we spend the night with her and her parents playing instruments and eating food. It was exactly what we all needed at the time and it was such a nice and relaxing stay. Plus, I received the most interesting thing I have ever gotten while hitching. I got Questor, the dead dog.... But hey, that's a story for another time ;)
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Defying Gravity:
Sitting down to write this I realize I can't give this song the attention it needs in this blog post. The song in itself deserves 3 if not more posts by itself, not a fraction of a series. That's because listening to this song takes me back to the day Stumbles, Frodo, White Russian, and I summitted Mount Katahdin. I'll do some thinking on this one and maybe, just maybe I'll be able to sketch the edges of how it feels to reach Mount Katahdin after having hiked 2,185.9 miles to reach it... Maybe
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Wagon Wheel:
"Well what movie would you wa---"
"Wait, wait, wait! Shhhhhh. Sis, listen to this song, I swear I did everything in it when I hitched back to Texas from Maine this last time" Turns up the radio
"Wait, wait, wait! Shhhhhh. Sis, listen to this song, I swear I did everything in it when I hitched back to Texas from Maine this last time" Turns up the radio
Headed down south to the land of the pines
"That's what I was doing, headed South from Maine"
I'm thumbin' my way into North Caroline
"Yep I was thumbin' it"
Starin' up the road
"You're always looking for the next ride, that's exactly what it's like"
And pray to God I see headlights
"Headlights are like a beacon of hope"
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours
"I I think I did it a bit faster than that"
Pickin' me a bouquet of dogwood flowers
"Dunno' what dogwood flowers are, but I certainly pick my fair share of things when I'm bored"
And I'm a hopin' for Raleigh
"I passed right by Raleigh when I was goin' through Virginia!"
I can see my baby tonight
"Not my baby, but I was trying to make it to Dragonfly's in Knoxville"
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
"I don't actually know what to make of the chorus, but it's catchy"
Rock me mama anyway you feel
Hey mama rock me
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Rock me mama like a south-bound train
Hey mama rock me
Runnin' from the cold up in New England
"It was getting pretty cold up there at night"
I was born to be a fiddler in an old-time string band
"Maybe one day I'll learn an instrument"
My baby plays the guitar
"Wish I had a baby"
I pick a banjo now
"I touched a banjo once, up in New Hampshire"
"I touched a banjo once, up in New Hampshire"
Oh, the North country winters keep a gettin' me now
"Like I said, Winter is coming"
Lost my money playin' poker so I had to up and leave
"It'd of been funny if that'd of happened"
"It'd of been funny if that'd of happened"
But I ain't a turnin' back
"Fuck no I wasn't headed back, it seriously was cold up there"
To livin' that old life no more
"Eh, maybe I didn't do this part exactly"
<Chorus>
"See! I've basically done everything in this song so far!!"
"No you haven't"
"Yes, I have! Whatever, shhhhhh"
Walkin' due south out of Roanoke
"I remember the exact trucker stop I was stuck at South of Roanoak, been stuck there a few times now actually"
I caught a trucker out of Philly
"His name was Bill, his wife was with him too. They were so nice"
Had a nice long toke
"Thanks for that one Billy"
But he's a headed west from the Cumberland Gap
"He dropped me off in Knoxville"
To Johnson City, Tennesse
"See, he was from Tennesse"
And I gotta get a move on before the sun
"You gotta' get an early start"
I hear my baby callin' my name
"Let's say 'baby' is a metaphor for 'home'"
And I know that she's the only one
"I'm coming for you home!"
"I'm coming for you home!"
And if I die in Raleigh
"I wasn't worried about that"
"I wasn't worried about that"
At least I will die free
"Hitching ain't actually dangerous, but if I get offed it's whatever"
<Chorus>
"See!!!! Everything in the song, this thing was basically about my life!!"
"Whatever Harry, now what movie did you want to see?"
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