Sunday, June 4, 2017
I survived yesterday, but it wasn’t easy. I overcame the most difficult day on the trail so far, pulled along to the end by the tug of an all-you-can-eat dinner.
Today was another difficult day. There were no perilous descents down sheer cliffs. There was another all-you-can-eat dinner, but it was difficult nonetheless.
I was bored.
| Today's Miles | 0.0 miles |
| Trip Miles | 702.3 miles |
I don’t like to be bored, but there wasn’t much to do at Four Pines Hostel. It was too far out in the country to walk into town. Other than a cornpone game, there was little here for entertainment.
There was no Wi-Fi and the wireless service was poor to non-existent, depending on where I stood, so even just sitting around and looking at my phone wasn’t possible.
My choices were few and none appealing.
One option was to sit around in the dingy garage. The only appeal here was a freezer full of free icy pops.
The other option was to lay in my tent or under a shade tree.
To break up the day, I alternated between the two.
Just as I was getting settled underneath the tree, Medicine Man came by to say he was taking a group of hikers to the convenience store. He asked if I wanted to go along. I jumped at the chance, not because I needed more groceries, just because I was bored.
I bought a chicken biscuit breakfast sandwich and coffee, then chatted with Medicine Man on the porch of the store while the other hikers did their shopping.
We returned to the hostel, but we weren’t there for long before Medicine Man said he was ready to shuttle hikers to The Homeplace. It didn’t matter that I had just eaten breakfast. I was good to go.
This time I went to the restaurant with Timeless, Dutch, and Slim Chance. Timeless is from South Africa.
We arrived just before noon, and though I expected we would have to wait a long time for a table, we only had to wait a few minutes.
I didn’t care that the meal was identical to yesterday. I ate as much of it as I could hold.
After a repeat performance of yesterday’s shameless over-eating, Medicine Man returned to pick us up and take us to the convenience store one more time.
I didn’t buy much because of the previous two trips here, so I mostly just talked to Medicine Man again. He told me he got his trail name because of all of the medications he must take due for a variety of ailments.
Right now he’s helping out at the hostel while trying to heal an injury he suffered on the trail. I didn’t ask, but I doubt he’s getting paid for driving the shuttle van and other odd jobs he does around the hostel. I think he’s just a nice guy wanting to help out.
And come to think of it, he’s probably glad to shuttle hikers because he’s bored.
Soon after we returned to the hostel, Tater Tot arrived after a visit to a medical clinic. She said she had been diagnosed with an infestation of scabies, an itchy skin rash caused by a mite.
She couldn’t have been infected here because it takes two to six weeks for symptoms to appear. Honestly, though, this would be the kind of place to get an itchy skin rash.
Tater Tot was wearing what looked like an old drape. It was something she found to replace her clothes, which she didn’t dare wear because they were probably infested with mites.
The mattress Tater Tot slept on last night was dragged out of the garage.
This might have been comical and a good relief for boredom if it weren’t for the fact that Tater Tot was miserable and feeling embarrassed. It wasn’t her fault this happened.
I hoped this didn’t ruin her hike for long, but I didn’t think it would. She was prescribed an ointment made with Permethrin to treat the rash. It should clear up in a few days.
Later that evening, Barefoot posted an article to the hiker website thetrek.co about the infestation.
This unfortunate situation made me doubly glad I was sleeping in my tent instead of the garage.
It also made me feel itchy.
As the day ended, I amused myself by watching a large rooster harass chickens and guinea hens that wandered freely about the yard. The rooster had been quiet all day long, but now it would occasionally crow.
It sounded as though it had a sore throat.
I’ve never been more anxious to get back on the trail. Stick better not be delayed in getting here.
I'm a little red rooster,
Too lazy to crow for day
I'm a little red rooster,
Too lazy to crow for day
Keep everything in the barnyard,
Upset in every way
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