July 22nd, Marathon, NY

July 22

I was ok with the rain not hitting me last night; so far the rain has not been bad for hiking. Though that means the humidity is often high and I sweat more. This morning the FLT did a long road walk, as I was going up the road, 5 dogs came out to check me out. Then the owner came out and we chatted for a while. She does dog rescue, has a therapy dog, and has sheep plus 2 herding dogs who she uses to teach people about herding etc. Later on the road, my eye caught a round object, and it turned out to be a very corroded quarter. My second one of the trip. How I saw it I am not sure, something in my brain had to have picked up that the shape did not fit the pattern of the stones in the road. So far 58 cents found while walking. I had hoped to get to Fox Fire lean-to last night. When I got there, there were 3 people there and 2 dogs. I found out today that it took an additional 3 hours to get from my campsite to the shelter, but I was just as happy to sleep alone in my tent, verses at a shelter with people, Jack Daniels, beer, and town food. The dogs were well behaved. The lady knew of Claryville, she use to work at the YMCA center nearby. They offered me a beer, so they would not have to carry the left overs out, but I declined on the same grounds as before. Once on the AT hike, I had a beer that was trail magic along the trail. I went into low gear for the rest of the afternoon. The trail down Greek Peak was steep and covered with waist and shoulder high raspberry bushes. I do not think it has ever been cut back. It was a slow walk down the hill to the Gathering Restaurant. When I got to the Gathering Restaurant, where I had sent my food box and hoped to rent a room or cabin, I learned that they were all booked due to a wedding that was going to happen on Sat. The bartender, overhearing my problem, told me there was a motel in Marathon that was only a short ways away (turned out to be 6 miles). The shelter was 1 1/2 miles away and I would have had to carry my food box. Anything I did not feel like doing at that point in time was to hike 1 ½ miles to the shelter with a box of food under my arm. The bartender, John, gave me the yellow pages and said if I could get a room at the 3 Bears, he would drive me into town. I got the room and he drove me into town. How is that for trail magic at its best? I called the Three Bear Inn and they had a room, the bartender offered to drive me to Marathon when I had a break. He did. Trail magic at its best, I keep marveling at how things have come together for me when I need it. The town has a laundry, pizza place, 2 restaurants and a grocery store. So what did I get? 2 heads of lettuce and dressing, a pint of Cole slaw, a large slice of pizza, and a large beer. Now that is living large !!! Grateful ___Someone losing a tube of beeswax lip balm on the backcountry road for me to use as water repellent on my boots.Bottled water, carbonated, at the shelter for me to add my Gatorade toA creek or spring with a deep enough spot to dip my green cup into or sit my filter hose intoA storm that misses mePeople who help hikersA flat enough and big enough spot to pitch my tent onNo rain in the morning or evening while breaking or setting up campPeople who volunteer to maintain the trailEnough M & M's in the trail mix for lunchShade over the road while walking, the FLT road part of the trailPeople at home who give me water when I have run out A Laundromat after 5 day stretch of hikingGetting the last available room at a motel after 5 days of hikingBeing in a motel while it is storming outside