Well I have finally made it through the hundreds of
posts on my email! Wow! That was a lot like work!
I really enjoyed the PA Ruck and I want to thank
DaRedhead for kicking me into gear! I owe you one.
It was great to see so many familiar faces last
weekend. I had looked forward to putting faces with
names of people on the list but I hadn't expected so
many old friends! You all were great to make my SOBO
pilgrims...The Family from the North, Jackrabbit, Isis
and the one and only Anonymous Badger...feel so
welcome.
We were all so glad we did it! You all did a great job
and the place is terrific. Sean did a wonderful job.
I am running out of adjectives....
We returned to Erwin and found 6 MORE SOBOers! (surely
they are the last hikers of the class of 2000?) Yogi
NOBO-98, SOBO-2000, Tiny Tim, Big Ring, Granny Gear,
Caveman and Spike were all at the Best Southern. Two
of the first 2001 NOBOers were in town as well.
Chuckwagon and The Sherpa started Jan. 1. So what do
you do when you have that many hikers in one place?
You have a party! It was Yogi's 28Th Birthday so that
was a good excuse. We had 22 people in my little
house for vegetarian spaghetti, salad, grilled french
bread, B-Day cake and banana splits! The events
included trampoline demonstrations, Jack rabbit and
Isis doing THE Privy song with the Family doing
backup, THE GUYS leading us in the surprise Happy
Birthday to Yogi (wow, a hiker that still blushes!)
and hours of wonderful conversation, joking and more
singing! I am afraid that we overwhelmed the NOBOers
just a tad. One of the guys made the comment that the
SOBOers seemed very close and well....excited!
After all the festivities on Mon night, everyone
decided to do chores after french toast, then hike
out, which turned into a zero day with people laying
in the sun all over the yard!
Wed, Tiny Tim, Yogi and everyone Freedom Hiked (the
hiking formerly known as "slack packing") to Spivey
Gap...and back to my house!
Thursday, the Sisters, Yogi and Tiny Tim hiked out and
we enjoyed one more night with the Family.
I know that many have helped out on their hike and I
am glad you did. Without your help and encouragement
they would have dropped off long ago. I find it
challenging to take 3 teenagers to the Mall! So I was
amazed to see how well they do. I watched the children
load their back packs, stuff sleeping bags and sort
through resupplies and thought "Wow, they are just
like THRU-HIKERS!" Duh! They have accomplished more of
the trail than 80% of the beginning class of 2000.
And just a rumor but they may turn around and go north
when they get to Springer! So, with tears in my eyes,
I saw them off to finish ?? their adventure.
Back home the house seemed very quite with just my
three daughters. But what a nice week right here in
the middle of winter! Now I can start getting ready
for the big Class of 2001!
Miss Janet
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I just had a completely weird experience in my front
yard. I saw a hiker coming towards me and waited to
greet him. When he approached me I saw it was the man
I had been told was Ward or "Chip" Leonard during a
recent visit to Hot Springs. He stopped and rubbed
his chin and said "I know you!" I explained that I had
never met him but that I had heard alot about his many
thru hikes and the records he has held and would enjoy
talking to him and would be glad to give him a ride
into town. He backed up, gave me a strange look and
said "Well, Miss Janet, flattery is the first sign of
deceit so I will just walk!" I am glad I don't scare
all my hikers off that easy! Talk about a lick at my
ego!
So that was my meeting with the infamous
"Chip" Leonard.
Miss Janet
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