Ride it out
- Mile 1042 - Jun 15th, 2015
Day 77
Mile 1042
7 am
Lets see... Where was I?
The two days prior to Harpers Ferry were pretty nice. The days weren't too hot or too long and mother nature had begun to provide trail magic in the form of wild edibles. It began with Mulberries. I ate handfuls off the first tree. Now I leave some for others. Then came wild strawberries and honeysuckle. Later, pin cherries and wild cherries. My favorite however, were the black raspberries. They are so sweet. What a wonderful treat. I had been waiting for that day for many months. It was a great way to finish off Virginia.
So, I came stumbling into Harpers Ferry in a good mood. I was there by noon Thursday, expecting family about 24 hours later. I went to the ATC headquarters and got my picture taken in front of the sign outside. I am the 550th thru hiker thus far. The girl who works at the headquarters said Rafiki is "the best walking stick I have ever seen." I think she had a crush on him. He and I appreciated the compliment immensely. I had a feeling he was the best stick, but it was good to finally hear it. After flipping through the photos of all the hikers and seeing all the people who passed me, all the people Ive met, I set out to see the town. I ate and drank for a few hours and then headed to a local bar. I lost 90$ in a slot machine before I could even get comfortable. Ha. Oh well. That night a group of hikers got a room at the Econolodge and they invited me to stay with them. We all took showers and watched Tv before sleeping in beds, with pillows! Rocky Mountain High even gave all the guys foot rubs. What a sweetheart. It was a great night.
The next day, my mom, uncle and aunt all arrived and swiftly picked me up and took me to the casino in Charles Town. My aunt gave me a 100$ to play with.
It was magic-money.
I won 560 $ in the first hour!!! However we didn't leave the casino for another 12 hours... The highs and lows of gambling are gut-wrenching. There are times when I curse myself for being a fool and other times when I feel destiny is at my side. It leads to a roller coaster of emotions, but I was ready to ride it out. After hitting it big early, the funds began to dwindle. I lost 896$ in about 8 hours. I had 1$ to my name.
I was flat broke and with another buddy who drove up, when I decided to take a cash advance off my credit card. Something I had sworn off after a costly Vegas trip many years ago. But, who cares right? Its only money. I lost another 100 $ rapidly and began to question why I enjoyed gambling at all. Then it happened. A magic moment. A 715 $ lucky hand. I had nearly gotten it all back in an instant. I was truly elated. I tipped a bit and cashed out for awhile. Just to savor the moment. I continued playing with modest betting and closed out the night winning 250$ at the blackjack table. My parents finally found me at 4 am and said we had to go. I ended the day with about 400$ more than I had began it. That can last 3-4 weeks out here.
I had two friends join me the next day for some hiking, river lounging, and boozing. We had a bunch of laughs, a bunch of booze and very little sleep. We hiked 11 miles day 1, including some night-hiking and 7 miles yesterday. We grabbed lunch in Boonsboro before they had to get back to the "real world."
It was great to see some close friends. Both of them have been lifelong buddies. I've known them both for 20 plus years. They both encouraged me onward and said I've got this.
After they dropped me back on the trail, I decided to take a nap. I chilled for 2 hours before a storm rolled in. I made 7 more miles before quitting for the day.
So, here I am. It's pouring rain outside, but I am again in a good place.
I survived the casino, enjoyed Harpers Ferry, made it through most of Maryland and should be in Pennsylvania by nightfall. I am perfectly on pace, in great spirits and in good shape (after finally getting some sleep).
I'll wait here until the rain slows, then head out for the day. It may be a rough day in the rain... But after my weekend, I know, "every lil thing, is gonna be alright."
I'll be singing my way to Maine.
Thanks to all those who made it out. It means a lot and was an absolute pleasure.
Michelangelo
Miles
Week 9 = 54
Week 10 = 137
Week 11 = 91 (need 18 today)
Jason
- Mile 1042 - Jun 15th, 2015
