Appalachian Trail Journals June 24, 1981

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June 24 , 1981 Wednesday From Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal

I woke up after seven in the morning following a pretty good night’s sleep. Around 7-8 hours! Amazing. I consumed two huge bowls of frosted flakes (generic) for breakfast. Abided to mother nature’s rule after eating such an amount, and a little later began to clean out my pack. I threw away all the letters I had received. Hated to do it, but what will I ever do with them and they are extra weight (Now, as I write these memoirs, I wish that I had them, and some of the letters that I had written to others). I am leaving my belt, sweat shirt, and the ball of twine and wooden rings for the hammock which collapsed.

More hikers came in today. I bought some Pop-Tarts, jelly, peanut butter, oregano, bread etc. (things for lunch and breakfast) and took the remaining three eggs from about four days ago, two slices of American cheese, and with a non-stick pan & spatula from Bill and Jean, I cooked up an omelet. Worked out almost perfectly. How talented a chef I am now. With this hunger, and time to think, I have lately been thinking about becoming a chef when I am through with hiking.

Later this afternoon we decided to have a cookout, and bought chicken, hotdogs, bar-B-Q sauce, and potato chips. I was chef and grilled the birds and dogs. Wrote six post cards and also called collect to my college roommate, James Triplett, and talked for 10-15 minutes. He’s working the summer at bumper to bumper again and still hasn’t sold his cycle. I told him I’d buy it if he still had it when I got back. Two real freaky looking dudes came strolling in after a several month long stay at Virginia Beach. Nice guys though. Ate a lot today, but had to get rid of a few of my food items so that extra weight doesn’t accumulate too much. I have once again another 3 lb. bag of gorp. I think I’m pretty well set as long as I can manage to carry my pack now. Shouldn’t really be that heavy though - remembered that I also threw out my white (now grey and dirty) Shawnee Mountaineers t-shirt. Read part of Rice’s Vamp book this afternoon. Would like to hurry and finish the book to get rid of the weight. (I am surprised I was that interested in reading considering my history as pretty much a non-reader most of my life, but I must confess, the book was interesting)

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