“Get Married, Young Man”

AT Day 64

Miles Today: 27.53

AT Mile: 1138.9

(Darlington Shelter [tent])

There has been a sort of ringing in the air since arriving into Pennsylvania. At first I thought that it must have been the ringing of distant railroad tracks. But as it kept on that first day, I thought that it must be something else. Only today, with all the cecadia shells and bodies spread all over the place, does it become apparent to me where the ringing has been coming from. It’s been the ringing of ten million bugs.

You never know about social rumors on the trail, but I heard from another hiker that the cecadia hatch is a “17 year hatch” and that we should see ourselves as very fortunate to be here to witness this one. Another one like it won’t happen for 17 years.

It’s funny to me that I start today’s journal with the sound of the cecadia thought. Although those do stick out in my memory from this morning (it went on for hours, but disappeared by afternoon), the thing that seemed foremost on my mind in the early hours was the goddam moth-worm webs! Lord almighty–I was trying not to lose my mind with those things. It was another one of those examples where I had to walk down trail literally swinging my hiking poles at the open air in front of me as I walked, so that the poles could catch the invisible strands of web rather than my f*cking face. Pardon the language, but I really want to make clear–those webs *suck* in the morning hours! They make me want to sleep in later and let someone else knock them out before me.

—

I was early to trail again this morning, but not as early as yesterday. Today I set an alarm for 5 and one for 5:30. I snoozed right though the first one, but I was still on trail at 5:45. Sleeping in shelter makes the job of packing up so much easier and faster!

Early in the day I came across another hiker’s camp. It was a hiker named Gravity. We’d crossed paths a few times in the last week before we finally introduced one another at the general store yesterday. He is Swiss, and his accent sounds like Warner Hertzog (if I’m remembering it correct). Language was one of the first things we talked about while we both ate a pint of ice cream yesterday–both of our first of two. He told me that he was raised trilingual. I told him that the accent makes him sound smart.

“That’s funny,” he said. “Because we are so influenced by Germany in both our accent and in our lives. And the Germans, they think the Swiss accent makes us sound stupid.”

“But don’t the Germans think that everyone is stupid, except for themselves?” I asked.

Gravity laughed and said, “Yes. That is true.”

—

As I rolled up on his camp this morning, he was eating breakfast and I asked if I could sit and relax with him for a few minutes before going on my way. He said of course, and we talked for probably ten minutes before I went back to trail.

We mostly made small talk, but at one point I asked if I could tell him the story of my situation with women recently. Actually, I think I started by asking about his wedding band–how long he’d been married, and if it was his first.

“Yes, and hopefully my last if everything goes well.”

I told him that I nearly got married, but that it ended very badly, and that I was out on trail to get away from that place and the people connected with that chapter of my life.

Gravity told me not to worry because I still have a lot of time left to figure these things out. That there’s no rush for me to be finding a wife or getting married. “You’re still young. You have time to for that later on.”

“Can I ask, honestly, how *young* you think I am?”

Gravity thought about it for a few seconds, then said “twenty-six.”

It was flattering.

I always get people under guessing my age, and anymore I’ve learned to take it as a compliment. But most people don’t undershoot by a full 14 years!

I told him I turn 40 in 4 months and surprise showed on his face. “You look so young! But maybe I am wrong; it is time you find a wife then if you’re almost 40.”

I wasn’t sure how to take his advice, so instead I turned the subject to the cafe at Boiling Springs, which we’d reach in 8 miles.

—

The hike was mostly mellow this morning. Rolling hills and a few rocks to hop around between.

At around noon I walked into the town of Boiling Springs. A little tiny a trail town. But it had a cafe with great nachos and air conditioning, so I went with it. Nothing overly special about my visit to the town. But still a nice little town.

The temps were hot today and humidity was high. Not quite as hot as yesterday, but with humidity like this, it barely matters.

—

Getting so tired that I’m actively falling asleep.

Got to call it.

With love.

Wormwood.