July 8: Linden, VA / Baltimore, MD
 
Miles Today : 3.0
Total Miles : 145.2

Well, that's it, no more Appalachian Trail to hike, no more new trail to explore. I have hiked the entire thing, and it feels great. Actually, the feeling really didn't hit me until I got here, back to the Tye River where my car has been sitting for a week. I dropped my pack at the car, walked down to the river on this hot day and sat in the water. There I was, letting the cold water rush around my body as the sun baked my head and shoulders. I was surrounded by woods, and the ridgeline of the AT was visible from where I was sitting. Right there, in that moment, it hit me, and for a brief period of time I captured that same feeling that I had on top of Mt. Katahdin two years ago.

I felt complete, content and totally at peace. I can only imagine that this is what it feels like to be in the womb, or at least partially. The water was soothing my body, the sound of the river and the woods were soothing my head, and at that point in time, nothing else seemed to matter. I wanted to stay in that river forever, to hold on to that feeling and to never let it go. However, that is obviously not possible, and I eventually had to get up from the river bed and make my way back to my car, back to my home.

I wanted to scream like a baby when I left that beautiful place, not just because I was completely comfortable, but because then my head was filled with other thoughts that ruined the peace I had found. First, I had a four hour drive ahead of me to get back to Drive By's house. After that, there is even a longer drive back home. I have to pick up my dog and make sure that he is recovering from Lyme Disease. Then I have to actually go about the business of finding a job since I am presently unemployed. I should have stayed in the river, it was much simpler there.

I made it back to Drive By's safe and sound, if a little bit later than I had originally hoped. Hitching from Linden to the Tye River was more of an ordeal that I had expected. Not because of the people, because I was picked up by a total of seven different people, but because the road that I was hitching on was littered with small towns. I was only able to get a ride of 10 to 20 miles at a whack, which was very time consuming. Then, in the heat of the day, when I decided to call a cab to take me back to my car, I fell victim to a scam, and I was taken only within 15 miles of where I was promised. This was the low point of the day, and I was not optimistic about reaching my car by nightfall.

However, two older women driving a conversion van saved the day and not only brought me to VA 56, but actually drove me right up to the door of my car. Sure, they were smoking like chimneys and drinking V8 mixed with Keystone Light for the hour or so that I was in their company, but they were as nice as Georgia Pie to me. I think they felt bad that I got scammed by the local taxi service and wanted to end my day on a good note rather than a bad one. They even turned down my offer of $20 for the personalized ride, though I did convince them to take half that in order to replenish their supply of beer. They even waited to make sure that my car started after sitting dormant for over a week. Trail magic comes in all shapes and sizes, and despite smelling like a bar room and encouraging the consumption of alcohol while driving, those two women really did turn my day around.

Well, back here at the Drive By homestead I am enjoying a new Chef Drive By specialty, home brewed ice team with some sort of Starbucks Coffee syrup added to the mix. I was skeptical for sure, as I don't take too kindly to that yuppie stuff, but the end result was a delicious beverage. Sure, this was no crawfish dinner by the 10 Mile River, or trail-side mashed potatoes, and there was definitely no Old Bay seasoning involved, but the construction-worker-turned-corporate-automaton pulled off another surprise, and I was happy to be enjoying this at the end of a long week of hiking. Tomorrow it is back to reality as I head home to get my dog and to begin the search for a new job. The pull of the trail is strong, and I would like nothing more than to return to Linden and to keep hiking north once again. However, I am a realist and that is just not a possibility right now. I will have my day again, in the not too distant future, but for now I am finished and focused on other things in my life. And as far as the Appalachian Trail is concerened, this time I an truly through hiking.

-Chomp

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