9/18/2022 –
(1165.1)(14.4) Cross Trails Hostel
Today
Good tip from Rerun: Wash your Tyvek. It removes some of the crackle and stiffness.
The state camping area last night was nice, though noisy. A group of 30 scouts, plus leaders, camped there. Teenagers will be loud and obnoxious.
As I was making dinner, tired from a long day, a 14-year-old scout walked over, said hi, sat down without introducing himself or asking if I’d mind if he joined me, then began firing off questions about every piece of gear I had on the picnic table as though I was his scout master.
“I see you’re using fire steel instead of a lighter. Why?“
I explained that fire steel lit my stove just as well as a lighter, works reliably in freezing weather (unlike a lighter), and never runs out of fuel.
“Hmmm. What kind of stove is that?” (I told him.)
Eventually he broadened the scope of his queries, “What have you learned in life? I like picking the minds of old people. How old are you?“
I chuckled out loud. “I like your boldness. The answer to your second question is 66. You’ll need to be more specific with your first question. And by the way, what is your name?“
“Luke. What’s yours?”
“I’ll give you my trail name. It’s Alpine. Thru-hikers use trail names instead of real names. Most hikers get a trail name.“
“Why?”
I explained why. Luke often replied to my answer with “Hmmm.” He’d pause, look into the distance for inspiration until the next question came to mind, then fire away. The question might be on any topic.
“How do I reduce my pack weight?”
“How much does it weigh now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, that’s your starting point. Weigh everything in your pack. Then look for items that are as good or better that weigh significantly less. I’d start with your pack, tent, and sleep system (sleeping bag and mattress). Those are the heaviest gear hikers carry. Swapping one of those out is your quickest way to reduce weight.”
“Hmmm.”
And so the conversation went. Until Luke flitted off to fulfill responsibilities within his troop. Then he’d return for more.
Fellow SOBOs Blind and Rerun were also at the camp. Blind walked a half mile to order and wait for pizza where it could be delivered (his dinner). Rerun, true to character, with his very extroverted and chatty personality, talked to nearly everyone in camp. Later that evening I saw him addressing half the Boy Scout troop who huddled near him. Something about porcupines.
The scouts were boisterous well after dark. Eventually Rerun shouted from his tent “Hiker midnight! Hey, it’s hiker midnight!” That caught the attention of the scout leaders who quickly quieted the boys.
I stopped short of Harper’s Ferry at a Hostel because I have to wait until Monday to get my Mail Drop anyway. This was the closest place to town I saw.