When we went to sleep last night it was raining, when we awoke this morning, same thing; more rain. Tabasco and I had the best breakfast of the entire journey this morning at Callahans. During and after breakfast we waivered back and forth trying to decide whether to hike out in the rain or take a zero day and wait a day. I checked with Debi at work and she gave me the latest forecast from the internet. Finally around checkout time at 11:00am, we decided to take a zero and to hike out tomorrow morning.
It was a good decision because, even though the forecast was for morning rain to end and a partly cloudy afternoon, it kept raining during the afternoon. We treated ourselves to a true zero, not having to do any trail logistics or “to do’s”. We watched the Wisconsin-Minnesota game first; a great college football game with a fantastic finish. Then we went up to the front desk where my new friend, Valerie, who I had chatted with after breakfast, gave me the keys to her car! Yes, it happened again, another amazing stranger willing to trust a thru-hiker with her car.
Tabasco and I drove to Ashland, about 10 miles away. We shopped for groceries to get us through the day (microwave and fridge in the room) and bought beer to enjoy with our college football game day. Then we stopped for lunch food and returned to Callahans. I am so appreciative of the wonderful, magical human gifts we receive of love and generosity along our journey. We need to remember to pass it on, if only all of us trusted and reached out to others!
Back in the room, we enjoyed the USC-Notre Dame game; another classic. I kicked back, drank good beer, and soaked up the pigskin on TV. We ate dinner in the room, then watched Virginia whip Florida State, a third great college football game. We wrapped up the evening watching boxing rematches from ESPN’s reality show, called The Contender. For the record that’s more TV than I’ve watched, cumulatively, for six months. We basked in our decision not to go out wet as we will be out 8 to 9 days before doing laundry and drying out under a man made structure. We had choice, and we chose to sit tight for a day. It was a fun day just doing nothing but relaxing and enjoying great college football games.
