Please don't throw me in that Blueberry Patch, Briar Fox...

3/7/08 - I'm at a loss - more days like this "on the trail" & he may never come home... total AT mileage = 66.3 mi out of ~2175 mi. Last one to leave the shelter this morning after waking up next to section-hikers Chris & Davey (The General had already set out). Chris promised a warm meal once Amos gets near his his home along the trail in Virginia. Breakfast sounded good: blueberry oatmeal & coffee - yum! Hiked the 4 mi he promised in the rain to Dicks Creek Gap and the Blueberry Patch Hostel/Christian missionary in Hiawassee, Ga. where he declared the owner & former thru-hiker Gary Poteat one of THE nicest men... ever. Lets examine why...

• Upon arrival Amos hops in the shower while Gary does his LAUNDRY!
• They decide to head into town, but alas... they only have one car. So Gary has Amos drop him off at church and lets Amos take his PICK-UP TRUCK into town to run errands!
• Amos then hits up a local MEXICAN restaurant for a veggie chimichanga and Dos Equis. This followed by trip to the library for a quick session ONLINE.
• He gets back to the hostel where Gary has a toasty FIRE built JUST for him and then meets some of the critters Gary & Lennie keep in their back yard including 3 goats named... wait for it... Shadrach, Meshach, and A Billy Goat!!
• He uses a BOOT WARMER to dry out his tennis - who has one of those?!!? And then proceeds to find a half gallon of NUTTY-BUDDY CONE CRUNCH ICE CREAM stashed in the freezer - which I'm assuming he's waist deep in right about now - complete with one of the most severe ice cream headaches of his life... good for him
• Tomorrow morning he's looking forward to what Backpacker Magazine lists as one of the things not to miss on the AT - The Blueberry Patch's infamous ORGANIC BREAKFAST!

He's so spoiled.