Bunkhouse at Mountain Mama's

April 26, 2000 -- Day 26
Destination: Mountain Mama's
Today's miles: 0
Trip miles: 234.7

This wouldn't have been our first choice of a place to spend our second zero-day, but Marie and I were feeling too weak to hike. Joker stayed, too, and Grumpy arrived this morning. We moved our things to a better bunkhouse, relatively-speaking, so we had a bit more room to spread out our wet belongings. And this time I was able to have a bottom bunk. Last night, I was on a top bunk, with just enough space between the foam pad of a mattress and the ceiling to raise my head. Sitting up was not an option. I had to contort myself in unnatural ways to get up or down, and I had to get down rather quickly several times. I amazed myself at how efficiently I went from that top bunk to the bushes.

Marie, Joker and I shared that tiny trailer with what I must say is one of the most irritating people I have ever met. I know that sounds harsh, but, please, just take my word for it. The guy talked non-stop. When Marie and I returned around midnight after visiting the bushes for the third time each, this guys asks in the darkness, "So, where ya'll from?" And then, "Must be right tough to shave your legs out there on the trail." He proceeded to babble about his several ex-wives, who cheated with whom, and other information we wanted no knowledge of. In the morning, we were told how he'd dreamed that, as he put it, "the lady on the upper bunk" (which would be me) had gotten cold and climbed into his sleeping bag. That made me really ill. When he started his next sentence with, "You single girls," I quickly interjected that I'm married. Happily married. He told me that if my husband doesn't cheat, doesn't beat me, and works when he's able, I have a good thing. I could go on, but I'd rather not remember any more of it.

That particular person has been staying here on and off for weeks, just kind of hanging around. He seems to enjoy showing people the ropes when they arrive at Mountain Mama's and telling his stories, which seem to change.

Didn't I just say I wasn't going to talk about him anymore?

Some other things I'll remember when I think of Mountain Mama's include the Thigpen's black Lab, who followed me to the bunkhouse tonight and is sleeping under my cot; the fact that literally half the store is filled with more brands of cigarettes than I ever knew existed, but you can donate to the Cancer Society can at the counter; the variety of old trucks in the yard; and the odd assortment of knick-knacks, signs and pictures in the store. The Thigpens and the people who work for them are nice folks, and the place does sorta grow on you--sorta like a fungus--if you stick around a while and aren't losing your lunch or dinner. Still, I'll be glad to move on tomorrow.

--Ramkitten