Farewell to the North

After the intense months of planning and anticipation, we're off to the trail. When one door closes another one opens. Hopefully, it will open to some good weather and good times.
Last night we had our plan down- check in for the airplane ride, finish cleaning up the house, make a few last calls, take the last stuff to the dump. To bed by 9.

Not to be. Bad luck comes in 3s. The internet was not accessible. ACS had apparently upgraded our DSL line (per our request) but neglected to tell us. After a few phone calls spread over 4 or 5 hours, Paul went to pick up the new modem. He couldn't get it to work. Eric will hook it up in nothing flat, I'm sure when he's moved in.

Paul made the last run to the dump while I washed the kitchen floor. About 2 hours later, he attempted a shower, but the water acted cranky. He went out to check the boiler and discovered that the garage door bounced back open. The "warm" floor was now frozen, the air temp at 29 and the door was irreparably broken. He turned on the kerosene torpedo heater (starting at 10:30 pm) to warm up the garage. I made a midnight run to Walmart (hello midnight weirdos!) for more kerosene. My pajamas were under my sweats. I really let myself go.

While babysitting the warming of the slab (becoming a monthly ritual), Paul discovered that the furnace was turning itself off. Sourdough Fuel came out about 1 am to replace a flame detector and to tune it up. We didn't need that $195 anyway. Thanks, Rick, for coming out and fixing the boiler.

Finally, the slab thawed and the water ran again about 3:30 am. The alarm went off at 5:15 for the ride to the airport. Thanks, John for driving us to the airport. The plane left about 30 minutes late. Yes, we had a 40 minute connection time. But, we already had paid our 3 bad lucks ahead. The plane waited for us in Seattle and Paul and I are warm in Chicago right now.

We waited for Erin to get home and spent the day on the mass transit system, buying some last, last minute essentials, eating great Indian food, and stopping at the worst library around. Besides the limited selection of books and the unwashed clientele, the librarians are rude and snappish. Why does Erin go there? They will do interlibrary loans so she can choose books and just pick them up- like buying books on-line without having to pay. She remembers the Fairbanks library fondly.

Chicago is a good practice for medium temps. It's in the 30s here with a light breeze and high humidity. We were pretty comfortable in just our down jackets and regular clothes.

Tomorrow, we will take the bus and the el to the airport about 8 am and then to Atlanta. Apparently, to get anywhere, including Hell, you have to fly through Atlanta. We take the MARTA, arguably the worst mass transit system in the US to intercept the Hiker Hostel people. Thanks, Leigh for picking us up tomorrow. I'll put an entry in our trail journal on Valentine's Day before we start hiking on Sunday. Be sure to sign our guestbook if you want to let us know you're reading.

If we don't start hiking on Sunday, you can find us still in Chicago.