This is where the story begins to twist...
A common mistake most hikers make when they start out is that an ounce means more than one thinks. Our hero, having not been here in over 24 years could not have known this. Why even his time spent in the military this was not the case...
Having served in the United States Marine Corps, our hero was accustomed to heavy packs. In fact, it seemed quite light in comparison to lugging around a full pack, his rifle and ammo and the barrel of a MK-19.
And so, much to our hero's dismay, a young female hiker, Tell It Like It Is, and a biker who was riding along the Trans-America Bike Trail, began removing items from his pack shaking there heads and tossing stuff to the side.
Before long at least five pounds had been shed. Tell It Like It Is was still put off by the pack weight but said if I was happy with it, then that was fair enough...
Haiku had wandered into town, I met him just inside "The Place"...
To Digress for a moment, "The Place" is a hiker hostel run by the local Methodist Church. Many a hiker has found not only shelter but a hot shower within it's walls...
Haiku asked our hero what his name was. The reply given seemed not to work with Haiku and another hiker who had taken a seat at the table.
"No," Haiku replied. "What's your TRAIL Name?"
This puzzled our hero since the last time he had been on the trail, circa 1980 (One can Google Youngest hiker Appalachian Trail for further info), hardly anyone used a made up or given name, and so this was news to him.
The two hikers then began to regard our hero's attire. Both came to the consensus that it would not do. A hoodie sweatshirt, jeans, t-shirt and boots would not do at all.
Haiku laughed and said...
"You know there's still snow on Mount Rodgers?! Hell you're gonna die of hypothermia! the coroner's report is gonna read DEATH BY COTTON!"
Our hero shared a laugh with the two hikers...
Cotton is born.
