In addition to hearing Earl Shaffer speak, Dick attended a seminar in which he was told that the most successful hikers are the ones who keep their packs as light as possible. The weight of a pack can really wear the body down. The might explain the long line at the post officeóall those hikers mailing home what had once been considered necessities. Dick was there, packing up those gloves.

The longest lines were those to the food concessions and the telephones. As for the food, the companies and organizations that sponsored Trail Days provided free food for the hikers. Lots of vegetarian dishes, lots of beans, lots of cookies (I'll guess oatmeal). As for the phones, well, Clark Kent would find a whole new challenge in his transformation to superhero. Dick waited in line for two hours so he could call me. That's love!

He also had to wait in line at the laundromat. Back when Dick was still in the planning stages of this hike, one of the men who works at EMS told him that when it comes time to wash clothes, a hiker will wear nothing but his rain gear so he can launder everything else at one time. I understand the logic, though the visual is worth a chuckle or two. That's why I was a bit concerned when Dick said that in addition to the gloves, he was mailing home the pants to his rain suit.

The next time Dick calls, I hope he'll have more information about "Acorn," the young man who just graduated from Michigan State. In the meantime, I have news from Mothball! Here's a portion of his email:

Mothball's email wasn't the only one I received through the website. I heard from Steve Holbrook. Steve is 36 years old and has been living on Guam in the western Pacific for the last 11 years. He grew up in the foothills of the Appalachians in Alabama, and hopes to spend a week on the trail in the Smokies in late summer. He asked if Dick would relay more information about the physical demands of hiking.

I'll make a note to ask Dick for specifics the next time he calls. What I already know is that he and Rick Rocks have each lost about 20 pounds. His feet are always sore. It's not uncommon for hikers to loose their toenails. Problems with teeth and gums are notorious. Our dentist warned Dick about that. If he were at home, he'd have a big glass of fresh orange juice every morning with breakfast. He'd have two glasses of milk with dinner. On the trail, breakfast is a handful of gorp and an untoasted toaster pastry. Dinner isÖcreative. Then there's an assortment of rashes to contend with. And sunburn, which can be horribly painful. Dick got sunburned quickly. He tanned just as quickly, but our daughter, who is an esthetician, was more than a little upset to learn that he wasn't using a sunscreen. But then, she was livid when I shamefully admitted I hadn't been exfoliating.

In addition to Steve's inquiry, I've received numerous requests for general information, such as:

• Dick drinks between 1 to 1 ‡ gallons of water a day.
• He uses 96 ounces of water to cook supper and wash dishes.
• He gets up at 6:30 every morning and, at approximately 7:10 a.m., is usually the first one out of camp.
• At approximately 9 a.m., he stops for breakfast. That means he has several handsful of gorp and a drink of water.
• He eats lunch at noon.
• If the plan for the day is to hike 15 miles, he's usually finished around 3 p.m. If the goal for the day is 20 miles, he won't call it quits until 5 or 6 p.m.
• He uses a Pur water filter instead of treating the water. The Pur is an excellent filter, but Dick still keeps an envelope of Kool-Aid on hand to doctor the taste.
• His stove is a Whisper Lite. He bought the repair kit, but hasn't needed it.
• He has a light, two-person tent: the Flashlight Clip by Sierra Design.
• His pack is the internal design, by Gregory. It holds 5300 cubic inches. Though the pack is sturdy, it weighs somewhere between 5 and 7 pounds. He has seen some new ones that weigh only 22 ounces.
• His boots are Vasquez Sundowners. Dick's feet still remain blister-free. I'm sure those boots have a lot to do with that.
• For several years, he has been hiking with a pair of Leki poles. They've saved his knees on many occasions.

My brother-in-law sent a note to Dick that said, in part: "I understand the Army is looking for some good infantry typesóBe All That You Can Be." Dick was in the Army. That's probably where his hiking habit was born. It's also probably why he was so eager to march in the "Hikers' Parade."