Day 34 - Zeroing in Demascus (May 12)

Thought Foot and I are zeroing in the land of churches. There is at least one church on every block. I came into town last night and nearly every church had something happening. The only other thing in Demascus is outdoor outfitters. Several hiking and bike trails run through the town. The town seems to really welcome hikers and bikers. I suppose we are a major part of the town income.

I really did not need to zero today, but Thought Foot was pretty tired after the 50 miles we did in two days. I spent most of the day buying new shoes and a few other things from the different outfitters. I also bought a tin cup that I modified as a stove stand. I tested it, and it seems to really work well. Alcohol stoves love heat. By putting the stove in a well ventilated cup, it burns hotter and more efficient than before.

I spent a lot of time trying to decide how much money I was willing to spend to reduce my pack weight by a few ounces. So far, I spent nothing on stuff I really did not need. I might replace my rain jacket with one that is more vented. Otherwise, I get soaked with sweat.

John who had the blisters I described back at Kincora is here. His foot became infected, and he said the emergency room people put him on an IV yesterday. He is now taking antibiotics twice a day. He seems to be in good spirits. I forgot to ask him if he is planning on getting back on the trail soon.

I found some dessicant crystals at a hardware store to help dry out Thought Foot's camera. We put the crystals along with the camera in a zip lock bag. There is water inside the camera lens. Everything else seems to be working fine. We do not yet know how well the crystals will work.

I still need to do laundary and resupply for the next few days. Its amazing how many things need to be done every time we get into town.