Woke up this morning to discover that Finn was camped beside me. I got in late last night sat for a few minutes at the shelter with about a dozen mostly kids. I asked where the water was and one young fellow pointed down the hill to what he described was the best spring he had ever seen. It looked so clean I fact he was drinking it untreated. The conversation digressed touched on giardia and other maladies. I finally suggested to the road that giardia wouldn't kill you. Diarrhea would. A hush fell and immediately the lines were drawn. The real hikers knew what I was saying and immediately it became clear who the hanger one here for the party were. Back to Finn. Yes he's from Finland. The last time I saw him he had replaced his rotting off his feet shoes with some new sandals. He had even learned that socks improved his wear. I told him that every time I stub my toe I think about him. He says he bought them a size larger than he wears just so he would have that added protection sticking out in front of his toes. I had caught up to him because he had taken three zeros in Waynesboro because he was sick. My goal today is to have lunch at Loft Mountain Wayside. The best part of the ham edged was the lettuce tomatoes onion. The cold Gatorade was good. And the blackberry milk shake was fair. As I was leaving Smoke showed up. His mom, Swim, is slack packing the shenendoas with her new husband so Smoke is on his own for a bit. I think virginia is wearing on everyone. Not least of which is the humidity and afternoon thunder showers. I'm dripping sweat all day and wearing it all night. Just wet and clammy. Not cold. So there's really no threat to life just wicked stanky.
38.3051° N, 78.6125° W
Judd's addendum: Also the trail is well boring. It's really well groomed very easy tread but it just goes straight and then straight some more. And almost sinusoid all goes up and down up and down. Those that can are trying to keep moving 7 am to 7 pm and then stealth camp. Like me tonight. But I stopped at six. I can still feel the 20 miler yesterday. Have seen lots of deer. There must not be a hunting season. Seems like everyone has seen bears and Cubs. Except me. Probably tonight. Although I was very conscientious about hanging my bear bag and putting anything that might smell good, including tooth paste in it. Smoke and ghost hiker just tramped by. They are going to go until eight pm until they stop. It's wicked hard to stealth camp because there's weeds and brush every where.
ReplyDelete38.3051° N, 78.6125° W