Date: 2008-04-14
From: Rockfish Gap

To: Dripping Rock Parking Area
Miles today: 14.0

We had the most amazing day. Last night I got the job of finding a ride back out to the trail. We had a list of folks in Waynesboro who are available to give thru hikers shuttles around the area. Our first trail angel shuttle was with Carol when she gave us a ride from Rockfish Gap to the hotel. Then on Sunday Bruce gave Tigger and Csoring a ride to the outfitters.When I started trying to find a ride for us back to the trail this morning I called about eight numbers before I found someone available on a Monday morning. We made arrangements with Walt to pick us up at 9:45. That gave us time to get to the Post Office and mail our bounce boxes before heading out.Tigger needed to make a quick stop by the outfitter on the way to the trail. As we are driving out we had a nice little chat. Just before we arrived at Rockfish Walt offers to give us a slackpack AND offers to take us home after to stay at his house. Wow! We were expecting to be sleeping in our tents in thirty degree weather after carrying full packs all day. That plan changed fast!We arrived at Rockfish and quickly did a change to slackpacks. We made a plan for him to pick us up fourteen miles down the trail at 5:00. And we were off. This gave us a jump of five miles on our schedule. Hopefully our big miles later in the week can be cut down.The trail was really nice. The first five miles were gently rolling terrain. We stopped at the Paul Wolfe shelter. It was fantastic... a beautiful shelter and a beautiful day. I'm not really sure it was a beautiful day, but we were so excited to be slackpacking and not sleeping in the cold tonight that it seemed like a beautiful day.After lunch we started the long walk up Humpback Mountain. For a long uphill it wasn¢t bad at all. There were plenty of switchbacks to make it a reasonable climb. As we approached the overlook looking down on Wintergreen ski resort we came upon Walt. He had hiked up to meet us. At that point we began hiking down the mountain, across some pretty tricky rock scrambles. It was interesting.Walt hauled us back to his house and introduced us to his lovely wife, Pat. They have hiked the PCT and several other areas out west... I lost track of it all. They are amazing people! They fed us an incredible meal and gave us warm comfortable beds to sleep in. We just had a wonderful conversation over dinner and they shared the video about the AT. We're all kind of in shock. I've heard of Trail Angels and Trail magic, but this is incredible.So I'm about to crash for the night in this cozy bed, but first let me continue reporting who we have met on the trail. At the Quality Inn in Waynesboro we met Trailfoot. He was planning to get off the trail for a couple days to let his shin heal. We also met Fred and Robert, filling in a section missed on last year¢s hike. On the trail today we met Liquid and Transfat. They seemed to be moving along well.We're all moving along okay. I think Tigger is still nursing her back. My calves are really starting to feel the strain. Streching is becoming more and more important. Of course Owl is moving along without any problems... and Roo is having a blast, especially on slackpack days.Once more, God is very, very good!!Rabbit, Owl and RooJoshua 1:9