Date: 2013-04-23
From: Mile 663.7 campsite

To: VA 630 
Miles today: 8.2

Remember, I have changed the setting regarding the page that it displayed when you come to my website. Now it should always show the most current entry. If you think you have missed one, just click "Previous" at the top. Thanks!Last night I was woke up by something big walking near my tent! Could Yogi bear have finally caught up with BOO BOO? I clear my throat and the next thing I know it's running towards me! Oh no, I brace myself for impact...and it goes right by me, snorting all the way down the hill. It's a deer, and it's pissed. I can see the headlines now, "Mad deer runs through hiker's tent!" 15 minutes pass and I still hear it snorting. I soon fall back to sleep. That morning I get up by 7 and start packing. Nature calls and I go find a place to do my business and next thing I know I hear a hiker coming up the trail! I can see it's Hoosier. If he turns his head, he's going to get mooned! Luckily, he keeps going - man that was close! I take off and the first couple miles are, you got it - up hill. I reach a gravel road and trail magic in a plastic bin was waiting on me. I open it up and all that was left were Big K sodas. I have one and sign the log register. Thanks Super Dave - it hit the spot! I made it to Kelly Knob tried my cell and lo and behold I finally have a signal. I called Kathy and our plans are to meet up at Catawba parking lot and hike up to McAfee Knob together. That's 36 miles in two days I have to make. I told her I think I can do it. I start off and my left leg is hurting. I make it three miles and have to stop. The pain is too much! I've got to come up with something, so I take my belt and wrap it up tight around my lower leg as a brace to see if that would help with the pain. I take off and go about 30 feet and trip on a small tree stump in the middle of the trail. I land hard on my left knee and then land on my right shoulder, just on the edge of a hill. The small bushes keep me from going down the hill. I try to get up quick so no one sees me but my pack is caught in the bushes. I finally break free and stand up. I tell myself "You big dummy, there's no one around. Its been hours since you've seen anyone!" Then I feel the pain of my knee. I look down and it's bleeding. Great, now I can add that pain to my list. I make it down to VA 42, just on the other side of the barn in the photo. I take two steps and yell out with pain. I do this all the way over to VA 630 ( no pain, no Maine ). I round the corner, wondering what the hell am I going to do. There's no way I will be able to make it to the meeting spot with Kathy on time now. Then BAM, two trail angels are there, Ann and Lori. They fix me a chicken quesadilla and I tell them my dilemma. They offer me a ride into Christiansburg. I don't know what to do so I go over and sit by myself. I touch my lower leg and scream. My body has made the decision for me. The Dragon that I fear has given me a good slap with its tail. I hobble back to the ladies and I accept their offer. I don't know what hurts more, my body or having to get off the trail!I asked the ladies how many hikers they had seen today. They said Hoosier had come by around 12:30pm, and I was there at 4pm. We were the only ones that day. They said that they felt now that the real reason they had been called to do trail magic that day was not just to feed hikers but to be there to give me a ride out. I was certainly glad they were there!