Date: 2015-04-15
From: Helveys Mill Shelter

To: Trent's Grocery (Bland, VA)
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: overcast clouds

The rain continued throughout the night. Light rain was falling when we woke up. It was dark and my headlamp could barely pierce the thick fog.The hike was uneventful for the first few miles. Light rain, damp clothes, soggy boots. Other hikers were all bundled up in their rain gear but I cannot stand wearing it. A few seconds into the hike I get immediately overheated, as if this massive wave of hot air were flowing over me. I hiked in shorts and a T-shirt the whole day.At one point we came across a dirt road which was littered with bones. I examined the surrounding woods and collected bones from various anatomical regions. We eventually pieced a few together and figured out they were deer. Apparently the area serves as a temporary camp for hunters. I settled a few of the bones around the dirt road to spook other people. We made good time today (granted the terrain was easy and our packs were lighter as we had only a little food left). Still, we made it to Trent's Grocery in the early afternoon. According to the guide, it's possible to tent, take a shower and do laundry for 6$ per person.Trent's Grocery is a bait shop so hiker supplies were VERY limited. We had left our packs outside to buy some snacks and once we came out, we saw a half gallon of milk neatly placed between our packs. We stood still, staring at the milk, wondering where it came from until we agreed that it was probably left purposely for us. Strangest trail magic yet! We bought cereal to go with it.The tenting area is basically beside a farm. Two horses were observing us setting up the tent while a couple pigs grunted angrily, rustled by something apparently. One of the horses was quite curious and approached us, accepting a pat on the head in exchange for a handful of cereal.We then headed to the structure which housed the shower and the laundry. Well, the dryer didn't work and there wasn't any available detergent. We opted to only wash our socks (with some shampooo) as they were the worst offenders.Then, the shower... ohhh Lord have mercy. I saw the shower room and right away said: "I'll shower in Pearisburg" (the next resupply point). It was moldy, smelly, infested by insects and just downright nasty. "But Axon" some might say "you are used to the woods, how can you be so picky?" That shower is beyond my lower limit; nothing, no matter how desperate, could justify the use of this shower. I used a water spigot to clean off my feet and legs. It was a cold but infinitly less disgusting alternative. I don't know what I was expecting...I mean Trent's was technically part of the town of BLAND, VA. Should of anticipated a...lack-luster town. Even the food is...flavorless. I guess the town's people should try to...spice the place up.(Ok, ok. I'll stop!)We ate an early dinner at the small deli inside the grocery (chili cheese fries and pizza rolls!) then we wanted to eat our snacks. The tenting area was adjacent to a seeminly abandonned RV lot. As it had begun to drizzle again, Shrugs, Klaus, Not Yet and I managed to find an unlocked RV so we settled in to eat (second) dinner. A musty, stale odor eminated from within but that RV was luxurious - comfy and dry. I guess we must have been pretty desperate to resort to trespassing on strangers' property.I ate too much food and my belly hurts. A village of crickets is chirping with great enthusiasm.Also: the picture dates from a few days back, during our hike in the Greyson Highlands. I had not taken any pictures recently and decided to post this one since this entry did contain a reference to a horse so I'm still keeping it all equine-themed.- Axon