Date: 2014-05-03
From: Lynchburg KOA 2nd Zero Day

To: N. of Taylor Mtn. Overlook
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 52: Saturday, 3 May 2014It's rough packing up after being spread out for over two days! Buffalo had a backpack full of food, but that's no surprise to a lot of you! Said he could still lift the pack with his pinky finger so it wan't too heavy. Then I had to figure out the configuration of food for the day of car travel.Buffalo took the dogs for one last walk while we packed the car. He came back and said that there were red spots on the inside of MacGyver's hind legs. Now, MacGyver doesn't like to be on his back unless he's rolling in grass, or something more odiferous, so getting him in a position to check him out is a bit of a challenge. There appeared to be three red rings and two red spots. Didn't feel any ticks, but they looked like the aftermath of some bug bite. Now to find a vet open on Saturday, plus get Buffalo some batteries, fuel and back to the trail. AWOL's AT Guide Book lists vets near the trail. We were headed to Glasgow so we tried the vet there, but it wasn't open on weekends. The trail head was in Dalesville, so we tried the vet there. They were very busy but gave us the phone number of the Botetourt Veterinary Hospital in Fincastle, north of Dalesville on 220. They would be able to take us when we got there.We saw Dr. Wayne Porter. He checked for ticks but didn't see or feel any. His best guess was a bite from something that gave Mac a slightly elevated temperature and these blood "bruises". Since we were travelling, he gave Mac a steroid shot to ease the body's reaction, and an antibiotic that would last a week to kill potential bacteria. He said that we ought to see the red circles disappear in about 2-3 days and that they would call to see how he's doing. Thanks so much, Dr. Wayne and Botetourt Vet. Hospital for being open and willing to take us without an appointment. That means a great deal to travelers.With MacGyver taken care of, we now need to get Buffalo on track (or trail). We went back to Dalesville, to the outfitter, so he could get batteries and fuel. While there, he was talking to a young woman, who appeared to be a thru-hiker. She looked familier to me - young woman thru-hiker with a Buff pulling her long hair back. That's about 85% of the woman on the trail. We were standing by the door and she looked at me and said, "I remember you! We met way, way back on the trail!"With food and fuel (both electrical and chemical), we went back to the trail head, on the side of the highway heading north. Got some pictures of Buffalo and the dogs sprinting north on the trail, said our good-byes, and off we all went: Buffalo white-blazing and us "yellow-blazing" back across the country. We're headed for Kentucky, east of Louisville, tonight. This is Kentucky Derby Weekend, which is why we got a place way outside of Louisville. Marty said that motel rooms were hovering around $200.00/night when he was checking out places. No thanks!We got to the Best Western where we were staying. It's the old style, with outside doors, which isn't a problem, but when we went in, it looked as if it hadn't been updated since it was built. I don't believe in updating just to be fashionable, but I didn't even want to sit in the stuffed chair or walk bearfoot on the carpet. The refrigerator didn't work and it had something broken inside that had mold on it. We told the evening manager, who was very nice and to her credit, came to see the problem, and offered us another room. I told her that, for one night and the minimal stuff we have, it wasn't too critical, just inconvenient. She did say she would see about getting us a discount on the room. So, this was the low-end Best Western, yet just as expensive as the others we'd been staying in, with a $10/pet fee. I hope that pet fee money goes to a good cause, like new carpeting or something!Well, an interesting day, from beginning (Thanks, MacGyver!) to end! Thought all day about that last view of Buffalo, as he headed up the trail. I turned around at almost the same time he did, to wave at each other.The Mum, FAHthur, and....