Date: 2007-06-14
From: Stealth site .5 miles down Cove Mtn, VA

To: John Springs Shelter VA
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: mist

Pretty tough nite last nite. My sleep was littered with strange dreams that bordered on nightmares, I'm sure due to the lightening episode yesterday. I awoke before my alarm @ 5:15 a.m. and it was 60 degrees and very foggy. It had rained some in the nite.I was sort of a mess this morning, my "flow" was off. Oh, and what did I do about the broken stake for my tarp? I just tied one corner off to a very small tree that was in a good place. I know there's an outfitter in Troutville, where I'll hopefully be in 2 more days, so until then, I'll just make something work, either a tree, rock, or I might try to use one of my hiking poles.So I'm off by 7:35 a.m. Seriously, Cove Mtn. (where Dragons Tooth is located) is the most technically challenging hiking I've done. More sheer slabs where I spent a lot of time butt-scooting, throwing my poles down so I could use my hands, I fell once, but it was graceful. I highly recommend tackling this mountain with plenty of daylight and time. It was a tough ascent and descent.I will admit, however, the haunting feelings of yesterday were still running thru my veins. At one point, release finally came, and I just sat down and sobbed. It was necessary for me to express those intense emotions.I really can't express well enough the intensity of that experience.I wasn't crying because I was afraid of dying though. I gave a lot of thought to this today. I do not fear death, I fear dying before I'm able to contribute whatever it is I'm supposed to contribute to this world and its people.In my 20's, I rarely gave a thought to mortality. In my 30's, it has started peeking into my mind, and a sense of "you'd better figure it out soon" came along with it. Do you know how frustrating it is to wake up everyday, feeling as if you have so much to contribute, but can not put your finger on "it"? I think of things I'd "like" to do, but I seriously doubt the National Geographic Channel is going to pound down my door and ask me to host a traveling\exploration show.Shortly after I got started, Ken showed up and he said he would get his vehicle then come back to the Parking lot @ VA 311 to get me, Shadow, and Shua.I hiked along, and parts were that tough rocky slab stuff again. I was feeling a little down today...exhaustion I think. I had planned on going into Catawba because my new camera was @ the P.O. and I needed to send my next memory card home.It seemed to take forever to get to VA 311, but on the hike I saw more of those great orange salamandars. It was foggy and misting all morning. I finally got down @ 12:15 p.m. Ken had not returned yet, so I got my town stuff in order and started journaling a bit. He arrived and although Shadow and Shua weren't there yet, we decided to just chill and wait for them. Ken is this really great guy, 39 year old dad of 2, married for 15 years and has worked for the past 11 as a physician's assistant. He had a lot of questions for all of us, seeing he's going to thru-hike next year.Oh, and I told him I had broken my stake when he appeared from the other side of the hill yesterday, so as I'm throwing my pack in his truck, he digs into his and GIVES me one of his stakes! WOW! THANKS KEN!!Shadow and Shua showed up probably an hour later and then Ken offers us the unthinkable. He goes, "Seeing it's only 2:00 p.m., how about I take you all by the P.O., then you can come back to my house, shower, do laundry, and then we'll all go to The Home Place, and I'll bring you back to the trail." The Home Place is in our guidebook, and is an AYCE home cooking restaurant that is in this HUGE house that had been built (I think) in the early 1900's. We were all stoked.So we go to the P.O., I got my NEW camera, and it even has this awesome tiny tri-pod that fits in the hipbelt pocket of my pack! Thank Rachael, for taking care of this for me! It's a newer version of my last camera, and it is so wonderful not having a huge crack through the middle of the lcd screen. I mailed my memory card home and my old camera and other stuff that came with the new one up to Charlottesville to Cindy's house. I've got pics of Rachael and my kitties on the actual camera (not on a memory card) and I want to see if I can somehow transfer them onto my new camera. One of the little things I did to battle home sickness.So then, we went back to Ken's house. His family is @ Disney World this week, so 3 very stinky hikers and all our gear piled into his home. He got towels for us, we all threw all of our clothes into the wash, I took a shower, charged my cell phone, transmitted my pocketmail stuff and we all talked and had a great time. I was STARVING though, as was everyone, but The Home Place doesn't open till 4:00 p.m.I showed Ken my stove, and I mentioned I'd need a new piece of insulation for it soon, so guess what, he runs out to the garage and brings some in for me! Seriously, he was SO giving, I just couldn't get over it. We all went thru our food, washed our cooking gear, and Ken gave me the rest of his beef jerkey, I gave Shadow some extra gatorade I had, and Shua gave us both some snacks from his maildrop, which we ate immediately! LOL I told them I felt like I was back in the lunchroom @ elementary school where I used to try to trade my roll for someone's chocolate chip cookie.Finally, we're all ready to go, and we hop in and Ken takes us to The Home Place, where he had never been either. I was shocked @ how busy they were on a thursday nite. You have to understand that Catawba consists of the P.O., a small general store, a psych hospital and The Home Place. Not sure where everyone came from, but the place was packed.We got sat pretty quickly and the feasting began. For $13.00 you get fried chicken, your choice of one other meat (we all chose BBQ pulled pork) and all of these sides of biscuits, green beans, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, baked beans, hot apples, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. They bring it out "family" style where everyone passes the dishes around, and they keep bringing it out indefinitely. Oh, blackberry cobbler with icecream too! So I forgot to mention that I randomly told Ken yesterday (before I even knew about this place) that I was craving fried chicken and biscuits like none other...AND HERE IT WAS!! So ok folks, this place was no Golden Corral. The food was SO FREAKIN GOOD!!! I had at least 3 full plates, as well as dessert and a cup of coffee. I was in absolute heaven! If you hike and\or visit this town, do not bypass this place! It is right by Roanoke, VA.So, Shadow and Shua were supposed to be meeting up with Rooster (who fell out of hammock-not a backpacking hammock mind you- in his parent's backyard and broke a rib a few days ago, so his hike may be over) and C-Shot who is about 40 miles ahead and is taking a few days off. Around 7:00 p.m. they all met outside The Home Place. We all said goodbye, and Ken took me back to the trailhead.It was raining lightly, the tops of the mountains are all socked in with fog, but my goal was to get a mile into the next shelter before dark.I said good bye to Ken and thanked him AGAIN, and @ 7:30 p.m. I was off.All I know is that it is an amazing difference what a shower, clean clothes, good food, and the generosity of a total stranger can make. I was excited to be out here again, I felt energetic, positive (despite the rain), and at peace.I was @ the shelter by 7:55 p.m., and was all tucked into bed by 8:30 p.m. The rain is still coming down steadily, but I love how it sounds. It's a bit breezy, but nothing that will keep me cold all nite. It's 57 degrees right now, and I am ready for some zzz's.Tomorrow within 2.5 miles I hit perhaps the biggest trail icon other than Mt. Katahdin...McAfee Knob. I've decided if the weather hasn't lifted, I'm zeroing right here. I refuse to hike past McAfee Knob and not be able to enjoy what is known as the best view in all of Virginia.I looked up the weather @ Ken's place and it looks like it "should" be nice again for several days. I hope so.It's rained and\or stormed everyday since I left Pearisburg. It's a slight annoyance more than anything, but I honestly am not phased by it any longer...the rain that is. Thunderstorms, well, that's another story.I wonder if I've gained some special psychic power (like the movie Powder) from having had the surge of electricity go thru me. LOL (joking is the only way I know of to deal with it all at this point). Oh, this is a little awkward for me to write, but my mom suggested I do it. She wanted to know where to send me something for my birthday. I turn 34 on July 7, so I told her I'd be very close (maybe to) Harper's Ferry, West Virginia by then. So Rockstar, if those brownies are still available...I'd be MORE than happy to take them off your hands! Here's the address for Harper's Ferry:Michele ZehrGeneral DeliveryPlease Hold for Thru-HikerHarpers Ferry, WV, 25425ETA July 15(I really think I'll be there closer to the 7th though)Here's my birthday wishlist:1. A meaningful job, in which I can help empower women by teaching them to question and combat the socialization process we all go through that tells them they "can't" do certain things or are worhless if they don't look like a supermodel... or host a travel television show where I get to travel and do thrill-seeking activities around the world...or a job in which I can make my own hours and still get paid a livable wage (time is our greatest asset, and having say in how it's used is a big deal to me).2. An all expenses paid trip for 2 around the world (of course, our household expenses will have to be covered as well, and arrangements for our kitties will need to be made)3. The keys to a Harley Davidson that has a one of a kind custom paint job of skulls and flames with a matching helmet (the only material thing I covet), and modified exhaust so it will be LOUD4. A winning lottery ticket so I can spend my life traveling and hopefully make some sort of difference in this world5. If none of the above are feasible, what I'd like most of all are happy thoughts and good energy sent my way. Not too much to ask for is it? LOLOh, I almost forgot, I weighed myself @ Ken's house and about crapped...I've lost 36 lbs! I actually didn't believe it, so weighed again, and the guys weighed themselves as well. It was accurate! NO WONDER I can't keep my pants up anymore! I get that plumbers crack thing going on when I hike if I don't use the hipbelt of my pack to keep my pants up. I should have new pants waiting for me @ Cindy's house...good for me, REALLY good for anyone hiking behind me @ this point!~Certain