Date: 2008-05-06
From: Home

To: Virginia Beach, VA
Miles today: 0.0

So it was up and on our way to Karen's job. I've visited there many times andhave found this neat little cafe that I can get wireless internet and do mywork. So I got all settled and started the process of finding out what itwould take to take these last 4 courses I need at the University of Virginiaand then transfer them to my school in Michigan.I got to reconnect with my wonderful advisor and friend, Rebecca, who is helpingme on her end. Her and her husband currently live in NH, so guess what, when Iget there, I get to see them and I'm SO excited!!! I haven't seen them sincethe summer of 2006!I made lots of progress today, talked to some people and got all of the formsprinted out and partially filled out, but have to wait till I get home to maileverything off, because that's where my official transcripts are. Sofolks...it's looking pretty good!Then, something VERY cool happened today. Karen was ready to go by 3:30 p.m.,and we knew that Jacks-r-Better, the 2 guys responsible for my underquilt,packcover, and mini-carabiners that we talked to at the hammock hangout lastfall, have their business in Yorktown, which was only 20 min. away, so wedecided to make a visit.Man, so so cool to see how and where they make their products. I've got pics,so they'll be going up, but these two guys (both named Jack) are so wonderful. The VERY first underquilt and top quilt of theirs to thru-hike the AT back in2005 was hanging on the wall, and they showed us the storage room, the roomwhere they stuff the down into their quilts, where they sew, and this awesome(designed by them) table where they cut and measure all of the material for allof the different products.We told them the color of Karen's underquilt, and they opened a database intheir computer and said, "Oh, that's one between #16-24!" So we told them thenext product we'd like them to invent is a portable (meaning it can't weigh 50lbs) hammock stand for places that don't have trees (as in beaches). There aresome designs out there, but they all seem complicated. Never know, we mightjust make our own!So by the time we left, it was almost 5:00, and we just looked at each other andsmiled, because we knew what the other one was thinking. Hmmm..we're JUST 40minutes away from THE BEACH!!!! So, spontaneous decision #10,000...we did nothave any overnight items at all, but who cares...unless you're in a sleezebagmotel (like the ones I pick out on the trail) they usually have the littlecheap toothbrushes and toothpaste right?So we headed to Virginia Beach, which is sort of my old stomping grounds,because for the 3 months after I graduated from bootcamp, I was stationed atthe Little Creek Naval Base in Norfolk. Since it's still off season, we got agreat rate on a beachfront room. Man do I love love love the ocean! It was alittle cool, but it felt so great to walk and walk on the sand and soak up thatocean air.We had dinner at a nice place and then went back to our hotel and got into thehot tub and pool until 11:00 p.m. The hot tub felt REALLY great on my tightjoints and aching muscles. I swear, you hurt worse when you DON'T hike 15miles a day.So not exactly the life of an AT hiker huh? Spending a nite on the beach, butyou gotta take advantage of opportunities like this people. Tomorrow it's backhome to take care of business. No...really....LOL~Certain