Date: 2010-06-06
From: Rockfish Gap (Waynesboro, VA)

To: Calf Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The cot is moderately comfortable last night but the air conditioned space and lack of insects more than makes up for this. I get up around 6:30a, dress, and decide to get my grocery/resupply shopping done first thing, taking advantage of the fact that I can walk to the grocery which is only a few short blocks away while leaving my pack at the hostel. They like hikers to be out by 9:00a so I have plenty of time for this chore.Back at the hostel the arm chafing I've experienced is still weighing on my mind and thinking that it might be the laundry detergent used at the Dutch Haus I set about hand washing my shirt. I use my Kroger shopping bag as a 'washing machine' applying shirt, warm water, and soap and then agitating with my hand. Improvising like this is not uncommon on the trail, and I hope that my newly washed and rinsed shirt performs better.I take a leisurely breakfast at Weasie's Kitchen ('Home Cooking Where Friends Meet To Eat'), enjoying a western omelette, coffee, and juice, catching up on my journaling, and making a few phone calls. A patron, Malcolm C., stops by my table to inquire about my hike and we chat briefly. He seems quite interested and I tell him about my journal if he'd like to follow along. He writes down the URL and generously writes down his name and phone number for me and tells me to call if I need anything. Great little exchanges like this are some of my favorite moments on the trail.After breakfast I have my thumb out for a ride back to the trail when a woman purposefully pulls up and asks, "Are you Avatar?" Bewildered, I confirm at which point she offers me a ride to the trail and says that another hiker had seen me and mentioned my name. This just highlights how close and networked the trail community can become as everyone intersects during their northbound migration. I ask my trail angel to stop by the outfitter first (which is on the way) so I can drop off my week old, lightly used shoes in the hiker box. Hiker boxes are found at most hostels, motels, and outfitters frequented by hikers and contain items that one hiker doesn't need or can't carry, left for someone else on a first come first serve basis. Food is the most common item in a hiker box but it can really run the gamut. I think my donation would be the first pair of shoes I've seen in a hiker box. I would have mailed the shoes home but it's Sunday and arranging post for these would have been a fair hassle. My trail angel then speeds me to the trail where I'm on my way just before noon.I'll admit I'm excited about hiking the Shenandoahs, I've heard so many positive things about this section of the trail. The terrain is tame(r) comparatively, and wildlife sightings tend to be higher. I make my first sighting a couple hours into my hike when I come across a (wait for it...) timber rattler sunning in the trail. Now the thing about snakes is often you don't notice them until your about a step away from them, and this was no exception. At safe distance I use my trekking pole to shoo him off the trail so that another unsuspecting hiker doesn't accidentally step on or near him. He's about 3'-4' long and lethargic but begins to move with my prodding, giving a good rattle to express his displeasure. I find out later that he was back in the middle of the trail when some other hikers passed so my efforts had little effect. I also see a small box turtle on the trail and later a deer which was content to stand about 15' away from me. More disconcerting was a small tick I found on my wrist underneath my watch band. I pluck him off but am now paranoid and perform a rigorous self examination for ticks. This is not the first tick I've found but this IS the first deer tick I've found, the variety known to carry Lyme Disease. I'm pretty sure I got him early but will have to keep an eye on things and be more rigorous checking for these buggers.I'm in my tent right now and it's very windy. Hopefully this won't keep me from a good nights sleep. Walk on!