Date: 2010-05-22
From: Relax Inn

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 85.0
Weather: moderate rain

Hello hello! After a slow start after Traildays I made it to the next town of Pearisburg, VA. Small town but has everything you could need to resupply and restaurants to eat at! Dairy Queen icecream. This stop is also where a good friend is getting off to go back to Seattle. Opus have used up his seven weeks of vacation time and must go back to society. He will be missed.I have been hiking with Cerveza, opus, bear blaze,and funky monkey. The group is a fun one. Somehow, the group is three women and two men. How did I get out numbered and when did this happen?! Not sure how this group will play out as some are on a schedule and others are meeting family and friends along the trail soon. I tend to have a more laided back approach. I like to walk hard during the day and find a nice relaxing spot to camp at. I have hiked hard and played catch up to find friends and was unable to camp in beautiful places. I want to take advantage of the wilderness and my journey. Funky Monky and I night hiked from 10:30 p.m. to 5:15 a.m. about 16 miles to make it to Woods Hole Hostel for breakfast! It was quite a journey and well worth the hike. If anyone gets the chance GO TO WOODS HOLE HOSTEL. You will not regret it at all and make sure you get either breakfast or their dinner!I have been making good time and from past thur hikers am told to be ahead of schedule including a very slow start. LastOnTheBus is about a week behind and hope he gets closer soon as I would wait for him if and when he gets closer. The hiking has been better than before but still nothing easy. There has not been one flat mile on this trail yet. Have had some gear malfunctions and difficulties as of late. Shoes from Merrel can not stand up to the terrain of the trail. I will not be a Merrel fan after this experience. Will be on my third pair of shoes starting next week. My pack is a large (I was between large and medium) and now am to small and the pack does not fit so well. I have purchased the same pack but smaller holding capacity and size. The smaller Holden capacity will encourage me to pack a lighter load and also let me have a different pack so when this is done I won't have two of the same pack when this is complete.This journey has been expensive thus far. I would advise those reading to prepare for their thur hike to save more money than they think just to be safe. Things for myself are going extremely well and I couldn't be happier. The trail rewards your hard work with great views and amazing friendships. My next stop will be in Daleville, VA at mile mark 720. I will plan to stay at Howard Johnson Express. If interested send mail to me. Please note sending food or heavy objects will be difficult to carry out unless light weight. Also, so I get them in time and do not leave without them make sure it is there by Friday the 28.Address them to:John Millerc/o general deliveryDaleville, VA 24083Please hold for AT hiker ETA may 28, 2010We are pressed on everyside, but we still have room to move. We are often in much trouble, but we never give up. People make it hard for us but we are not left alone. We are knocked down, but we are never destroyed.2 Corinthians 4:8-9