Date: 2017-05-27
From: Piney River Campsite 818.8

To: The Priest Shelter 827.3
Miles today: 8.5

The Piney River Campsite was absolutely amazing.  The streams pretty much surround the entire area.   The water flowing and the birds singing made for a beautiful morning.   I started out early to get to Spy Rock Road.  We both had packages at the Montebello Post Office and I needed to resupply at the General Store.  The walk to the unpaved road down took hardly anytime at all.  Once at Spy Rock Rd, we followed the blue blazes down the rough forest service road.   We past the fish hatchery and then continued down.  The total miles to the store and PO was about 2.4 miles.   We amazingly arrived before the post office even opened at 10am.  Goat went though her food supply box while I tried to find enough food at the General Store.   My staples of oatmeal, peanut butter, and mash potatoes were all missing.  I ended up buying Apple Ugly pastries, mozzarella cheese, ramen, rice sides, and mac/cheese.   It was a bit nerve racking but I was finally satisfied I would not starve.   I bumped my package with my tent to Waynesboro in hopes that my fears about my hammock suspension and tarp would ease over the next couple of days.  We watched people fish in the little pond across from the store.   It seems like every cast pulled up a fish.   The fish hatchery definitely keeps it stocked well. We walked about a half mile back up to the trail when a man in a 4x4 pickup offered us a ride. We were so excited and hopped in.  The last mile and a half of the walk up is a private road with a gate and a key pad.  We expected to only cut a mile off the walk, but the trail angel in the pickup had the code and took us within a half mile of the trail.  His ride cut almost 2 miles off our uphill walk.  I have never been so grateful in my entire life!  The walk up to Spy Rock and the Priest was beautiful and slow going.  My pack was once again heavy and I was generally just tired.   The last climb up to the Priest shelter went by more quickly as I talked to an amazing day Hiker named Jane.  It was very encouraging and kept my mind off my sore and painful heels.  We went down to the shelter and I looked for a place to hang my hammock.  I wasn't having much luck, so I dropped my pack and visited the privy.  As I approached the privy, the buzzing got louder and louder.   I opened the door and a cloud of flies exploded.   I shut the door and decided further back in the woods was a better option.  We filled up on water and then went back to the top of the hill to the campsite.   I found a place for my hammock and set up.   Immediately, bugs of all sorts managed to trap themselves under my tarp.  I left the doors open while I cooked and ate at the fire ring.   Thunderstorms were predicted for the afternoon and thunder occasionally rumbled but the skies stayed blue with puffy white clouds.  Once I was done with the evening chores, I headed to my hammock to relax and debate more on my sleep system.  I got up several times to shoo out all of the buzzing bugs.  I am not quite sure how they survive as a species since they can't figure out the escape route from under a tarp.   The sun finally set and thunder rumbled again.  A few distance lightning bolts lit up the sky.    The rain finally started and the storm even brought some hail.  The hail on the Cuben tarp was loud and scary.   At that point, I decided I would have less stress in the tent.  I may not be as comfy but at least I wouldn't worry as much.  It rained intermittently and a little more hail fell from the sky.  Finally about 2am, I fell asleep for just a few hours. **Photos/Videos on Facebook -- Mickie Blair (Dicey Willow)