Date: 2008-07-11
From: Elkton, VA

To: Big Meadows
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: scattered clouds

This morning I walk again, newly inspired to be back on the trail after a much needed night in town. I spent it relaxing and catching up with friends and family on the phone. It was so nice to have a clean, bug-free environment and to be able to talk as long as I wanted, knowing when I was done I could easily charge the battery.Getting back on the trail was not as difficult as I thought it would be...I was afraid of hitchhiking, not trusting a complete stranger and knowing there are some loony people out there who could ruin my life or make it miserable. In the end I crossed the divided highway in front of the hotel and started walking in the right direction. I had to get 7 miles. Within seconds I heard a vehicle coming. Not sure, not sure, not sure, finally! At the last possible second i turned and put up my thumb. A white, spotless pickup truck, duel cab drove by. No luck. But wait. Then the truck slammed on its brakes and pulled off the road ahead, onto the grass. Bingo! I hurried as fast as I could go, hoping for some good luck to start my day. A nicely dressed man got out and said hello, lifted the cover to the pickup bed and helped me put my backpack in. Then drove me to the trail. We had a nice conversation. Another encounter with a trail angel. I'm again inspired by the kindness of strangers. And thus, a new day began.7:23 PM I treated myself to a "fancy" dinner, here at Big Meadows Lodge in Shenandoah National park. Walking along this evening I was anxious to get here and missed the turnoff for the simple wayside restaurant. When I realized it i was not willing to turn around and walk the wrong direction so i kept on and ended up here--at the more upscale and expensive place, rubbing elbows with the elite! My dinner was fabulous! (So what if i can't afford to eat for all next week) I had a fresh basil and mozzerella with tomato salad, 3 freshly baked rolls with gobs of butter, 2 glasses of chocolate milk (free refills) and a turkey dinner with stuffing, mash potatoes, gravy, cranberry concoction, broccoli and to finish it off, my dream dessert--blackberry cobler with vanilla ice cream!!!! You can probably hear my body cheering all the way back in New York, "whooo hooo!!!! Finally a treat for us! It's about time after all you make us do day after day after day."My server--Cahyo, is from Indonesia, had only ever once been hiking before coming here to work for the summer. He was telling me how where he lives the forest has no paths, no marked trails, so it's easy to get lost! And people must worry about tigers and snakes. For the snakes he spread salt around his campsite and for the tigers, fire will keep them away! He seemed amazed that I have been hiking since May and that I have walked 900+ miles. It was nice chatting with him, made the dining experience that much more enjoyable. AFter dinner I will hike a bit more, just far enough to find a spot to pitch my tent for the night. It was a good day. I spent it under my green veil, lost in the world of the fiction book I am working on. I wrote the first page and the last paragraph, the first and most important step. I saw a mama deer with twin fawns after lunch--which i had sitting outside lewis mountain campground. The deer were skittish though and I was reluctant to get closer and scare them into the parkway. So i had to be satisfied to watch from a distance. Precious! I met another trail volunteer doing maintenence. This one alone, thru-hiked in '98, his name is Odd Bear. We had a good talk despite the maddening swarm of gnats around my head and mosquitoes making passes at my legs. He said the "whites" were the hardest, especially when done late in the summer. I thanked him for his hard work and he thanked me for "beating down the center of the trail." I so enjoyed our conversation. It has been a treat I am not used to--talking to strangers! I have really come to enjoy stopping and chatting with people on the trail. We ask where each other is coming, where we've come from, then if both parties are not in a hurry, we might learn more. It has been interesting and I look forward to it now, especially on days when I don't see many people. 9:00 I'm camped in the woods just past the official campground. Why would I pay $15 to set my tent up there where there are so many people around?? When I can walk a bit and set it up, pay nothing. It's okay that I don't have a real bathroom! I can live with that. So after dinner I hurried past, walked, walked, walked til I found a decent spot. I hung an ideal bear bag, only took me 6 tries tonight. I am getting better! (Of course i should mention that one of the tries nearly clobbered me on the head, likely would have knocked me unconscious! This bear bag hanging is a dangerous thing!) All is silent. Even the hooting owl I heard earlier has moved on. It should be a peaceful night.