Date: 2006-05-26
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Moved over to the hostel, about a 2 mile walk from the trail! I didn't want to spend the money for another night at the Plaza. So I'm at the library now, Sticks is here. I paid my water bill, checked my email and so forth. Then, I went to Rite-Aide to make photo cds to send home. Made some photos too, and got a couple small albums for my first trail family. Mailed them home with the cds, my hard core patch, the newspaper I've been carrying since trail days, cards and stickers. While I was in Rite-Aide, about half the day!, I left my camera card in the machine. Now I'll worry about it all night! Went to Dairy Queen for a blizzard. The courthouse is 200 years old and their having a bicentenial celebration, but it's gonna rain. Got some money at the ATM and tried to hitch to Wal-mart. I saw a bunch of hikers get picked up near the road to the hostel, but it looked pretty ful. What do you know! The driver dropped them off at wal-mart, then came back for me! Followed the trail through the field back to the hostel and read a book on the porch while watching the storm come in. Hikers keep rolling in! #2, Johnny K, Soda Pop, Chuck Norris, Fred, and B-main, Soul Live, and Old spice. I got a shower and ate my left over food. The Johnny K club was going to Wendy's and Wal-mart, so I joined them. It's too hard to pass up town food. While we were eating, Fred kept on sewing his skirt. Apparently the safety pin fad is out and besides, he says they are getting uncomfortable under the pack's hip belt! Johnny K kept braggin on his loaded potatoe, so I went back in line. Unfortunately, they were out of potatoes, he had eaten their last one! Drat! Anyways, It's pouring down rain now and it's a big parking lot to get to Walmart. We stalled. Finally it let up and we made a mad dash for Wal-mart's cheap thrills. Entertainment for all! The rain was coming down so hard, we thought the roof might collapse. I'm so glad I'm not in my hammock tonight. I don't have a clue why Old Spice would set his up in the trees at the hostel! Well, it was kinda stuffy upstairs in the hostel, but back to the story, We're ready to leave Wal-mart, but the rain is really coming down! We stood in the lobby. We'll some us us stood, others sat on the lawn furniture, till the owner came to load it in his car, others still were entertaining themselves on the children's rides. I think it was Chuck Norris. Anyways, Johnny K went back in the store for the cheap .89 cent ponchos for us all when, the miracle of miracles, a jeep offered us a ride. Well, really, he offered a couple of us a ride, but when the doors opened, somehow all five of us fit. I kinda got popped right off the seat as the last one slammed the door and I ended up on someone's lap. It was tight, but better than walking the half mile back through the tick infested, now really soaked waist high field of grass! We stayed up late, then I went to sleep on the porch. At some point during the night, the wind changed direction and was now streaming sideways across the porch. We made a mad dash for the remaining mattresses upstairs. There wasn't enough for everyone and a few ended up on the floor.