Date: 2015-06-08
From: Gravel Springs Hut, VA

To: Manassas Gap Shelter, VA
Miles today: 24.1

Finally a decent night of sleep with the help of a couple sleeping pills. Up at 6:45am, I broke down camp, paid a visit to the privy, and enjoyed a quick breakfast of pop tarts and 2 cookies. Taking stock of yet another poor resupply, I decided I would hike hard today in order to reach the small town of Linden, VA where a convenient store provided basic options. I was on the trail ahead of Moosehead and Burnsides by 7:30am.Immediately climbing up South Marshall Mountain, I took a few minutes to enjoy one of the last vistas offered by the Shenandoah's. I moved onto North Marshall Mountain and what would be the final time I stood at 3,000ft or above until Massachusetts. The next couple hours would pass quickly as I sped along the trail through Hogwallow Flat, Hogwallow Gap, Jenkins Gap, Compton Springs, and Compton Peak seeing a few deer just ahead of me on the trail in the process. I stopped at the Tom Floyd Shelter for a quick lunch of Snyder's pretzels and a pack of crackers. Moosehead met me here, but we didn't eat lunch together because he wandered off to refill on water at a spring that would take him over 20 minutes to get to and return from. As he returned to the shelter cussing, I took it as my cue to return to the trail and continue making miles.Through Bear Hollow Creek and past the Jim and Molly Denton Shelter, my pace quickened as the sky began rumbling with thunder despite my body being drenched from a sunny, mid-80's afternoon. The sky began darkening with gray clouds as I climbed up the last small mountain before VA 55 that would lead into Linden. At the summit of the mountain a ~100 yard long meadow stood between the woods on either side. With occasional lightning nearby, I all but ran across the field to insure my time spent as the tallest object in the immediate area was kept at a minimum. With the wind picking up and tall grass rolling like waves, I felt a bit like Mark Wahlberg in the movie The Happening, wondering if I'd be speaking gibberish and lying under a lawnmower at any moment. I assume Mother Nature was satisfied with my solo status for I continued on with no issues.Coming down the other side towards VA 55, the thunder grew louder and rain began to fall. I resumed my running down the mountain, though I would recommend anyone doing it with a loaded pack and slick rocks. I reached the road just before 4:00pm and would spend the next 20 minutes failing to hitch into town. Finally giving up and sitting beside the road, Moosehead would take over thumb duty and the second vehicle would stop. It must've been the kilt. A nice gentleman drove us just under a mile and a half into Linden and tWe'llMonteray Service Station.With plans just to stay an hour or so, we did a quick sweep of the place and loaded up on a few snacks to cover us into Harper's Ferry as well as a few snacks to enjoy there. I had 2 honey buns, a slice of apple pie, Chef Boyardee, and a 2 liter of Pepsi. We then sat on a small bench by the front window and enjoyed pur snacks while our gadgets charged a bit. I chatted online with a couple supporters as well which helped brighten the increasingly darkening skies outside. The locals who own/run the store invited us out back to a fire pit where we sat and chatted for the next couple of hours as 2 rounds of storms rolled through. With offers to camp there, shower at one house, and eat at another, it was difficult saying no with plans to return to the trail as soon as the weather breaked.Moosehead and I returned inside during our last 30 minutes spent there and worked on a crossword together as we split a family size portion of Chef Boyardee, individual liters of cola, and a cookie for desert. At 7:50pm, and with the store about to close, we exited back onto the street heading in the direction of the trail, thumbs out in hope of a quick lift. Less than 5 minutes into our walk, the craziest thing happened when a very familiar vehicle pulled over to give us a ride. Enter, of all people, Safari's dad, Bucky, at 8:00pm in Linden, VA to be the one to stop. He had been crisscrossing the area for the past couple of hours trying to locate Safari as they head into Baltimore to enjoy a baseball game. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time. With only a mile to our dropoff point, it was a quick catch up with Bucky, but a pleasure to see him nonetheless. Back at the trail we took a picture together and parted ways. The guy has truly been a hero for us on multiple occasions.Moosehead and I had 2.5 miles and 900ft to climb to reach our current shelter which we'd cover in an hour. Although our bellies were full, our bodies cruised up the mountain from the energy we had recently consumed. Rolling in just as the day's final light was fading, we found Burnsides hanging out with Psych in the otherwise empty shelter, just as surprised to see us. We quickly settled in and I began this entry. Sleep may not come tonight for I have nearly 3 liters of soda in me + Moosehead's eventual snoring + Psych who randomly talks in his sleep. Joy. Only 2 more big days to go until we reach Harper's Ferry where I can hopefully sleep and recharge a bit.Tomorrow's only real challenge comes in the form of the "roller coaster," a 13.5-mile stretch of continuous small mountains, one after the other. Our planned destination now is a shelter close to ~20 miles which sits at the 999.9-mile mark. We'll either wait to cross that mark as soon as we begin on Wednesday morning or we'll end our day with it tomorrow. 1,000 miles will really feeling like something.Here's to mountain thunder, staying dry for at least one more day, and Bucky.