Date: 2009-05-23
From: Timpini Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: broken clouds

Before I start, responses to people signing my guestbook:Cathy - Yes I will speak, anything for you after all you did for me, plus it will be fun!Eric and Justin - Thank you for the kind words and advice from those who've "Been there, done that", you guys rock! Congrats again Eric on your recent completion.Family - Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. I'll have some cool stories to share at Thanksgiving for sure..People at Hannaford - I miss the fun we had in between work breaks, hope your dry, a/c controlled cubicles are still workin out for ya...I've got a week of rainy days ahead of me.What a cool day, we started out at the shelter this morning with a whole crowd of folks, Shameless, Jim Dandy, Sailor J, Bon Bon, Ziggy, Lucky, Gaia, some weekenders and more. I was the last one out of the shelter this morning at 8:30 and took it pretty easy today, knowing there was only 10 miles to go to get pizza. The Partnership Shelter is very close to the road and a visitor's center and Pizza Hut delivers to the driveway. Oh, and there are propane heated warm water showers, a soda machine, and real bathrooms. Wow, what luxury this is, I haven't seen anything like this since Fontana. I got here around 12:30 and it felt like a nero day all day. Very relaxing.There was an exciting jolt in the middle of the day as we went in and out of Sugar Grove for lunch, no time to tell the story here, just remind me and I'll tell you about it when get back. Hillbillys, ex-meth head hippies, and a LOT of Busch Light.I am planning another short day tomorrow, only 12 miles to get to the town of Atkins and try to hitch over to Marion, where there's a Food Lion (cool!) and I can gear up for the next few days. I am planning on doing the 87 miles from Atkins to Pearisburg in 4 days. I haven't looked at my book very much beyond this because I was just so damned focused on getting to Damascus for so long that I never thought of anything else. I am starting to plan a little ways out now, and am getting ready for the girls to join me.On June 19th, my sister and Dani will join me and we will hike together for some time. I am so freakin excited it's all I've been thinking about for awhile. To be able to see them, and my Mom who is dropping them off, is going to be awesome. Hiking together will be great, whether we go 2 miles a day or 20, it's going to be so much fun. The Sis will be coming along for 8 to 10 days and Dani ('Bow, like Rainbow, will be her trail name) will be with me for a month or more, however long is possible. Well, I think I am going to be in Front Royal, VA on the 17th, about 50 miles short of Harper's Ferry. That even leaves an extra day in case something happens or I need an extra zero. If I can do that I will be 6 days ahead of my "schedule" I made before leaving, right now I am 3 days ahead.You know what completing the Appalachian Trail is like? Someone told me some facts the other day. It's like completing 83 marathons with 35 lbs on your back while climbing from sea level to the top of Everest and back 16 times. 2175 miles, 500,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain/loss. I crossed the 500 mile mark the other day and something in my brain finally snapped. I can do this, I thought, for the first time since starting I really am confident that I can totally do this. Knock on wood.Kick: Only 10 miles?! I know, I know, but where else can you order trailside Pizza Hut and have a warm shower? Nowhere.Kiss: I stopped on the side of the trail today and got service on my half dead phone and called Dani and talked to her for over a half hour in the middle of nowhere. It was the first time we talked in 3 days, and was the highlight of my day.Happy Trails,Transition