Date: 2012-06-15
From: US 30

To: Pen Mar road crossing in Waynesboro,PA
Miles today: 17.8

SOS decided to hike southbound today so I drove him to US 30. It has NO parking so we had to just pull off the road while semis and cars whizzed by...it was scary! After singing our daily "Step by Step" song, off he went for another day of hiking and I started the drive back to our room in Waynesboro. On the way, I spotted another sign saying Fresh Blueberries. The sign said it didn't open until 9 and it was only 8:30 but I drove in anyway. An Amish young lady was sorting blueberries inside the stand and didn't hesitate to sell me some! The verdict after washing and tasting??? More expensive and not nearly as sweet as Indiana blueberries...oh well! I spent the morning and part of the afternoon on the computer and knitting another little hat. Metro Indy had a booth at the conference where they were collecting baby hats for Riley hospital. I knitted two during conference sessions and now have knitted 3 more and am on my 4th....it is a win/win. I love to knit and Riley needs hats for babies!...a good use of my time...About 3 o'clock, I decided to go exploring downtown historic Waynesboro which is where the hotel is located. I parked on the street and went looking for the library which Edith Chloe said was right there but I couldn't see it. I went into a bookstore and asked and they pointed to a brick house with black shutters across the street. Sure enough it was the library housed in an old house with a fireplace in most every room. Sad to say it wasn't very interesting with only 3 chairs to read in and a couple tables to work at but I found some books to look at and sat in one of the 3 chairs for about an hour or so. I would have to rate it a 5. I went in an antique shop and there was something I had wanted to buy for the tea parties with my grandkids at a much reduced price so I bought it for future times. (They may be reading this so don't want to say what it was!) On to McDonald's to pick up SOS. Everytime we are at McDonald's we always (without fail) put money in the box for the Ronald McDonald's houses in honor of our grandson Sammy. We spent 2 weeks in a Ronald house when he was in the NICU in DesMoine, Iowa. We were so grateful that he was so well taken care of and got to go home and that we were provided with such a loving, caring place to live with Sammy's parents, brothers and sister while we all waited for him to be released that we feel the need to pay it forward for others to be able to experience these wonderful houses also. Only waited a short time before SOS showed up. He had a much better day than yesterday and was thrilled to report a sighting of our kids from the Chicago area that we thought were off the trail...GQ and Maxis! I hope to see them at the State Park tomorrow...He also saw Shanti today and I got to talk with her briefly on the phone. It is so special when we see hiker friends that we haven't seen in a while! Back at the room, I fixed us some dinner (macaroni with tuna, salad with tomatos, and blueberries)and we looked for a movie to go to. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen because the movie selection didn't have anthing we wanted to spend money on. We are looking forward to seeing Army friends tomorrow, Joseph and Mary! Joe will hike with SOS for several miles while Mary and I catch up on the news of our families and do whatever! On Sunday, Joe is going to take us on a tour of the Gettysburg battlefield because being a West Point grad he knows a lot about it. Road Name of the Day: LITTLE MOUNTAIN ROAD Again...not unusual like some in the past but it is what I wished for SOS today since yesterday was not a good experience so I hoped for little mountains today and here was a road with that name!SOS here:Today was a day of seeing friends on the trail. When you're off the trail for a week you do not expect to see hikers you have met earlier, but today I did - seven in fact. I saw Shanti, GQ, Maxis, Frenchy, Sling-Shot, Headnout and Tagnalong. This would not have been possible if I had not been hiking against the grain. I hiked south today and started 17.8 miles north of where I finished yesterday and hiked back to that same spot. My feet are still extremely sore but the trail was much more forgiving today than yesterday.I saw the nicest shelter(s) I have ever seen on the AT. The shelter was the Tumbling Run Shelter at mile 1,066.5. I put the (s) on the word shelter because Tumbling Run actually has two identical shelters - one for snorers and one for non-snorers. I, along with two of my other section hiking buddies, would sleep in the snoring shelter and the rest of my hiking buddies would sleep in the non-snoring shelter. Can you imagine that - I had a fellow hiker say that this shelter obviously had a woman's touch. Not only were there two shelters but between them was a picnic table that was on level ground and had a roof supported by four corner posts. It would be a great place for playing cards at night with my hiking buddies - beware Buck I am out to get you at any cost. I usually can win as long as Pitchit is not in the game. It is skill that usually wins. There are also two clothes lines behind each shelter for drying clothes. The final touch is the toilet paper provided in the privy with four toilet paper hangers. The privy comes compete with air freshener spray to keep the privy smelling good. Tomorrow I will hike 19+ miles sore feet and all and will reach the half way mark in exactly 16 miles. I am sure my feet would be even sorer if it were not for my Lowa Baltoro Boot (They have been great) and my Darn Tough socks. I have three fellow hikers notice I am wearing them and they also swear by them.Tomorrow, I will take the half gallon challenge and I will be successful - too bad the ice cream will not be Graeter's Black Raspberry Chip, if it was I would be very happy to eat a whole gallon.I wish my hiking buddies could be there and share in the moment when I take the half gallon challenge. I do intend to call each and every one of them as soon as I pass the half way mark.I also wish I could have one of the best of each of their characteristics. I wish I could write like Pitchit. I wish I could pray as spontaneously as Trail Boss. I wish could be as evangelistic as Buck. I wish I could be as outgoing as Noisy Rod. I wish I could be as encouraging as WW Wise. I wish I could be as supportive as Boots. I wish I could have as gentle a soul as Pilgrim. Thanks guys you have changed my life for the better. I praise God for bringing you into my life and for all of you introducing me to hiking.