Date: 2006-11-24
From: Shenandoah National Park - Skyland, Va

To: Shenandoah National Park - Skyland, Va
Miles today: 0.0

11-22-06 Today was a busy zero for me. It started out slow enough when I woke up and walked up to the Skyland Restaurant for breakfast and coffee.It was chilly out again. I saw three deer on the short walk to the lodge.I had a three egg omelette with cheese and mushrooms, homefries and a biscuit and lots of coffee. :-)))I walked back to my room and packed up all my stuff. It was still too early to head back to the lodge to wait on my ride, so I took a short nap.I woke up, walked up to the lodge and checked out, then waited for about an hour for my ride to show up.Twinkle Toes walked in while I was waiting and we got to talk for a while. He only has about 4 or 5 more days and he'll be done with his thru hike.Marsha was taking Minnesota Smith and Mathewski down to Miss Janet's, so she agreed to stop by here and pick me up and drop me off at my truck in Waynesboro.When they got here, we headed on south and the rains hit. There was even some sleet mixed in.Sure am glad I wasn't walking today. This 30 degree weather with high winds and rain is tough stuff to walk in because you can't help but getting soaked and cold to the bones.It took us a little while to find Gourmet Dave's home to pick up my truck. We came in from a different direction and nothing looked the same.We finally got to my truck and I said goodbye to everyone. I realized that I still had a bag that I left in Marsha's car, so I followed after them until they pulled in for some gasoline.I also needed to pay Mathewski for the $15.00 park pass he bought to get into Shenandoah to pick me up. He wouldn't take it...thanks Mathewski!! :-)))It was a busy time and the cold rain made everything harder, so I pumped some gas and headed on towards Richmond, Va.Rainbow Slick and Goosebump The Snow Princess have bought a new home and invited me over for Thanksgiving dinner....good Trail friends!! :-)))I drove over Rockfish Gap and it was 32 degrees and there was lots of ice sticking to the trees, but it was still raining hard. That's raw weather.I got to Richmond without any problems and went right to their home.I got to meet Goosebump The Snow Princess' Mom and Dad, I got to see Baby Bump again and I got to see the new, Little Jack Spencer for the first time. :-)))He looks like all babies do...a bald, toothless little peeing and pooping machine. ;-)))We all visited for a while, then ate a very good lasagne that Goosebump The Snow Princess made for dinner.I hooked up my laptop to their ethernet cable and uploaded some photos from Duncannon, Pa south to where I'm at now on the Trail.Thanks again Marsha, for going out of your way to get me back to my truck, so I could enjoy a real Thanksgiving meal. Hope your Thanksgiving at Miss Janet's was a good one.11-23-06 Happy Thanksgiving!!!This is a great way to spend Thanksgiving...at a Trail friend's home that is making a real turkey!! :-)))Goosebump The Snow Princess, Maggie and their Mom fixed a fantastic holiday meal.Another Trail friend by the name of Underpants '03 showed up with his girlfriend and her daughter.I carved the turkey, tasting it for doneness and it was perfect. :-)))I ate until I couldn't eat any more, then we had desert.I love Thanksgiving!! :-)))We hung around talking all afternoon and into late night...well, 9pm is late night for me. :-)))I was planning on leaving by 5am tomorrow morning to pick up Hokey Pokey in Roanoke, about 3 hours from Richmond, then drive up to Shenandoah and get in some walking.Thanks to Goosebump The Snow Princess, Rainbow Slick, Julia, Art, Baby Bump, Little Jack Spencer, Maggie, Underpants, Simone and Alexa...I had a very nice Thanksgiving spending it with all of you.11-24-06I woke up at 4am, made myself a pot of Starbuck's for the road, then left Goosebump's at 4:45am.It was in the 30's and it wasn't raining!!I drove down to Roanoke and got there just before 8am.Hokey Pokey loaded up his backpack and we headed up to Shenandoah to start walking where I had left off at Skyland two days ago.We got to Thornton Gap at about 10am and I drove up to the gate, handed the guy a park pass. He said the park was closed due to ice on the road. :-(((It was 50 degrees and the sun was shining, so we figured the park had to open today. We went back down the mountain and got a bite to eat, then went back and tried again...still closed and the guy said he had no idea when they would re-open.I had to sort though my backpack and pack some food, so we pulled off to the side of the road and I got busy.I kept watching for cars being let through the gate, but it never happened, so at 2pm, we headed south on I-81 and got a room near Staunton.I'll check in the morning, but if Skyline Dr is still closed, I guess I'll get back on Trail at Rockfish Gap and start walking south from there.I have made my final decision for first and second place in The Leaf Catching Game!!Drum Roll Please!!!Clydes Grandson is first...look at the little guy in the photo. He had to win because he caught soooooooo many leaves and he's so cute...any complaints??? :-)))Second Place goes to Mrs Gorp/Yolanda Vega because she sent in her final count along with a threat to my personal safety if she didn't get first or second. She mentioned something about an ocean and cement shoes. YOU'RE SECOND...YOU'RE SECOND!!!! Sure hope I don't get hurt now. ;-)))This game got out of control this year...I promise that I will be top leaf catching dude again one day!!Thanks to all of you that either emailed me or signed my guestbook telling me how you were doing in The Leaf Catching Game...it was fun. :-)))