Date: 2015-05-18
From: Daleville, VA

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: clear sky

I was psyched to hit the trail again this morning. However, considering the horrible shin issues and tight calves I suffered after my last lazy days in Atkins and Bland, I was worried that I would suffer the same fate heading out of Daleville.I was also worried about my poor feet. They were so swollen last night. Chris and I had both soaked our feet with Epson salts. When I put my swollen sausage toes into the water, it felt like they were on FIRE. I pulled them back out immediately. When I soaked my leper hands, though, the water felt pleasantly warm. Goddamn those toes.I was sweltering in the stupid Howard Johnson bathroom, which had NO FAN (Chris and I both were displeased with this). I actually sat on the edge of the bathtub and swung the door open and closed and open and closed to get some air. It didn't work that well. It did make me feel better, though.So in preparation for my return to the trail, and anticipation of horrible pain, I got up in the morning and stretched. I wanted to take one last shower but sadly skipped it to keep my toes dry. I plastered my feet with Band-Aids and tons and TONS of medical tape. Like, A LOT. I was taking no chances in my attempts to protect my heels today.Then I stretched some more. I stretched while I packed. I went for a run around the Howard Johnson parking lot on my way to continental breakfast with Chris. Then I stretched. I ate oatmeal and stretched. I made a waffle and put too much syrup on it and had to hold it in the air to let some of the extra drain off. And I stretched.And when Chris and I headed out for the day, my calves seized up and my shins splintered and my feet hurt and my ankle felt terrible. It was like my body was punishing me for being lazy and talking a day off.So I limped down the trail. Even though the first miles were nice and easy, I was pouring sweat and my legs ached. Ugh. Chris disappeared into the distance in front of me as I trailed behind. Every couple of miles, he would stop and wait for me to catch up, dump Bertha and stretch. I apologized, and told him that he didn't have to wait. It wasn't like it made a difference, I would catch up to him eventually. But he was extremely kind and patient, even offering me some of his IcyHot to soothe my troublesome muscles.We stopped at the first shelter for a snack. The shelters were really nicely spaced today - we hit them with perfect timimg for midmorning snack and lunch breaks. I actually wasn't as ravenously hungry today after eating so well in town (ice cream! pizza! yogurt! fruit!!! salad!! waffles! PIZZA!!!).The first shelter, Fullhardt Knob, has a cistern behind it which collects rainwater from the shelter roof, which was kind of cool. I passed on collecting cistern water as I still had more than two liters of Howard Johnson tap water, though.My legs finally feeling better after the break and a good long stretching session, I was actually able to kind of keep up with Chris for most of the rest of the day. I saw a couple of fat toads in the trail as well as the usual creepy crawlies.Around noon we passed a guy sprawled in the trail followed by a group of like 15 teenagers. They were all sitting IN the trail. Literally. It was like they looked at their watches, saw it was noon, and plopped directly down where they stood for lunch. On the trail. On the side of a hill. They scrambled to get out of the way as we plowed through.A couple of climbs and descents later brought us to our lunch spot (we ate at like 1). And then, as we continued on, we started to parallel the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was excited for this. We crossed it a couple of times at nice overlooks, enjoying the views stretching way out into the distance. It was not as thrilling as I was expecting. I'm not sure what I was expecting. It was definitely cool, though.At one point we passed by a stone wall where the road built up above us. We paused to feel the cold air flowing out of a drainage pipe in the wall. I stuck my entire head in the hole. It felt so good on my disgusting sweaty slug-hiker skin. SO GOOD. I will never take air conditioning for granted again.Just before we arrived at our shelter destination for the evening, Chris halted in front of me and backed up. I heard what sounded like a playing card hitting the spinning spokes of a bicycle. MY FIRST RATTLESNAKE.I BACKED THE HELL UP SO QUICKLY. Generally I am not scared of snakes, but I wasn't going to mess with this one. I took Chris's phone out of his pack for him so that he could take a picture but kept my distance.We got to the shelter and I pitched my cute little tent at one of the very few flat spots. And it is not that flat. It IS, however, very rocky. Good fun. Thankfully we got here early, so I got the good spot. Since then, the place has become PACKED. UGH. Yay for my tent! Introversion time!Poor Firebear, one of the Aussie Legs, is still sick and tented next to me, dining on porridge. I feel so bad for her. She looked better at HoJo breakfast this morning, but I guess not.The evening brought a short shower but the sky looks clearer now. Chores are done and Band-Aids are laid out and ready for morning application. We are less than three days from Glasgow, my next box, and a LAUNDROMAT and PIZZA RESTAURANT. We might even have time to stop at one of those. Possibly both. Imagine, real food and clean clothes...EVEN BETTER, we pass a swimming hole tomorrow. I hope it's not gross. I am gross. I will gross up that swimming hole and I will LOVE IT.I am thankful for my life and the trail. How am I going to go back to real life after this?!