Date: 2013-06-11
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: USFS35
Miles today: 4.7

I started the morning by putting on my drenched clothing, nothing dried over night; it is always fun putting wet clothes back on along with socks and boots that are still drenched. I began walking and started thinking, I am really tired of all of the rain. I walked for several hours before coming to a US Forrest Service Road road where there were several corrections facility workers (inmates)and I stopped to talk with them for a while. They were very pleasant and told me their boss, a corrections officer would be along shortly and he would be able to answer some of my questions about how far it was to town, and the quickest route to a town with a motel so I could dry out. He did come along shortly, and what a nice guy! He allowed me to use his work phone to call Margaret as my phone is dead. He also helped me get oriented and told me several options about getting into town, either walking on the Forrest Service road to Glasgow, walking on the Blue Ridge Parkway about 15 miles to Buena Vista or hitching on the Parkway. He told me hitching is not illegal in Virginia and in fact was so kind that he offered to drive me to town after he got off work. I told him I thought I would be fortunate enough to get a hitch and to not worry about coming back after work, that was six hours later. But again, what a nice young man this was. So I decided to hitch a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway and I would take a ride either way. If a car stopped that was north bound, I would try to get to Buena Vista to get a motel and dry out and if a southbound car stopped, I would try to get to Roanoke to plan my trip home. Yes, I was thinking of going home. I know everyone says don't quit on a bad day, but over the past two good days, I had pretty much decided that I would likely call this a section hike at Harper's Ferry. My body is weary, I have lost too much weight, my knees hurt, and I miss my family and friends. So, if I got a ride south, it was home, if I got a ride north it will be time to dry out and try to get a new camera and phone and continue to Harper's Ferry.After about an hour of trying to hitch, three guys in Subaru came up from the Forrest Service road and stopped. They were heading to Roanoke and had room for a weary and wet hiker. My decision was made, I was going home. Eli, Daniel and Kent, were out on a photography trip, their hobby and passion is taking pictures of abandoned buildings and urban decay, and had been out exploring this part of Virginia and were headed home to Roanoke. They kindly made room for me in the car, and drove me to a Comfort Inn near the Roanoke airport. Had a great conversation with them and have since had a chance to see some of their photos and they are fantastic. I might have to start a new hobby. Many thanks to Daniel, Eli and Kent for the kindness and friendship they showed to a complete stranger. Guys, if you ever visit Austin, please call, I owe you.I checked into the hotel, dried out, showered, washed my clothes and walked to a Wal-mart where I bought some snacks for the trip home, a bag of rice to try to try to dry the phone, and a bottle of isopropyl alcohol to soak the phone in if nothing else works. I have heard that it works.I decided to rent a car and drive home rather than taking a bus, airfare was just too much on a short notice. So the kind people at Hertz will pick me up from the hotel at 9AM tomorrow and I will drive home. As for the phone, I don't think I was patient enough for the rice to work, so I soaked the phone in alcohol and after letting it dry in the bag of rice for several hours, I turned it on and voila, it worked! The only issue seems to be some moisture that still makes the screen blotchy, but it works and I can make calls, surf the net and text! I am happy; I have a plan to go home, I am dry, my phone is working, and I met some wonderful new people today. Not too shabby!