Date: 2004-05-07
From: Maupin Field Shelter, VA

To: Day 52: US 250/I-64, Rockfish Gap, VA
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Since my plan for AT Day 52 was to try to cover the 21.1 miles to the pick-up spot with Hot Chocolate by 5:00 p.m., I got up at 4:15 a.m. and was on the trail at 6:05 a.m. Needless to say, none of my fellow shelter guests were as anxious as I, and as such they used my departure as their wake-up call. Once again, the tendons in my right ankle/shin did not seem to hurt so I started out my hike without taking any vitamin I, but after one hour I got nervous and took two 200 mg tablets ¢ the only ones I would take for the rest of the day ¢ ah recovery is in site! Perhaps in part because of the humidity and heat (it was over 60-degrees at 6:00 a.m. and the low 80¢s in the afternoon) and the numerous rocks we had to step on, over and climb, the hike turned out to be considerably harder than the topo map suggested.In addition to these familiar challenges, today we had something new to deal with ¢ poison ivy! It was everywhere and luckily for us, earlier in the week one of the AT through hikers I first met in GA, Northern Harrier, was thoughtful enough to put up a warning sign on a tree alongside the AT pointing out a wonderful example of the dangerous weed. Considering the very serious poison oak attack I had about a year earlier (it left me with long term nerve damage to my face and forced me to carry medicated salve to inactivate the urishiol toxin and a prescription for prednisone to treat the inflammation), this helpful notification left me quite alarmed and exceedingly alert.Perhaps the fear of the weed also slowed me down since once again, despite my head start (time not distance), Einstein passed me on the way to the Paul C. Wolfe Shelter at Mill Creek where we were both soon met by Scorpion and later by Northern Harrier, who was told us he was engaged in a ¢flip-flop¢ hike of the AT (combining N S with S N). Unfortunately I couldn¢t stay long to chat and get reacquainted with Northern Harrier since I was in a rush to meet up with Hot Chocolate, but I did make sure to thank him for his poison ivy warning. Scorpion, then Einstein and then I all hustled out of the shelter to cover the remaining five miles to Rockfish Gap where the AT crosses US 250 (Blue Ridge Parkway ¢ Skyline Drive junction) and I-64 so that we could catch rides to Waynesboro, VA, or in my case to wherever my wife had parked our trailer.These last few miles seemed to go by quickly as we were all anxious for the time off and a real meal, and all three of us got to the pick-up point a few minutes after 5:00 p.m. Unfortunately for me, however, Hot Chocolate was not there! I wasn¢t really worried this time since I knew she would eventually show up, but I had promised Einstein and Scorpion that she could drive them into Waynesboro... Luckily my wife¢s absence did not cause them any concern since in less than five minutes a pick-up truck driver stopped and without being asked offered to drive all three of us to town. Einstein and Scorpion immediately accepted, but I told them I would wait for my wife.Considering that I was standing near the intersection of two major highways I naturally assumed my cell phone would work, but once again this technology failed me and I was forced to simply wait. About 90 minutes later Sugar Daddy showed up and told me that he was expecting a ride from a friend, but he had to call first to confirm. I told him that my cell phone did not work, so he might have to make other plans. Luckily with a little investigation we discovered that there was a pay phone at a gas station less than a hundred yards away and even though the gas station, the motel, the eating establishment and everything else was closed, the phone still worked. When I finally reached my wife she told me that she was en route, but that it was her understanding that our scheduled pick-up time was more like 8:00 p.m., not 5:00 p.m. Alas, another failure in communication. However, since I was still in good spirits I told her that I was not worried, but that she ought to hurry since violent thunder storms had been predicted on the radio ¢ a prediction that my wife confirmed with her first hand experience traveling down the interstate highway.While Sugar Daddy and I were waiting for our rides, a female bicyclist named Pam stopped to chat with us. It seems that when she is not riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive she is an AT trail angel and often ferries hikers into Waynesboro. We told her that we both had rides coming so she need not worry, but less than 30 minutes thereafter she reappeared this time with her car and once again offered rides. Since Sugar Daddy¢s ride was still not due for another hour, and since he (and I) was very hungry, he took her up on her offer. I, on the other hand, decided to continue my caloric deprivation vigil while sitting on the stone wall watching the thunder storm clouds rolling around to the north. Happily my wait was not prolonged as my wife and I soon found each other and we quickly drove to Waynesboro for a pizza dinner and then to a motel for hot shower and good nights rest in a real bed. Once again, life is good ¢ especially since I now have nearly two days off to restock and recover and get to be with my wife and son in Hagerstown, MD. I know I¢ll need the rest since the plan is for me to do the entire 107-mile Shenandoah National Park section of the AT in five days beginning as soon as this break is over.