Date: 2019-04-04
From: Massie Gap

To: Route 58
Miles today: 15.0

I felt really good this morning. I'm excited about the fact that I have only 12 hiking days left. WOW! To actually be able to say that hasn't really fully connected with me yet but the more I say it the more real it feels. I took a quick warm shower and packed up my bag heading downstairs for breakfast. I talked to a couple with a 9 year old boy while Dennis made me an omelette with spinach from his greenhouse on site and toast. The boy, Mason gave me trail magic. A small bag with bite size candy bars. It was very touching and he hoped to see other thru hikers to give trail magic to on his hike up to Mt Rogers. When Dennis drove me back to Massie Gap he told me the hiker with the broken arm made it down to the Gap at 7pm last night and he got him to the hospital. He fell while hiking and passing a camera to another hiker. Glad he'll be okay. The Grayson Highlands is much rockier than I thought but I rather liked the rocky climbs. In some way I found them easier and I just kept going at a steady pace through miles of the rocky climbing. At one point it popped into my head that I felt like Forrest Gump. Heck, I even had an assortment of chocolate in my skirt pocket!I stopped at a bench where I saw 2 ponies and had a nice conversation with a young white and fawn colored male. He listened well but didn't say anything and the pony with him I believed to be his mother. He posed for photos and I wanted to pet him but I was afraid to so I said goodbye and hiked in thru the gate.I caught up to Mason and his parents and thanked Mason again for the trail magic. We chatted and I learned they're from the same area of Michigan River is from. It was really warm and sunny and Mason was getting an application of sunblock. I'm already sunburned but they offered me some and I gladly accepted it and smeared my face and hands with it, the only parts of me that see the sun right now. Later up the trail I stopped at the Thomas Knob shelter to sign the log and there was a group of youngsters there with 2 chaperones. I signed the log and pressed on without spending any time there. I ran into several nobo hikers but most hiked on by. Cedar did stop to talk and she told me about the Virginia Creeper Trail and how it will get me into Damascus 4 miles sooner. Hmmm. I had planned my lunch at Buzzard Rock and I was ahead of schedule so when I had service I let my shuttle driver Gungho know I'd be earlier if he was available. As I approached buzzard rock I realized it was far too windy to eat there. It would scatter my potato sticks and turn my pepperoni slices into mini frisbees! I had to hike further down off this ridge and away from that rock! I finally found a spot and enjoyed my lunch without the deafening wind. When I got to route 58 I was thirsty and out off water so I grabbed a liter from the stream there, treated it and sat down. I'm a half hour earlier than even my latest calculations thanks to my Forrest Gump legs! But just as I sat down Gungho arrived taking a chance I'd be earlier. I hopped in his 4runner with my bottle of water and still 15 minutes before it was safe to drink. Damn! But as we drove down the winding mountain road a bottle at my feet was slamming around. I reached down to find a bottle of propel. Immediately he said "oh you can have that if you'd like, sorry it's not cold" and before he was done speaking I was chugging. Once again the trail providing. I settled up with him and worked out a price for a Sunday shuttle to Sam's Gap and got checked in with Crazy Larry who had made chicken noodle soup instead of the bucket of pig brains he'd promised. Good thing! I was the only one there with a room to myself. I went to Mojo's and had a huge salad, chocolate pie ( because that's what my friend Jeanne chose after I sent her a picture of the dessert case) and a Green Man Porter. Then I went back to the hostel where Larry and some other hostel owners were enjoying a little pot luck dinner. I showered and journaled and talked to Brian before closing my eyes. My shuttle tomorrow is at 8 and breakfast is at 7.