Date: 2007-05-18
From: U.S. 60

To: U.S. 501, James River
Miles today: 21.8

Last night before we went to bed it rained hard. I am so glad we were here in a motel and not in our tent in a campground or even in a shelter on the mountain. This morning there were low clouds hanging over some of the mountains but when we got up to the trail we were not in the clouds, but it was very overcast. We were soon putting our raingear and our pack covers on because it started raining lightly. After a short time we took our rain jackets off. I left my rainpants on because it was helping to keep my legs warmer but Toto took his off. Before the day was over I put my light fleece shirt and rain jacket on because it was windy and cold on top of Bluff Mountain where we were in the clouds for the only time all day. As we got to the lower elevations where it was warmer and the sun was shining I did remove the extra warm clothes but it still was a bit cool with the wind blowing. Overall, the day was a good hiking day. The rocks and roots were slippery in the first 2/3 of the trail but later this afternoon the rocks were mostly dry. I did fall once but it was not until we were about half way through and we were up on the Blue Ridge Parkway at a pull-off area for cars. We were looking to see where the trail continued and I stepped onto the curb, which was as slippery as ice, and my foot went out from under me and I landed on my back. It didn't hurt but my left wrist had come down hard on the curb or something. It went almost instantly numb and tingly and it felt like my hand was swelling. There was a small superficial cut on the wrist with abrasions above it. I think it was caused from my hiking pole strap and that was the only injury seen. But the hand was not feeling good at all. I was hoping the numbness and tingling would go away and that I would not have to get off the trail and make a trip in to a hospital. After about 5 to 10 minutes the feeling started returning so we continued hiking. Later when we stopped I put bacitracin ointment and a bandaid on it. The hand feels fine now but now that we are back in the motel my left hip is aching. So I popped some ibuprofen. Ken was waiting for us at the parking lot by the trailhead and dropped us off here at the motel. He then went back to where he dropped us off to pick up Gator Gump, who hiked north to U.S. 60, to bring him here to the motel. Uh-Oh!! We just saw Gator Gump out front---he got a hitch in from the trail and Ken just left a half hour ago to pick him up. Gator got off the trail at U.S. 60 at the same time as we got off the trail at U.S. 501--5PM. He said he was cold and he thought it was going to rain so he called and left a message on Ken's phone that he was going to try to hitch a ride and then he called again after he got a hitch. Apparently, Ken is not able to get a cell signal where he is. Another hiker, Focus, got a hitch in from the trail on U.S. 60 to this motel and he wants Ken to shuttle him back to the trail in the morning, also. Ken is also going to slack us tomorrow by taking our extra pack weight items (sleeping bags, food, sleep pads, clothes, etc.) to Montebello where we all plan to stay at the Dutch Haus Bed and Breakfast. It is cold again tonight and we are glad to be here in a motel room. Tomorrow night we will also be warm again. I sure hope it warms up a little more at night. We are trying to think of ways to keep from being on the mountain in such cold. Maybe we can figure out a way to do more slacking until we get to Waynesboro!! Are we wimps?? We just like to be warm and dry!While hiking south today we saw Mountain Mike, Packrat, Lucky, Dude, Roadrunner, Wiley Coyote, and Stealth as they were hiking north. Focus and Gator Gump were hikers we met for the first time. We had told Focus about being shuttled by Ken and he said he would like to be slack-packed tomorrow to Montebello. Gator Gump had met Ken yesterday and arranged the slack packing for today and tomorrow.   We just got a call from Ken at the front desk. He waited at the trailhead and even walked down to the shelter to see if Gator Gump had signed the register, which he hadn't.Toto told Ken that Gator Gump was here so Ken took the rest of his stuff that has been in the back of his car since this morning. Apparently, Ken did not receive the voice mails that Gator Gump had sent several times. We are packed and ready to roll in the morning. We need to be ready to go by 6:30 so we should get our 16 or so miles in by mid afternoon. Toto says there is a long climb in the morning of about 2200 feet. At least it is in the morning when we are fresh. Good night.