Date: 2007-04-14
From: Matts Creek Shelter

To: Budget Inn, Buena Vista, VA
Miles today: 24.0

After just one day back hiking with Guthook, we set out separately today with 3 different plans. Osprey would jump off at the first road to resupply in Glasgow (which didn't exactly work out for him), I got an early start to push out 24 miles as early as possible, hopefully make it to the road crossing no later than 4pm, catch a 15 mile ride into town and catch Saturday nite church @5pm. That way I could get back to the trail first thing in the morning and catch right back up to Osprey & Guthook. As opposed to Sunday morning mass, making it much harder by the time I get back on the trail. Guthook would continue on the Brown Mountain Creek Shelter where Osprey would later meet him.That WAS the plan.Awoke to COLD RAIN all morning. 30's & 40's. "Rain gear" eventually always soaks thru otherwise it wouldn't breath and you'd sweat to death.So I hiked faster to try to stay warm and get to my endpoint in time. An aggressive challenge in slippery rainy conditions, plus hard to stay enthusiastic and energized in the rain.Made it to the second shelter, 13 miles, and damn, within minutes of stopping for quick break I was freezing, shivering. Gloves soaked thru, shirt, rain/wind shell soaked thru. head wet. While I was crankin along using big energy I stayed somewhat warm. But now I was faced with tuff choices. I knew this would happen and had already considered options. I could get out of my wet clothes and climb into my sleeping bag to get warm or cook dinna. Either way that would kill my Sat nite church option. I would resist either option.Decided to change into dry clothes hoping my backup/sleeping clothes did not also get wet. If they do and I don't make town tonite, I'm screwed! Called to confirm a ride option when I get to the road. I could hardly dial the phone or write in the shelter register, my hands were so cold.Left the shelter and it actually stopped raining for 2 hours. I got much warmer with my dry glove liners and dry clothes and hiking fast. If it rains again my glove liners will quickly get wet. Eventually it did rain more and stayed cold.I made it to the road just before 4pm.Called for my ride. Just before my ride arrived, Guthook emerged from the woods. He left the shelter later than I but like me he too was freezing and hiked fast with no breaks. All day he tried to catch me being less than half an hour behind me. He had changed his plan-he was gonna jump off at the same road as me, VA 60 and call for a ride to our next hostel in Montebello, The Dutch Haus. We'd heard lots of great stuff, laundry, bathrobes, awesome food, etc. BUT he had no cell phone, so if he didn't catch me he had no way to call them for a ride and it's way to far ahead by trail or road to hike or hitchhike.He pulled it off!!Osprey was on his own, we each had left a note in the last shelter register of of our intentions so he would likely stay there as planned and proceed as planned.I got my ride to Lexington, made church and got a ride back to Buena Vista (which the locals pronounce Bewna Vista) to the Budget Inn. Nothing great, but a long hot shower, laundry, SUBWAY next door, and resupply at On the Run acrosss the street. Perfect.Watched The Patriot on TV and crashed after a 24 oz coors lite. Perfect end to a very cold miserable day, that fortunately went by quickly.FedEx