Date: 2018-09-23
From: Rock Spring Cabin parking area

To: Lewis Mt Campground and Cabins
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: broken clouds

I heard the rain pouring at 3am and prayed it would stop. It's going to be hard to leave here where it's warm and dry and drag my wet butt and waterlogged pack up the trail. Eddyman and I sat at the dining room table and discussed options over oatmeal and the weather forecast. Unfortunately it's going to rain every day and we'll be hiking 4.3 days to Waynesboro in it at a 15 mile average per day. We have to do it. At 7:15 Alison drove us out to the overlook where she picked us up yesterday. We hugged goodbye as 2 deer greeted us by the side of the trail. We saw many deer today and they're accustomed to seeing humans so they don't really scurry off. It's nice to watch them and I saw 2 grooming each other. It was beautiful and sweet. We hiked 4 miles and took a side trail to Big Meadows wayside. Colorado was waiting to be seated so we took a table for 3. Galaxy and Songbird were seated already and we hugged, happy to see each other. I ordered breakfast and ate the eggs and hash brown but couldn't eat the ham so I donated it to the others. Insect arrived and joined us and ate an egg breakfast a stack of pancakes and a large cinnamon roll. A true hiker hunger I was envious of! As Eddyman and I left we received bananas from Galaxy and Songbird who had been given a bunch of food by a car camper who was leaving early because of the rain. I enjoyed that banana a little later. It was cold and windy leaving the wayside and it was hard not to turn around and go back inside. We hiked about 7 more miles to Lewis Campground. Insect had called them in the morning and they had some cabins, though they sounded expensive. We saw Colorado in the camp store/office and he and Insect had gotten a cabin to share so he was on his way out with fresh towels. I bought a yogurt and a Starbucks frappachino and inquired about the cabins. They're all rented, a few leftovers to hikers at a discount rate with Colorado getting the last one. If only we were 15 minutes faster. We decided to knock on Colorado's cabin and beg to sleep on the floor. I did the begging and Colorado instantly welcomed us in. When Insect returned with the manager's truck after taking it to Big Meadows to use the ATM we squared away my floor space and she dried out her wet gear in the rest. The cabins are great! 2 bedrooms with a full bath in the middle and hardwood floors. The boys had one and we had the other and they were spacious. They did laundry and included my socks which was very kind. The cabin rental was a super discount at $60 so we each paid $15. It was the best $15 I have ever spent but Insect felt like I should pay less for sleeping on the floor. I would have paid $20! I let her buy me a coffee and she felt better but that meant at 10pm I had been in bed for 2 hours and my eyes were still stuck open. There was caffeine in that there coffee and I made a mental note. No more coffee before bed. But before bed we all ate together in the boys side after hot showers. I bought a pint of milk and a single serve Cheerios for morning and put the milk out on the picnic table to stay cold overnight. It's definitely warm enough in here to spoil it! We've got the heater blasted to dry out Insect's stuff from last night when it poured. Down on the floor it's cooler but I'm right in it's line of fire. We've got almost 20 miles to hike tomorrow and it's difficult with the fatigue and nausea though I feel the fatigue easing. I've learned from Brian's research the side effects of the antibiotics can last 15 days after the last one is taken. I'm stressed. Lord help me!