Date: 2007-06-11
From: Loft Mt. Campground

To: Skyline Drive mile 66.7
Miles today: 16.1

I had a restless night in Skiman's tent, sleeping for the first time in Kevin's sleeping bag liner, having purposefully left my 40' bag at home. In our haste to move the car last night for today's slackpack, we had both forgotten our daily meds, headlamps, my water purfication drops and my sleeping clothes in Skiman's car,16 miles away. It was chilly for me sleeping in my tank top and the shorts I had worn hiking, even though they were dry. During the night, I asked Skiman if I could wear his long sleeve shirt that he wasn't sleeping in, and I felt warmer. When I got up at night to "P", without a headlamp, I was grateful to see a firefly who marked the bushes for me. This reminded me of Mother, making sure my night light was on, always taking care of me. It was 49' at night. We left the campsite at 7:05 am. 501 was still sleeping. It was about 75' but seemed like 90' to me. I was crying when I told Skiman the firefly story amd again we cried and hugged together. We started out averaging 3 mph, but in the end it was exactly 2 mph. Due to last week's 5 zero days, our group is 5 days ahead of us. We check the trail journals and are able to follow their schedule. Therefore, we are meeting new Thru Hiker friends, who started their Thru Hike in April. Today, among our new friends are Gingersnap (who hates gingersnap cookies)from CO, Orange Moon and his brother, Mike, from CT and Scatter from Ohio. We saw Bulldog again, whom I first met at Partnership Shelter. Snowplow's wife was slacking for him and we met her in a parking lot. Along the trail, we realized that we too, could hide our pack in the woods (with Skiman's 5 lb tent) for a slack. So,I emptied my sleeping bag, clothes, ridgerest, etc. and placed them in Skiman's pack. We took turns carrying my "empty" pack with two platypuses of water, map, camera, cell phone and snacks. Despite the light load, we couldn't pick up the pace. We hiked over 16 miles and our feet were still sore. Skiman announced that he had hiked over 200 miles and tomorrow I will break the 900 mile marker. When we got to the car, we drove south on the Blue Ridge Parkway to retrieve Skiman's pack. En route, we saw 501. He was bummed out that he had left his full water bottles at the last shelter, and had been trying unsuccessfully to hitch a ride to the nearest camp store to purchase new ones, so he could continue his hike. As Trail Angels, we told him to hop in! When Skiman retrieved his pack in the woods, he noted it had been moved and flipped over. We noticed small rips, probably from claw marks, on his pack cover. We went to the Loft Campground store and showers. Skiman and I paid $1 each for our 5 min showers, sharing the little bar of soap and shampoo packet I had from a motel. Back in the car heading north, we stopped when we spotted a doe with a tiny fawn right on the edge of the road. The fawn was a fast runner and the doe seemed confused whether her baby was going to cross the road or not. We took a picture at the Frazier Discovery Trail sign, since that is my last name. We offered to slack 8 miles for 501 and he eagerly accepted. We dropped him off, with new water bottles in his pockets, and hid his pack in the woods 8 miles away. We figured he get to his pack at 8 pm at the latest. We had another brain storm. If Skiman and I stayed 18 miles ahead at Big Meadows campground and hiked south, while 501 hiked north, all three of us could slack. We could give 501 our car keys on the AT when we passed each other, then he could drive 18 miles south and pick us up around 5 pm. The question is: Can he drive a standard? We'll see how this plan works out! Our neighbors have made a Somemore for me and I am very happy! We are getting organized for tomorrows slack pack south. Skiman can't find his 2 pair of glasses and spork. I hope my clothes, which I "washed" in the shower will be dry to put back on in the morning. Tonights bedtime is later than usual, 8:30. We have a long 18.3 miles to get rested for. The trail is so beautiful. I wish you could all enjoy just this easy part of the AT, the Shenandoahs. Think about it!