Date: 2017-06-16
From: Waynesboro, VA. Quality Inn

To: Waynesboro, VA. Quality Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I've deleted a few of the previous entries and combined 4 days into this one entry. This concludes my stay in Waynesboro and my decision to go home for a while. I will add more entries as worthy hike information develops.June 16.Got up early and drove out to the trail. Knee not really better but I wanted to hike without my pack.  Went about 2 miles south from Rockfish gap. It's not really that hard to hike but the pain is there on every step.  As planned, I turned around and walked back to where I started. Talked to a few hikers mostly girls in fact. They were all heading to Town.  I offered rides but they weren't there when I got back.So decision time has come for my hike.  Mom and dad will be here first thing Sunday. I will be with them until Wednesday, and then have a ticket home from DC.  From there I will continue to mend my knee.  Disappointing at this time, but it's no fun to hike with pain.  Up to this point my pain has been wet, hungry or dirty.  My 800 miles were really fun, and I never had a time when I thought I wanted to stop so I have that to be thankful for.There is a chance that I will come back to the trail in Pennsylvania around July 1. That is when Amy had planned to come meet me and I would travel with her.  June 15.Shared room with uncle Puck and Cody last night. Rented a car that I picked up in the morning. Took Puck and Cody back to trail after stopping at an outfitter.   Drove around on the Blue Ridge Parkway a little bit.  Stop at the Chinese buffet again. Had lunch with Chip. And talked to catfish a little bit outside. Then drove east to Charlottesville. This is Thomas Jefferson Country.  Have been to his home at Monticello, so went to the campus of University of Virginia which Jefferson designed. Finally found a place to park and walked around the old part of the campus, into the rotunda and then the lawns and range as they are called. It was interesting didn't spend too long there but I am glad I visited.  June 14.Uncle Puck and couple other hikers came in about dark last night. Cody and Double D are the other two. I hung out with them until about midnight catching up on a lot of hikers and how it's been going for Uncle Puck.  Routine morning here then walked with uncle Puck and Cody down to Jake's B&G for lunch and more.  They went to the grocery store for resupply and I iced my knee. Had supper at a pizza place down the street. It was good too.  I put some KT tape on my knee today.  Used a YouTube to learn how to apply based on where my knee pain is.  Maybe helping a little bit or hopefully it's just getting better in general.  June 13.Another day in Waynesboro at the quality Inn.  Usual breakfast and talking to your other hikers. Saw a couple that I had not seen for at least a month and a half.  Good hiker talk over a not so great breakfast. Walked  downtown about noon and visited the local historical Society Museum. Interesting about the town, the Civil War, industry, education etc. Then went to the local Chinese restaurant. Did a carry out but will be going back. They had one of the nicest looking buffets I've seen in a Chinese restaurant. Nothing new to report on my knee. Continuing to ice and minimize the walking. Talked to dad this afternoon and got details on their plans for coming here.  Will meet up with them on Sunday. Looking forward to having their company.