Date: 2007-11-29
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Atkins VA
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: scattered clouds

mi. 13.9sleep hoteldest. Atkins, VA day 140 Last night turned out to be really nice. I was laying in the back of the shelter listening to my radio. I found a really great jazz station. I think it is NPR, but I'm not sure. It had just a little bit of static to it. I think it made it all the better. It sounded almost like it was coming from a record instead of the radio. I was also laying there looking out when I saw a light to the side of the shelter. I thought it was the moon, but it just looked too bright. I had to get out and check it out. It was the moon. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a person. I am still amazed how bright the moon can be out here. I think it is because I am used to seeing it will all the light pollution of a major city back home. I awoke to an amazing sunrise. I didn't see the actual sun come up. I did see the orange glowing off of the clouds. I got some great pics of it with the shelter in the forground. Today's goal was a quick in and out of town. As you can see that didn't happen. But that's ok, my planning out here usually doesn't play out but it does work out. I ended up talking to 5 different hunters today. None for very long. I figured it up and I went 4 days with only talking to or seeing on person for 2 minutes in the middle. It is a nice streak that I hope not to repeat. But if it does at least I know I'll be ok this time. Earlier on I could see myself having some issues with it. I got to the shelter just before town to see Missinglink sign in for lunch. I had to be just behind them. I didn't see them sign in, but I think the 3 guys just in front of them stayed there last night. They tend to stay at shelters too and it or town last night seemed to line up. I don't know if I said it, but when I'm hiking I'm not lonely. Even by myself there is enough things running through my brain or to look at to keep me busy. Except for when I'm in open areas. Yesterday around chesnut knob shelter, which it seemed like from the registers just about everyone else stayed at, and then again today I was walking through large open country. Before it was a bald and now it was a field. No cows to keep me company. The one field of donkeys seemed to be the most amused by me. That's the only time I get the feeling of there being a lot of space between me and everyone else. I guess the lesson here is to have a hiking partner if I do some of the trails out west. I got into town with plenty of time. My goal was to eat, resupply, then get to the shelter 4.5 out of town by dark. I ate at great local dive resturant called the barn. It looked to be an old barn. Inside had a good sized dining room with the most space inbetween tables I have ever seen at a resturant. But with one waitress working, I guess that was all the people they could handle. I had a great dinner, as recommended by the waitress and picked up a sandwich togo for dinner. I then hit up the gas station truckstop for resupply. I only needed some snacks and something for breakfest now. I also had to finaly send my emails. That took awhile. I was sitting next to the pay phone after packing up and waiting for it to finish when MissingLink and John walked in. I figured they hiked out or I got ahead of them somehow. We talked a little and they were getting a hotel room for the evening. I asked and they said they would be happy to share. Which made it less than 15 a person. Not a high class place by any means. We got laundry started and then I showered. Luckily I have my rain pants to wear while my clothes are in the wash. MissingLink put them in the wash and rotated them, so I offered to go get them. I went and tried to open the door to the laundry room and it wouldn't open. I figured they must have locked it. So I went to the front desk and told them I couldn't get the door open. So I short, skinny, old Indian man, who was missing a lot of teeth, came out to open it. I will have to say the lack of teeth and acsent made him hard to understand. It sounded funny, so I just smiled and went with it. He got out his key and tried to open the door, no go. The key wouldn't turn. Then I tried. Then he tried and ran into the door with his shoulder, then kicked it. I asked him if I could kick in the door. I always wanted to do that. He just smiled and kept going. Then he went in and got a screw driver. He tried prying at the lock. Still no go. Then I tried the screw drive!r and he tried the winder. The windows here are the old stlye with 8 horizontal panes that you turn and crank and the open. Like the ones you except to see on a camper. Still no go. Then his son came out. He said that I could go back to the room and he would come and get me when they got it open. I go back and explain the comedy to them. A while later he comes to the door and says they got it open. I went to get the laundry and saw they called someone. The things I go through to get clean laundry. Then it was back to the barn for dinner. Then back to the hotel. I really enjoyed having new thru hikers to talk to. It was the usual set of questions and then some. The usual set is different than the set everyone else seems to ask, which is nice. Now back at the room I saw them do the most bizzare thing I have seen in awhile. Missinglink had gotten a mail drop sent to the hotel. In it where 2 things that I thought were candles. They looked like your typical long candle. I looked over to see John laying on the ground and Missinglink putting one end of the candle in his ear and lighting the other. All I can say is now they had my full attension. It turns out you can get these in health food stores. It burns, with what I might add is a decent flame at one end, and sucks the ear wax out of your ear on the other. I watched as the did that and then repeated on her. They tore appart the wrapping off of the candle thingy and it was full of ear gunk. I thought that was crazy. Of course now I want to try it. But they didn't have any more. I am going to have to hit up the health food store some time.