Date: 2010-06-09
From: Camping on Bald Knob

To: Dutch Haus B&B
Miles today: 0.0

In the middle of the night, it started to rain. This is the first time it has rained while I've been in my tent on this hike. To be honest I have tried to avoid the rain and if it looks like, I have headed to a shelter. My tent should hold up just fine but I did not want to risk it. I guess it's another thing I am slightly scared of! I got out to ensure my tent was fixed securely and that the rain was not going to come in. It looked fine and I shone my torch on the roof and no water was seeping in. I was a bit cold all night. I tend to like tenting on the top of mountains so it's obviously a bit colder there. I had my sleeping bag fully zipped and the hood tightened around my face. I might buy a beanie (thermal hat) for the evenings when it is cold. I allowed myself a sleep in as I only had 14 miles to cover today. I slept until 645 when I decided to get up because I could see the rear struts of my tent collapsing. I'll have to make sure I can set my tent up a little better because that would be annoying if it fell down on me in the night.I have definitely evolved on the night side of my fears. I no longer care or fear animals or people when I am tenting alone. Last night I started thinking about scary movies and I just laughed at myself and said "go back to sleep". Makes me really pleased to have changed so much. That's what I was hoping this hike would accomplish for me. I had a lovely breakfast of about 4 or 5 bowls of Special K. I finish all my food when I know I have a resupply day. Breakfast is my favourite meal on the trail because it's the most normal. Cereal with powdered milk. I go through a large pack of cereal in about 3 or 4 days however so it bulks up my food bag. On my last resupply my 25 litre bag of food was full. Now it is almost empty. I think I have 2 packs of tuna, 2 of ramen, some Slim Jim's (which I am now officially sick of....too fatty and not tasty enough) and a pack of cheese and chives crackers. Mmmmm I won't get rid of that excess fat eating 25 litres of food in 4 days! I don't have a stove however so that's my excuse for heavier food!The walk was easy today, no real hills, no rocks, no real challenge however it was very scenic through some cow pastures and green forest area. On one part of the trail, I had bright green moss on each side of the trail so that it looked like I was on a green version of a red carpet. I'm a star! I popped into the last shelter before the B&B for lunch. Although the B&B does a free lunch for all hikers, whether you stay there or not (which is very generous), I didn't want to rush to get there for it and I had enough food anyway. I left a note for Ladybird in the trail register because it's her birthday on Friday and we were going to have some beers in Waynesboro to celebrate. Her hiking partner is San Gabriel (those crazy 30 milers!) and he doesn't drink so I wanted to make sure she had an alcoholic buddy for her birthday. Hopefully she'll see the message so that we can meet up in town. The B&B is great (called the Dutch Haus B&B) and it's in a log cabin. I luckily got the last private room so I can watch tv (hehe CSI and Law and Order here I come). I don't think I'll get locked out as I signed up for the dinner option. That means I'm going to be treated to roast chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and corn on the cob. I don't actually eat potatoes when in town or away from the trail as every single dinner, without fail, is powdered mashed potatoes. I love them!There will be a shuttle to the store later so I can resupply and then I have 40 miles to Waynesboro. I can do that in 2 days so that means another town in 2 days.