Date: 2005-05-06
From: Pearisburg Virginia

To: Pearisburg Virginia - Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

Just a quick note from the trail. Today is my zero day in Pearisburg Virginia, and I am mostly relaxing and exploring the town. I have a few errands to run. I got up at the leisurely hour of 7:30 and took a long hot shower. That's a luxury that is greatly appreciated after so many nights in the woods. Next I sorted out my mail drop box and packed everything I could to get the motel room a little more organized, and to select items to send back home from the local post office - one of those errands. The lady at the motel front desk provides shuttle service for hikers when she can, so I got a ride to a restaurant for breakfast and spent an hour there enjoying the good food and reading. I'm trying to take it easy on my feet today, since my blisters are still quite tender. I hitchhiked to the library, where I will finish my paperback book so I can send it home, plus having internet access allows me to put in this entry to let everyone know that I am doing well. While at the library I met several hikers I had spent time with on the trail, and other new faces I met for the first time. Town libraries usually mean internet access, so it turns out to be a place where hikers eventually congregate. The hike has been great so far. Virginia is so beautiful. The trail generally follows the long ridges, with views into the valleys on either side. The trees are fairly bare at the summits, and that allows much better views. The weather has been colder than I expected, with high winds on the mountains. Yet, I have not even worn all my warm clothing, so I am doing ok. I may type in a few of my journal entries while I'm here at the library. There are eight more hiking days to go and I am looking forward to what I will see and who I will meet. More to come. Main Journal Entry I had a quick lunch at Darlene's Kitchen. I talked with the wait staff and asked if they had apple pie, but no luck. As we talked, I noticed they had steaks on the menu, and I was hoping to have a nice steak dinner, so I told Darlene I would come back for dinner if she would bake an apple pie, and she agreed. At the library again during the afternoon, I saw Fraggle and Unknown, Seth, Pace and some others. I mentioned dinner at Darlene's, and they were interested, so we made plans to meet at 7:00. At the appointed time we were all there, including Angie, Fraggle, Pace, Seth, Unknown and yours truly. I enjoy spending time with the younger hikers. They have a fun take on things, and I really appreciate that they accept me for who I am and do not make me feel out of place in any way. It was a good, fun group. Pace, Seth and Fraggle are fun to talk with, and very enjoyable - pretty much "what you see is what you get". We had good conversation. Angie is "the life of the party" with a unique laugh that is contagious every time. I couldn't help thinking of her like a daughter (I hope she doesn't mind if she ever reads this). She is a fun-loving young lady, but under the light-hearted exterior I suspect there is an astute young woman with a bright future. I'd be proud to have her as a daughter. Unknown is also an interesting character, a little older than the others. I have the feeling that there is a story somewhere under the surface, but we did not get to know each other enough for me to discover it. I really enjoyed him, and again, he was very accepting of me and did not make me feel out of place with the younger set. I had a good time with this group. It was a great ending to a fun day in town. We stopped by the sports bar after dinner, and I left for the motel with another hiker and his wife (visiting her hiker husband for a couple of days), since they offered me a ride back to my room. All in all this was a good day off, and I hope it has refreshed me for the challenge ahead. My feet have healed some, at least by looking at them. The proof will be when I put on the full pack with supplies for the next four days, and hike up to the next high ridge. I really enjoyed my time in Pearisburg. These zero days make an interesting mix to the hiking experience. My only regret is that I never got to the Holy Family Hostel, a famous trail hostel and landmark. Several of the others stayed there. I was ok with staying at the motel but should have made time to visit the hostel just to see it. I will finish up my preparations for leaving in the morning, read some in my new testament, and get some sleep. Goodnight Sweetheart.