Date: 2003-04-26
From: Wise Shelter

To: Troutdale, Va.
Miles today: 16.1

Tho still cloudy, the cloud ceiling lifted somewhat, permitting some views.Skeemer and Charlie lit out early, and I knew I had seen the last of them. "Walk within your comfort zone," Charlie the endurance guy had advised, "and you'll make it to Maine." Well, walking at their pace would blow my frame apart. Goodbye, folks.For the first time on this hike, I was wishing I had somewhat of a hiking partner, someone to catch up with on breaks. Most folks traveled that way. I have been content to be alone up until now. Maybe the balds spooked me, or maybe it's just wanting to say "Hey, look!" to someone else, and vice versa. The crowd has definitely thinned out too, fewer people at shelters.Early on, the AT crossed back into Mt. Rogers, and immediately the blazing got better. What's with this? Isn't it one maintenance club?The first hour brought more wild ponies, three very pregnant mares. They let me approach but didn't want me too close, unlike some that will outright lick you. On one old gal, a huge, hideous tumor dangled from her udder. How would her foal nurse and survive? Nature is a harsh selector. The ponies are left alone except for an annual roundup and vaccination. They survive the very rough highland winters without extra feed or care.Just past the Scales, I run into the very pleasant Ed Clayton, forest service and maintaining club guy. He invited comment, so I passed on my reactions to the blazing in Grayson.I've managed to go 500 miles so far without getting lost (Grassy Ridge didn't count!), but I just needed a little extra help in that fog.After a few more minutes, we determined we both knew Dan Hammer. They had both just been at Konnorock Camp for maintainers. Is there anyone that man doesn't know?Not long after that, within and hour or two, I walked over the 500 mile mark. Yay! Only 1,672.6 more miles to go..The rest of the day was, I am ashamed to say, an uninspiring slog. I walked part of this with Leapfrog and Spruce (Susan A) last fall, and it was gorgeous due to the foliage and good company. Today it is just work, on painful toes. My toes are the one thing I haven't been whining about, but I feel like whining some more today.They have been giving me grief on and off the whole trip. They aren't a trip stopper like the tendonitis, but they make the afternoons a misery. The new shoes ARE hot, DO encourage blisters tho they seem to have helped my heel problem.Lately, my toes have been just pinching the snot out of me, and they make me feel like not walking. Jeff at Mt. Rogers Outfitters, put a name to it - "drift." I land outside of the foot first, and smush all the toe meat to the inside. This makes for some pointy ridges on the bottoms of the outer three toes, and blisters form on the tender toe meat between the freaky, calloused "ridge" and the toe nail. My othotics should have corrected for that, he said. Well...You ever have one of those days?I get off the AT in a cold drizzle, bravely stick out my thumb and wait 30 minutes until two guys in a pickup take pity on me and let me crawl in the back. The Troutdale Baptist church hostel has no signs, and I don't know where to go, but a door is open and signs welcome me: Yes! I am the only one, but it is clean, the water is hot, a laundry is available and we are allowed to sleep in the church.Showered and laundered, I wander down to the Troutdale Trading Post for some beeftips and gravy over mashed potatoes, green beans and peaches on the side, and a chocolate milkshake to wash it all down. The day takes on a better slant. Thank you, Troutdale, for bucking me up.