Date: 2010-05-31
From: Camping

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: overcast clouds

31 May 2010, Sinking Creek Valley/VA 42   The rain subsided enough to stop the water from coming in. Last night Popcorn was talking very loud in his sleep. I could hear him every time I woke up or got out of the tent to us the bathroom. I did not sleep to well because of several factors, the rain coming through the tarp, bugs biting me in the night. I also had to worry about water coming under the tarp. I made it through the night last night without getting wet.   Since we left Pine Swamp Branch Shelter a couple days ago the data books and the signage on the trail just do not jive in numerous spots. Some signs and the mileage in the book are not the same. Some are as far of as a mile.   Word is that after Pearisburg you should be able to pick up the mileage and do bigger mile days. I don't know when that is going to happen. The rocks are terrible in the section today. It slowed us down again today.   Just before we got to Rocky Gap/VA 601 there was a green cooler. I got really excited and ran to the cooler and slipped and fell in the mud. Then when I opened the cooler expecting trail magic and it was empty. When we reached Laurel Creek Shelter we read a trail registry that was dated the 21st and there was something saying it was empty then also. That was 10 days ago and who knows how long it was empty before that. I wonder how many thru hikers have been disappointed by this empty cooler.   We made it to Kelly Knob at 1 pm and Hopper pulled out her tarp to dry it out. Then we pulled out our lunches and ate lunch out on the knob. While eating lunch I made the comment that I would like to have a shower. Just as we finished our lunch a light rain started, followed by thunder. We grabbed out stuff and packed our packs and started running down the trail to Laurel Creek Shelter which was 0.9 miles away. While I was running down the trail with Hopper in the lead she yelled back at me saying ¢next time you asked for a shower that you need to be more specific¢. I guess I should have said that I want a shower with hot water, soap, and water pressure and linens.   We made it to Laurel Creek Shelter to find Tiger Woods and Popcorn there hiding out from the rain. Patches showed up 10 minutes behind us shortly followed by Denver. There was another hiker there by the name of Robin who started at I-40 at Standing Bear.   Hopper and I talked about where we wanted to head for the night after the rain stopped. One idea was to stealth camp at the Keffer Oak after getting water at the creek right before it. The other option was to try to call a shuttle provider and see if we could slack pack into Daleville. When we got close to Sinking Creek Valley/VA 42 we called a shuttle provider in Daleville and asked what options we had for slack packing. He gave us a number for a shuttle provider in the area. We called and asked the other shuttle provider who told us about a place to stay 1/2 mile up the road, I called but they were full. We called the shuttle provider back and got picked up and taken to Pearisburg for the night. After talking the shuttle provider we decided to slack pack to VA 620/Trout Creek tomorrow.   While we were in Pearisburg tonight we went to eat at the mexican restaurant and ran into Rider and Natures Own. We were told that they both got off the trail a while back. Rider said he never got off the trail and is still on the trail. Natures Own said that he has not gotten off the either but is getting off in Catawba to go back home to work and to keep the family happy.