Date: 2023-05-20
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Front Royal
Miles today: 13.4

Pretty lazy, uneventful day. Warm and pleasant while I was hiking.I got a solid seven hours of sleep after a long day on two hours of sleep. I had little choice where to camp last night, and again had a slanted spot. So, I guess sleeping at an angle isn't the major factor when falling asleep.I left at 8. I took a breakfast break around 9 before climbing North Marshall Mountain. I climbed that peak a couple times on day hikes - there is a decent view on top. After descending to Jenkins Gap, next was Compton Peak- that was new for me. The summit is right on the AT. I went 0.2 miles rockone of the viewpoints. More descent and rock than I preferred for a view, but it was OK. I got to Compton Gap around 11 then made my way out of Shenandoah. I took a pit stop at the Tom Floyd Shelter, and passed by a lovely view of the countryside that was fenced off. I got to US 522 at about 1:20.I saw that I needed 50 cents for the trolley heading to downtown Front Royal at 2:20, so I went to the very close Mountain Home Hostel to get change. Lisa, who answered, said she was picking up some people there at Spelunkers. She offered a free ride, which I gratefully accepted. She also refilled my water and let me look through their hiker box. What service!I got to Spelunker's around 1:50. I had a large spicy chicken sandwich, fries, and a chocolate peanut butter M&M custard! So bad but sooo good.I resupplied at the nearby Martin's grocery store and picked up some fruit and veggies to eat outside. Around 3:30, it started raining.Across the parking lot was an urgent care center. Over the past few days, I'd been having issues with bloating and increasing regularity, and wasn't sure if it was related to a stomach bug or giardia. I backpacked with a guy -- strong, experienced backpacker -- who was thru hiking the PCT and ended up with a case of giardia after getting infected with it at a hostel, about 800 miles in NOBO. He ended losing a lot of weight and had to go to an ER. Given the convenient access to healthcare here, I hoped to avoid that fate. I checked in and waited for an hour, but I used that time to recharge my phone, upload photos and add more trail journal entries.I saw a PA who said that taking antibiotics for giardia could make things worse for me if I just had a stomach bug, or had drunk some otherwise bad water. She gave me a giardia testing kit that included four sample holders and something to go in to collect all the samples, which had to be liquid. (Sorry if this is TMI. I thought the experience would be of some educational benefit.) The center was about to close, being 5, and wouldn't open again until Monday.I mulled over staying versus heading back out. My bloating and stomach ache had stopped. I'd drunk quite a bit of clean city water. I would see how I fared overnight.I walked over to Main Street. It was still raining. Front Royal has a delightful Main street with all kinds of restaurants. bakeries, and shops. There is a visitor center with restrooms and a drinking fountain, and an outfitter store too: all within a few blocks.I stopped at a Nepalese restaurant for a snack of soup momo and garlic Naan, both fantastic. There is a great atmosphere in there too.I bought some new hiking pants and a pair of socks at the outfitter. I signed in to their AT log. They and other businesses sponsor a space where hikers can do laundry and take a shower for free! There were even loaner clothes. I'm sure its all related to spending lots of money there, which I had certainly done. I did all that, and grabbed yet another bite to eat of a side salad and braised pork tacos -- both delicious, of course -- at Vibrissa's next door while my laundry was going.I was surprised how much time I spent running errands. At this point, it was past 7, and I was basically stuck in town, unless I wanted to Uber back to the trailhead and hike 5 miles in to the next shelter.  In retrospect, that would have made more financial sense. By now, the affordable hostels were all full, and I ended up at a moderately expensive roadside motel with no included breakfast, hiker box, or any hiking community. And I had to walk a mile out of the way to get there. At least the bed was comfortable and I had a shower to myself in the morning.