Date: 2006-06-04
From: Trent's Grocery, Va

To: Woodshole Hostel - Sugar Run Gap, Va
Miles today: 13.9

I didn't wake up until 7:30 this morning. Hummmm, I'm really getting lazy!! I made some Starbuck's and ate some powdered donuts for breakfast. I wasn't in any rush to get going this morning because my plan is to go to Woodshole Hostel.I've never been there before and I'm still trying to experience things I haven't seen along the trail yet. Tenting at Trent's Grocery last night was also a new experience. It was a pretty nice spot and they had a bathroom with a shower there also. I laid in my tent and wrote yesterday's journal entry while I enjoyed my coffee. Trent's opened at 9am, so about 8:45, I started packing up.I walked over to the phone and sent in my entry, then went inside Trent's and bought a Powerade for later. They have a grill there, but I had already eaten those donuts, so I passed on that and started walking at 9:20am. A mile into my walk this morning, I scared up 6 deer that were about 35 yards away from me when they took off. Right after the deer ran off, I ran into a guy walking south doing a section of the trail by the name of Trail Musik. I started hearing thunder at 11:15. I thought about stopping and putting on my pack cover, but decided to try and make it to Wapiti Shelter first. I ran into Tree Beard and Pippin who were stopped and putting their pack covers on. That's good because it will keep it from raining now that someone has put their pack covers on. By noon, the thunder was gone and the sun came back out. :-))) I walked by the pond just south of Wapiti Shelter and saw a few horse riders. I could see where it had rained before I got to this area, but it miss me. Ha!! :-))) I stopped at Wapiti Shelter and ate lunch and signed the register. Just as I was leaving, Ramblin' Man came walking in. I told him that I'd see him at the hostel tonight and I walked on. I climbed up to about 3,800 feet elevation after I left Wapiti Shelter. At that altitude, I was getting back into lots of rhododendrons and azaleas that were blooming. It was probably the most beautiful area I've seen on the AT because of everything that was in bloom. The rhododendrons were in full bloom as were four different color azaleas...yellow, orange, pink and blaze. That was the first blaze azalea I've seen on this hike. Nature does a much better job at landscaping than you can find on any of the manicured grounds in town. It finally started raining at 2:20pm and I had to get my pack cover and my rain jacket on. There was thunder, but it stayed far enough away so it didn't bother me. I kept walking and got to the gravel road that goes to Woodshole and decided to go ahead and at least check it out for the first time. I still wasn't sure whether or not I would stay tonight. I found Woodshole and Tilley Woods had company over and they were eating. Neville, her granddaughter came out and showed me around and let me use the phone to make a reservation at Holiday Motor Lodge in Pearisburg for tomorrow night. I took my shoes off and laid back in a porch hammock and acted like I owned this place. Guess I'm staying tonight. :-))) I didn't stay in the hammock too long because with the rain that I walked through, I was wet and started getting cold. I got on some warmer clothes and ate dinner. Lois, from the Holiday Motor Lodge in Pearisburg came up to see Tilley. When I saw her, I told her if she would have been a few minutes earlier, I could have just made my reservation with her. She said she'll be looking for me tomorrow. Ramblin' Man came in, then Doc Gnarly. Neville brought us out some tea and pumpkin muffins for a snack. When some of the visitors here were leaving, I heard one ask Neville and Tilley about the hostel here.Neville said, "It's not a money maker, but it sure does make you happy". :-))) I think that's what's so great about most of the people I meet out here. Neville is a massage therapist, so I got a foot massage. Yep, life can really be rough out here on the trail. :-))) I sat in the cabin in front of the fireplace, talking to Tilley and Neville while I got my foot massage. It started raining along with some thunder, so I ran out and got into my tent for the night. Sure is noisy with the heavy rain hitting my tent, but at least it's nice and dry inside. :-)))