Date: 2017-05-27
From: Docs Knob Shelter

To: Narrows Road Parking Lot/Pearisburg, Virginia 
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: overcast clouds

5/27Docs Knob Shelter to Narrow Road Parking Lot (Pearisburg, Virginia)9.4 milesTotal miles:  635.4I slept very well in my little hidey hole under the rhododendron bushes, got up at my usual time, and left with Gravity at 7:45, bound for Pearisburg and resupply. Perhaps I was distracted by the butterfly poster in the privy, perhaps it was the darkness of my tent site, or perhaps it was just my inherent forgetfulness, but I apparently made my first major mistake of the journey. Those who know me well are probably quite surprised that it took this long. I must have left my bag of tent stakes at the campsite. More about this misadventure to follow shortly. We made good progress on the trail today. There were places that were rocky and a few that were treacherously slick, but we made good time. There were a few occasions with excellent views, particularly Angel's Rest. I climbed up on the large rock to get a better view of the town of Pearisburg and of a large factory that Gravity informs me produces filters for cigarettes. We then hiked steeply down into Pearisburg.  Most hikers reach Pearisburg via Cross Avenue, which the AT reaches at mile 634.3. We hiked the additional mileage to 635.4 and met Gravity's wife, Kim, at the Narrows Road Parking Area. Gravity told me it is one of the newer pieces of trail, and that the AT previously followed the road. Along this section, which will be remembered for, among other things, very slick rocks, we met a black snake that, unlike his cousin yesterday, did not mind being photographed at all.  We also saw two white tail deer.  I also saw Diogenes, whom I hadn"t seen since Hot Springs. Along the way, I received a text from Juan Gone, informing me that he had secured a room at the Plaza Motel and would I like to stay there with him? I sent back a yes vote. We met Kim at the parking lot, and she provided us with water and fresh fruit. She is obviously a wonderful person, and she re-extended Gravity"s invitation to visit them in Oak Ridge someday. She and Gravity drove me to the hotel and then left to spend Memorial Day weekend together. I got to the room, showered, and then took my clothes to the sweet lady at the front desk who washed our laundry for us.  I then headed across the road to the Lucky Star Chinese Restaurant, where I had the AYCE (all you can eat) buffet for $6.89.  I don't know how they stay in business, because I alone ate five plates of food (one was salad, though).  I then resupplied for the next five days at the Food Lion and headed back to the hotel. It was as I was taking inventory that I realized my tent stakes were missing. It was 4:50 pm.  There is a hardware store across the road from the hotel that advertised on a tree beside the trail that they were also an outfitter. I scurried over there by 4:55 only to learn that they closed at 4:00 and wouldn't reopen until Monday morning.  Undetered, I headed for Goodwill.  Somehow, I just wasn't worried. I found this wire gizmo for $1.99. Perhaps its original use was to hold clothes; I honestly don't know. I've included a photo of it and would appreciate it if someone would let me know what it was. Regardless of its past history, my newest possession soon became eight new tent stakes.  I was able to bend the heavy wire and then score it with the file on my mini-Leatherman until I could break it to length. I'm very lucky, since had it been like most days, I would have gotten into camp after a hard day's hike, only to discover I was stakeless.  Who knows, I may carry my new stakes all the way to Maine.  Flush with victory over my latest bout of forgetfulness, I headed back across the street, this time to the excellent Mexican Restaurant.  I was accompanied by Juan Gone and also by Leapfrog and Extra Mile, who were in the room below us. The dinner was top notch.  We returned to the hotel and chatted in the parking lot a bit before returning to our rooms. I packed up for tomorrow and went to bed.  I plan on getting an early start tomorrow. Juan Gone and I will hit the local Hardee's on the way out of town. My next goal is to be in Catawba, Virginia by Thursday, where I will meet my friend, Patricia, who has so graciously offered to drive me to Johnson City, Tennessee, so I can attend the annual East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad Historical Society convention.  More on that in the coming days.  For now, it's back to bed, as I still have 72.9 miles of walking to get to Catawba.