Date: 2006-05-31
From: Unknown Tent Site

To: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We woke in somewhat poor spirits and went about breaking camp and continuing northward. Not far up the trail we ran into two day hikers. Tricycle and Bonesaw were up ahead and I was alone. The two women stopped and chatted with me and asked if they could help in any way. I said we could use some help, maybe a ride so we could get cleaned up and resupplied in town. The woman named Peggy was with another woman from France and Peggy was tutoring the French woman in English. Peggy said she would finish her hike in about 45 minutes and would be happy to help us with anything we needed. I thanked her and said we would wait by where she had parked her car. When I arrived there I found Bonesaw and Tricycle and told them we should wait because I had a good feeling about getting help from Peggy as she seemed to be a very nice lady. Just as she said, Peggy arrived back at the parking area and said goodbye to her friend. She had a plan, and quickly offered us a ride to her house so we could shower, do laundry and get some breakfast. We arrived at her beautiful home situated in a park-like setting and were introduced to her husband, Don. Don laughed at our appearance and said he was wondering why his wife was driving around with a bunch of roofers. He and Peggy were very friendly to us and made us feel welcome. Peggy said to go get our showers and she would do our laundry while Don cooked us breakfast. Don prepared a huge portion of scrambled eggs (I later found out he cooked up 20 eggs), a couple of pounds of bacon and 12 corn meal pancakes each, two pots of coffee and a half gallon on orange juice. He then offered us some sushi left over from his daughter¢s wedding reception they had just hosted at their lovely home. After breakfast, Don drove us to the grocery where we took care of our resupply needs. We then drove back to their home where we organized our packs over cold beer Don provided. I recharged my cellphone and Bonesaw checked his email messages on their computer. We then met Peggy¢s mother, who was in her 90¢s. She was in excellent health and wanted to hear all about our hike. She had been very active in the AT when it was being planned and linked together at the trail¢s beginnings. She told us many stories of her early hikes in different states and kept us quite entertained until Don said it was time to say goodbye. Don drove us back to the trail, but before we left, he provided us with 8 chicken breasts and a bag of dinner rolls for our dinner that evening. On the ride back to the trail, Don suggested we stop for ice cream, and he took us to a local store. We all picked our favorites from their delicious selections and Don insisted he would treat. We then drove back to the trailhead, said our thanks, and started back to hike. The entire time we were hiking we couldn¢t get over our good fortune and Don and Peggy¢s generosity. Trail Magic doesn¢t quite describe our time with them!We walked to the Tumbling Run Shelters and settled in for the night. We ate the chicken breasts that Peggy and Don had provided and the dinner rolls too. The caretaker of the shelters, The Jam, brought up a cooler full of iced-down sodas so we were living well. The Cane Train was in the other shelter next to us. The Cane Train is a group of older hikers consisting of Pilgrim, Mad Dog and Wondering Bill.