Date: 2007-06-21
From: Johns Hollow selter VA

To: US 60, Buena Vista VA
Miles today: 20.1

I know I said I'd hoped to never do another 20 miler, but the promise of a shower for the first time in 5 days after hiking in the mid-90's for several days (ok ok...and REAL food) just made my legs keep going.Last nite it actually got cool, down to 61 when I woke up. Because I had my tarp pitched out wide and high, I even got slightly chilled at one point. I know I've said this before, but to all you newbie hangers out there, keeping warm is ALL about your tarp technique.Several more people had shown up @ the shelter, The Hobbits, a section hiker named Chuck, and I think someone else. Bill and John had asked that I wake them up when I got up. It was kinda funny, I felt like their mom for a second, I walked over to the shelter where they were sleeping, and started violently shaking John's foot (talk about a heavy sleeper), and finally they both looked up @ me. I realized that no matter if you actually WANT to be waken up, there is no controlling the fact that you're going to give the "wakee" that go to hell look when they do wake you up. It was pretty funny, but they both thanked me later.They wanted me to wake them early because we had 3 major climbs first thing, and they didn't want to be climbing in the hot afternoon temps.I was off by 7:45 a.m., and up up up I went really for about 4.5 hrs. Amazingly though, I was really lost in my head this morning, and I just kept going..almost in a trance. I ran into Chuck while I was taking a food break, and asked about him. Pretty exciting response actually. He's been section hiking the AT for 11 years straight now, and this hike is his final section before he completes the WHOLE trail!! He's headed to Harper's Ferry, and then he's done! WOOOW..what a wonderful thing huh? I told him congratulations and was really in awe of his dedication that for over a decade, he's been religiously coming back for more beatings. In my opinion, it is those people that are doing something great, and I so respect section hikers that hike like Chuck has. There was a great view today from the 1st climb, of where I'd been yesterday, the James River, the footbridge, and a landscape for miles and miles all around it. Really beautiful. It looked so far away, and you have a hard time comprehending that you can travel that far in 1 day.I finally made it to the top of my last major climb (3,372 ft Bluff Mtn.) right at noon. I noticed concrete pillars up there, but couldn't figure out what they had been for. Wow what a beautiful day. I sat on one of the pillars and just felt the breeze cooling my hot sweaty face. I could see a town below, not sure if it was Buena Vista or not. But that moment was another snapshot of a perfect moment that I'll carry with me. The sun, the cool breeze, the bright blue sky, a sea of mountains, and peace.It wasn't until I got to the next shelter for water that I ran into The Hobbits and they told me I'd missed a plaque on Bluff Mtn..duh. Apparently, a small child named Ottie had left his schoolhouse to fetch water, and he never came back (obviously this was a while back). They ended up finding his body on top of Bluff Mtn., in the very spot the plaque was located. It's rumored he haunts the shelter (Punchbowl Shelter). Scary scary!! The Hobbits had arranged a shuttle into Buena Vista from the Blue Ridge Parkway where it crosses the trail just .4 miles from that shelter. They offered to let me go along, but I really wanted to get to U.S. 60, which was only 9 road miles from Buena Vista. I figured I'd have an easier time finding rides to\from town, because people were wanting to charge The Hobbits like $25.00 for a one-way ride from where they were getting picked up.The rest of the hike was mostly downhill, with several PUDS thrown in just for fun I guess. I met new people today, another section hiker named Snaker from Maryland. He's a calculus teacher and he had 2 friends hiking with him for a few days. I ran into them down a bit further, and one guy (Doug I think) was like, "What advice can you give me about hiking?" I said, "Lose the tent and get a hammock." Big surprise huh? He then asked what was the most significant thing that's happened to me. I told him I kind of had different categories, but wildlife was my moment with the owl, then there has been the incredible support by total strangers, ad then of course...the lightning experience. His buddy (who was wearing a very heavy external frame pack) told me his worst fear is getting caught in a storm. I didn't have the heart to tell him that with that metal pack frame, he'd serve as a fantastic lightning rod. I gave Doug the scoop on Hennessy Hammocks, and he is going to look into it, he even yelled at me after I hiked out of site to make sure he knew how to spell it. (did ya read that Persistent? I may have stolen another one from your team! As Darth Vader would say, never underestimate the power of the dark side)The trail the past 2 days has been paralleling these beautiful large creeks (or cricks as some people say down here) in several places. You look down and see small waterfalls, jetting water being pushed between huge rocks, and all around are (I think) Spruce trees. Really a beautiful section of the trail. I made it to Brown Mtn. Creek Shelter @ 6:30 p.m., which was 1.8 miles from U.S. 60. There was 1 gentleman there, who is section hiking as well. I told him I was trying to decide if I should stop or go the last 1.8 and try to find a ride into town. I had the # The Hobbits had for a shuttle, but my cell phone was going to die @ any moment and so far, I only had service on top of mountains in Virginia. I sat there and pondered my situation. I wanted to get into town for a few reasons, to knock out at least laundry tonight and to have access to some ice for my foot, which has been excruciatingly painful the past 2 days. I don't know if it's because I've not had a non-hiking day since Pearisburg, or if the shot I got is now wearing off. I even took ibuprofen for the first time today (since my stomach episode w\the Indomethicin) and it didn't do anything except hurt my stomach, so I guess vitamin I is out for a long time for me.Anyways, after eating a Snickers, I decided to go ahead and take my chances, because (as my trail name reflects) I knew something had to work out.I told the guy goodbye and headed out for a small climb. That snickers must have given me some energy, because it normally would have taken me an hour to go about 2 miles but in 45 minutes, I was @ the road.I was hoping to see tons of people in a parking lot or something, but there was NO ONE. I turned on my cell....shit..no service...hmmm. Right at that moment, I heard a car approaching, and I stuck my thumb out. THEY FREAKIN STOPPED PEOPLE!! What luck? It was 2 gentlemen in a convertible Camaro (top was down) and they told me to hop in, which I felt safe doing seeing I'd have a really easy escape if they got weird. They said they remembered hitching, and they were SO nice. Steven and Jim, from Lexington, gave me a ride in their convertible (man did that feel good and it spared them the experience of dealing with my non-showered body), the 9 miles to Buena Vista. I learned from them that this town is pronounced Byoo-na Vista, not like the way you'd think by the spelling. Going from hiking @ 2 mph to zooming around curvy mountain roads in the back of a convertible was almost a shock, but man was it fun. We even saw 2 deer!So exactly 1 hr after I decided to hike on, 7:47 p.m., they dropped me off @ The Budget Motel. I thanked them and took their pic. THANS AGAIN STEVEN AND JIM!!So let's talk a moment about The Budget Motel. The man at the desk was very nice, I got my room key, walked in, and realized it was a smoking room (as in..it smelled like an ashtray that hadn't been emptied in 10 years). Me being allergic to cigarette smoke, I went back and asked for a non-smoking room. Can you believe I had to pay $10.00 more?!!! He said it was because it had a King bed, but this is the smallest king bed I've ever seen, and maybe it's a non-smoking room now, but it hasn't always been. It wasn't as bad as the last room, and I was so exhausted, I said screw it.There's a Subway next door, so I inhaled a footlong sub, chips, cookies, and coke. Remember, I lost my right croc, so everywhere I'm going, I'm wearing a croc on my left foot and a hiking shoe on my right...HILARIOUS! I look like such a dork!I called Cindy to let her know I'm about 4 days out from her now, and I threw my laundry in. By now it's like 10:30 p.m., and I go to transfer my laundry and the machine is stuck in rinse mode and won't empty or spin!! Ugh... I went to the guy in the office, and he ended up giving me another $1.50 to transfer everything into the other machine and start all over. Now mind you, I've been up since 5:45 a.m., I hiked 20 miles, and I'm about to collapse as it is. My "plan" was to get up early in the morning, resupply and get out of town, but I'm not sure at this point. I also had a WONDERFUL conversation with Rachael. We've not had an opportunity to really talk in weeks because she's been working 7 days a week, and I REALLY needed to have this conversation with her, so it was 1:00 a.m. by the time I got off the phone, got my laundry dried, and got to sleep. I've got ice on my foot, which is still feeling pretty bad.Not sure what to do tomorrow. Take a zero and rest it, hike out and get to Cindy's...not sure. Need some sleep and some time to think in the morning. I hate to throw more $ into this crappy little motel, but then again, I have everything I need..ice mainly. We'll see. I've gotta sleep now. Actually, I think I'm sleep-typing right now. ~Certain