Date: 2008-05-01
From: Pearisburg

To: Knots Shelter
Miles today: 15.0

Pearisburg, Va: TRAIL UPDATE, THOUGHTS OF A WONDERING MIND, GEAR REVIEWTrail UpdateAfter fording the very cold river and freezing in the cold snow, we decided to call our Pearisburg trail angel and get a ride out early. Terri was wonderful and showed up with steam¢ in cups of java. She drove us to the Holiday Motor Lodge. Now, I will be the first to tell you that hikers do not stay at nice, expensive hotels. Most hikers are retired or unemployed and are looking for a clean and inexpensive hotel. Well   we found inexpensive.The Holiday Motor Lodge is a multi-colored cinder-block hotel. I told everyone I would check us in and I swear the Twilight Zone zoomed in and took of the receiptionist and the reception room, which is all so a Real Estate office, Tax Office, and the front office to a ¢tanning bed.¢ I asked about a room for four and one dog. As the lady drifted in her speech, thoughts and check in procedure¢¦.I felt trapped between the hotel of Petticoat Junction and the Shinning. I could hear Don Henley   singing ¢You can check-in but you can¢t check out.¢   I must admit, I looked for the words ¢Redrum¢ on the mirror when we opened our room. While we found no ¢redrum¢ we did find the monster of mold.We held a short discussion about leaving and finding another location, but hunger and cold lent a heavy hand in our decision to stay. As I was showering and watching the water NOT drain from the tub and was seriously scared that the mold would do a ¢JRR Tolkien ¢ ENT thing¢ and come wrap itself around my ankle, I did some basic first grade math in my head. Bottom line¢¦I was paying $14 a night to be out of the 32 degree weather. Not bad since I am unemployed and decided I could name the mold and attempt to make friends with it. Rabbit had a better idea and walked across the road and purchased a gigantic bottle of ¢tileEX ¢ Mold killer.¢Now just to confuse us - is two wonderful establishments in Pearisburg¢¦..THE COFFEE SHOP ¢THE COURTHOUSE.¢ All the hikers on the trail spoke about it and it is haven in the middle of the dark mold. Good coffee, food and music. Plus a notable ambiance. In addition there is a really nice restaurant that does not require a dress code, but cooks like there should be one: The Bank.We have stayed in the Petticoat Junction/Shinning hotel for several days. Terri got us a spare car and we are slack packing a few days. This has allowed us to make up the miles we lost on the   raining/snowing days. It has also allowed us to realize the hotel has people who live there full time and we have gotten to know a few. The hotel is more like the Petticoat Junction and less like the Shinning for which I am grateful. Now it they just let us check out.We did an 18.4 mile slack pack hike today (Friday). We walked though an old apple orchard and took a nap under one tree. Great day. I hear the rain is returning. Yeap, we are on the east coast.Gear ReviewMost of you know I switched pack. Granite Gear gets   5 stars.Meridian Ki (women¢s): It is advertised to carry up to 40. While I have not loaded it that heavy, it had no problem with 32 to 35.Positive: Back support, Positive: Straps ¢ Most light weight packs cut weight by eliminating straps. But packs are like running shoes - I may need/want compression straps and someone else does not. All the straps are on this pack and you can cut off what you don¢t need. Great concept!Minor Complaint: IT was ¢squeaky¢ the first   100 miles. Just a few days for a through hikers, but it could be a couple of trips for a section hiker.Minor Complaint: The   ¢hole¢ for the   water bladder does not fit a camel back mouth piece.