Date: 2010-05-24
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Glasgow, VA
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

Today was difficult. I woke up this morning and my foot felt worse. I took a quick glance over and noticed a bump and some swelling. I didn't even bother putting my hiking shoes on this morning and left them tied to my pack. I got out late once again this morning, and thanks to Ink who arrived later the night before, I was able to enjoy a cup of coffee (around eleven, again!,) but since I was just heading into Glasgow I figured it wasn't too big of a deal and I only had fifteen miles to hike (most of it downhill). So late in the morning myself in my crocs and Kelly headed down the trail. Despite my foot I was able to keep a very good pace headed down the mountain, downhill is definetely feels better than uphill, and the crocs definetely feel better than the shoes. Stopped for lunch with 151 and Ink right before a fairly short, but pretty steep climb. The terrain was very interesting, lush with fern and Virginia Creeper and a lot of rock. The climb down was very steep, but I always enjoy something different from time to time.Under different circumstances I have a feeling I would have really enjoyed the hike today. Although the weather was schizophrenic once again, there were beautiful moments of blue sky and many flat, ridgeline walks with amazing views of the Blueridge. After the one climb, the hiking was quite easy and once again, I saw very few hikers throughout the day. As the day progressed however, my foot degressed and the swelling and redness increased. I just had to remind myself "One foot in front of the other!" and it felt like a long time before I could finally see the James River, and it felt like much longer until I finally reached it. The James River Footbridge is the longest foot traffic only bridge on the entire AT and right across from it was the road to hitch into town. 151 had just arrived as well so we were able to hitch together into the small town of Glasgow where the first thing we did was seek out a place to eat. Glasgow is very small, the restraunt was closed for the day and the deli inside the gas station was as well. I ended up eating a cookie and some ice cream I picked up at the Dollar General for dinner then went to see if I could get something done about my foot. I was hoping there would be a free clinic in town or something but I was told the rescue squadron would be the only place that could help me so I set out to look for the rescue squadron, I figured they could at least tell me if I should get it looked at or something.I was able to find someone in front of a building to ask for directions, apparently he wasn't local and wasn't sure where to look so he invited me into the building where he knew of someone we could ask. One of the guys who had been jamming on the guitar inside introduced himself as Hammer and told me no one was at the squadron at the moment, but after looking at my foot he told me he could call someone who could come over and look at it. Turns out the cop in town is the best first aids person around. He told me he thought I could have broken one of the bones on the top or I could have a spider bite, either way he said I should get it looked at and told me it wouldn't cost me anything for them to take me over to the medical center. Now if it was any other part of my body, I would have said no, but being a hiker I know taking care of my feet is the most important thing so despite my concerns for lack of health insurance I agreed. While I waited for my ride I was entertained by a few tunes. Turns out the building had previously been the post office, it was then converted to the library and when the new library came in, the person who owns it allowed them to use it as a hangout to play music. My ride took me to Stonewall where they x-rayed my foot and took some blood tests to check the white blood cell count. Nothing came up on the x-ray or blood tests, I just heard a bunch of people say "wow, that's really swollen" (thanks, I know). The person who saw me just diagnosed it as cellulitis of the foot and gave me a prescription for Keflex (an antibiotic which I had no idea how I was going to get filled!). Hammer had kindly offered to watch Kelly while I was gone and since the town cop was around I figured she would be safe. Hammer also picked me up at the medical center and offered to take me somewhere I could get something to eat (Taco Bell was the winnter), and with Glasgow's lack of good resupply, he offered to take me to Walmart, yes! Thank you Hammer. Unfortunatley it was nearly eleven at night, so the pharmacy at Walmart was closed, bummer.Didn't get back to Glasgow till 11:30 and Hammer offered to just let me stay at the music hall which I was thankful for. I also figured the other hikers at the town shelter (built for the hikers) were also unknowingly thankful for me not showing up at midnight and waking them all up.