Date: 2011-05-17
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: moderate rain

Another day in paradise....Woke up during a break in the rain and packed up to get hiking by 7:15. The rain started again soon after and continued essentially all day, with torrential downpours lasting up to 30 minutes at several occasions. Not much to the hiking today as all you can really do is keep your head down and keep trudging forward. I had noticed some chafing in my armpits yesterday during the day, so this morning I used my Band-Aid friction block stick to see if that would help prevent more. Useless. F%*king. Garbage.Being completely soaked all day hiking after a wet day yesterday caused extreme amounts of chafing - my lower back, shoulders, thighs, armpits, and even my nipples were raw and painful. The friction block stick did absolutely nothing, and as a last resort I started using antibiotic ointment to ease the suffering somewhat; not for antibiotic properties but because the base of the ointment is petroleum jelly and mineral oil. It actually worked, but for no more than a half hour after each application. I ended up only taking one break today, at Paul C. Wolfe Shelter during a 15 minute break in the rain. Trail conditions were quite interesting, the trail was for most of the day a knee deep steep creek. A stream crossing just prior to the Wolfe shelter looked like it was normally just a walk across some rocks, but at my arrival the rocks were submerged by more than a foot and as the stream comes across the trail down a mountain, the water was extremely swift and a small waterfall with a notable hydraulic had formed under the rocks. I opted to avoid risking falling on the rocks and getting trapped in a hydraulic and crossed slightly upstream in a deeper and slower section, but this meant fording nearly waist deep water. Honestly, it was actually pretty fun except for the chafing. I was already as soaked as I could get so it was just something different to do.I arrived at the Shenandoah National Park visitor center at Rockfish Gap early afternoon, and greatly enjoyed being inside for the first time. A list of 'trail angels' that will shuttle hikers to town for free is posted at the trail crossing as well as in the center. I used the center's phone to call one of then, and within 10 minutes Ray picked me up right out front and drove me to town, giving me the quick tour of the hiker necessities, including the library, Grace Lutheran Hostel, and Ming's Chinese Buffet. As the hostel doesn't open until 5:00, he dropped me across the street at the library, where I used a computer for a while to kill time and update the journal. Went over to the hostel when it opened, and found a large crew there, including Bean, Drumsolo and BrainFrog who were planning an aqua blaze of the Shenandoahs, which means using a canoe to paddle and camp along the Shenandoah River, which parallels SNP and the trail all the way to Harpers Ferry, WV. I had seriously considered it, but with all the rain I can't imagine how high the river is right now. Ming's Buffet is the best Chinese Buffet I've ever been to. Period. Seriously, if you love a Chinese Buffet, and are in the Waynesboro, VA area hit it. I cleared 7 plates before walking back to the hostel. Now, the walk is about three blocks and you can practically see the buffet from the hostel, but it took 15 minutes each way due to having to walk like a sumo wrestler to avoid having my chafed areas from touching each other and causing extreme amounts of pain. The forecast tomorrow is for rain again as I head into SNP... I think a zero might be in order.I need to hit grocery, CVS for better chafing creme, and the outfitter for new pants, a bandana, and socks. The library might be nice too to get this journal up to date too.