Date: 2003-05-15
From: Brushy Mtn. Camp site 2,700

To: Woodshole Hostel 3,382
Miles today: 16.7

Got up early this morning after a long night in the tent. Not because of the dog, but because I was hot! The dog slept at my feet and asked to get out twice during the night. She snores pretty loud so that reminded me of Oscar. She walked as far as the creek this morning with ReBob, then she left us. E-Dogg saw her today too.ReBob is such a softie. Last night he let the dog drink his water out of his cup. We weren't camped at a water source either. Then today he got off at the road and went to a grocery to eat breakfast, and he bought 2 pounds of dog food for her! What a big heart! I hated it that she wandered off. The mountains are no place for domestic animals.The next time someone tells me, "You don't need the rain pants, just the jacket is enough," I'm going to tell them, "No, YOU don't need the rain pants!" I got soaked today! It started to rain about 2:00 and I was still three miles from the hostel. This was a thunderstorm today with lightening and all, but I wasn't the tallest thing around so I wasn't worried, just wet and cold. For the last half mile to the hostel, my leg muscles wouldn'd always do what I wanted them to do because they were cold because I listened to someone who said you don't need the rain pants!I had two great trail experiences today. The first was the trail to Dismal Falls. This is a side trail of .25 miles and is well worth it. I highly recommend camping here and spending a relaxing day. Beautiful.My second positive experience is here at the Woodshole Hostel. What an amazing place. The owner is Mrs. Tillie. She lives in an old log house next to the hostel. Both have rusty tin roofs and are made with logs and held together with a mud mortor sort of. The hostel has a loft with mattresses and holds about 12-15 people. There is a solar shower, which means cold water only. No one showered today. The hostel has a fridge full of sodas and candy bars you can buy on the honor system. There is a front porch covered with everyone's wet clothes right now. I was sitting out there with The Geezers - Dreamwalker (Jerry, who I met at Springer), Kiwi from New Zealand, Peter Pan from VA who I believe to be the troublemaker in the group, and Finch who I camped with several times early on and am very glad to see again. These guys are a lot of fun and I was glad to see Dreamwalker. He got ahead of me as soon as his friend Bill left the trail. Wizard, ReBob, Ultreya (means carry on), E-dog!g, Starbuck, Big Red, Tadpole, Hover, Amble, and Mike from New Jersey are also here. It is pouring rain again and I am so glad to be here instead of in a shelter. The weather is cold and I am debating what to send home as far as cold weather gear. The long johns definitely stay! The environment here at the hostel is great and Mrs. Tillie is wonderful. The hostel is free and the first 8 people to sign up for breakfast can pay $3.50 for a country breakfast. I missed out on that, but I don't care. I will get an early start to Pearisburg tomorrow to dry out!I forgot to write about the trail magic yesterday. Someone left jugs of water, a weather forecast, and a bag for us to put our trash in on the trail. It was in memory of Soleman in Florida who died suddenly three days before his thru hike was to begin. Wizard has delivered my food bag to me the last two mornings too, so that is a bit a trail magic too. I am blessed out here.I am very grateful for Mrs. Tillie right now. Her hostel could not be in a better place. I hope that little beagle found her way home or found some other bleeding heart like me to spend the night with. Goodnight Oscar."Tucson"