Date: 2012-09-20
From: stealth site

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: few clouds

Today my alarm went off at 6:15, but I could tell Heavyweight wasn't well. I let him sleep (and I slept for another 30 minutes). I got dressed and left the tent as quietly as I could and read until he woke up. We didn't leave until after 9:00. We hiked 9 mostly miserable, rocky miles to the 501 shelter. It is difficult to see the smaller rocks for multiple reasons. Mainly because the sun dapples the ground from leaf shadows. Wow, that was awkward wording. Second, because leaves have been falling and they cover/hide the rocks. I tripped multiple times today. I felt so bad for Heavyweight who is tired and has a headache. I hitchhiked (ALONE!!!) into Pine Grove to get a few groceries. As usual, I got too much, but I didn't go totally crazy. Just partly. The lady that gave me a ride used to maintain the 501 shelter and she was very nice. She showed me the best way to walk back from the store in case I didn't get a ride. It was several miles. I did get a hitch back, but I waited until I was on 501 to stick out my thumb. I got the second car! It was a nice couple that had just done their laundry. They let me sit in the back with the laundry. I questioned them about this, but they said they'd rather pick me up than some crazy person. I was hoping that they weren't crazy people. ha! I was lucky to get a ride and still be alive. Phew! Oh, one nice thing about the hike today was that you could see hawk shadows going by. Raptor migration is neat and we get to see it every day. THOUGHTS ALMOST 3 YEARS LATER:One of my most vivid memories from hiking the AT is when I was hitchhiking alone from the 501 Shelter. Steven wasn¢t feeling well, so I made him turn around and go back to the shelter while I purchased groceries in town. It was several miles and I was tired of walking, so I stuck out my thumb like most thru-hikers have done. I had taken Steven¢s phone so I could call him on mine if there was any problem. I was nervous because I didn¢t have my knife with me ¢ in case I had to defend myself. Luckily, I was picked up almost immediately by a woman in a silver SUV. I cannot remember her name, but she had been the previous caretaker of the 501 shelter. She chastised me for not carrying my pack because people wouldn¢t know that I was a thru-hiker. I was not looking to carry my pack for another minute. She gave me a small tour of the town which had been devastated by a flood the previous year and soon we were at the grocery store. I thanked her and went inside. On my way back to the shelter I made the decision not to hitchhike until I got to the main road on which the 501 shelter is located. I stuck out my thumb and an angry looking Asian woman drove by me. I say angry looking because she looked like she was disgusted by me. She was scowling. Interesting. The second car that went by stopped for me. It was a couple that had just come back from the laundromat and they invited me to sit on the seat practically touching their clean laundry!! For someone who doesn¢t know, the smell of a thru-hiker can be horrific¢¦ and the smell of clean laundry can be either overpowering or deliciously intoxicating. I only remember feeling mortified at what they may have been thinking. ¢Oh my goodness ¢ that stinky person is sitting next to our clean laundry!¢ But they were very nice ¢ especially when they realized I was a thru-hiker. They told me they picked me up because they were scared that some weirdo would snag me and I¢d never be heard from again. It was super nice and utterly human. I thanked them a lot. I was very lucky that day to get two rides so quickly, and though I don¢t remember their names, I (and my feet) will be forever grateful.