Date: 2008-05-30
From: Dripping Rock Parking Area

To: Waynesboro VA
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: clear sky

Hey Everybody! I am in Waynesboro, VA at 850 miles. This is the gateway to Shenandoah National Park. I am staying at a friend's house (Sharkey) and am having an incredible time. He picked up Steelman, Flashlight (my second cousin), and me at the trailhead and took us to re-supply at Kroger. He then drove us to his incredible home in the mountains. If I could have a house in the mountains, this would be it. I will be eating eggs in the morning that were laid by his own chickens. Too cool.My cousin Seth is now known as Flashlight. When I picked him up in Buena Vista, I did a shakedown of his pack. He did a great job of assembling gear for his hike with me. He kept the weight down and did not have any real extraneous stuff -- until we got to the flashlights. He had a nice lightweight Petzl headlamp, but then he pulled out a double-D flashlight. The trail name stuck and is being used by other hikers. He has been kicking butt as a hiker, able to do 15-mile days with no complaints. Flashlight is the man!I am feeling better & I hope the giardia is almost over. The hip problem turned out to be a tight IT band. My shoulder is feeing better, with restricted use. The feet -- well, I am getting used to the pain. I am kinda bummed because my orthotics seem to have been lost in the mail. They were sent to a tiny trail-town post office by UPS. The tracking info shows that the package was delivered; but the post office does not have it. Very confusing. I am going to try one more time tomorrow to verify the loss, and then I will have to use the UPS insurance to have a new set made. This is just too weird. Oh well, it is all part of the deal called the trail.I have been told that the trail levels out in the Shenandoahs. I just looked at a map of the trail profiles and found out that the rises in elevation are now under 1000 feet instead of 2000-4000 foot rises. For some reason, I thought it was going to be flatter. Oh well. I am looking forward to walking close to Skyline Drive. This means that we do not need to carry much food, because there is tons of food a short distance away.I should be getting to Harpers Ferry, WV, in just over a week. This is cool for two reasons. One, I am no longer in VA; and two, it is the psychological halfway point of the trail. It is also the home of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. I will get my picture taken and added to the official roster of this year's thru-hikers. I also have to make the decision of whether or not to do the 4-state challenge. This is hiking in four states within a 24-hour period. Hike 43 miles, starting in VA, then WV, MD, and into PA. I can pretty much guarantee that I will not be taking part in the challenge.The challenge that I am looking forward to is the half-gallon challenge. This is at the actual halfway point in PA. If I can eat a half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting, I get a wooden spoon as a souvenir. We will see.It is after midnight and I am going to bed. I hope all is well, and again, thanks for all the replies. Talk to you soon. TroutbumP.S. It appears that I have lost almost 40 pounds at this time. My beard is being compared to pictures of Civil War generals from the South. Friends want to see me in a grey soldier hat. We will see.- Sorry we are way behind on posting Troutbum's daily mileage. I will catch up once he gets a chance to make me a list. Mahalo & Aloha for everyone's kind words & thoughts for Troutbum & me. Holly (Troutbum's g.f.)