Date: 2004-04-29
From: Pearisburg,Va.

To: Pearisburg, Va.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A much needed zero day. Zero is a funny word to use for such a busy day spent in town running all day. I was awake before sunrise having not slept most of the night. I was streched out in my sleeping bag on the floor of the Holy Family Church Hostel. I was between the sleeping loft and the bathroom and was in the path of the parade of nighttime pee-ers. On top of that I awoke with a spliting sinus headache that was so bad I was feeling nausous. I was happy to see the sunrise and was even happier to know that I would be heading downtown to stay in a motel tonight. Don't get me wrong here - the hostel provided by the Holy Family Catholic Church is a great place and is much appreciated by weary hikers needing a place to rest and recoup from the rigors of the trail. It operates on donations from the hikers using the facility. It is located in a beautiful area of town and has a nice porch with a swing and a large covered pavillion with picnic tables. Bill, the hostel caretaker provides shuttles back to the trail and helps hikers in need of other services. The church members (and also the residents of Pearisburg in general) should be commended for the attitude and help provided to hikers passing through this beautiful little town. I've meet many very nice people here. I wish I could spend a little more time here but I still have over 1500 miles of trail to explore. Anyway, I needed an early start to get everything done today. Pez and I headed over for a hearty breakfast and then went to the Walmart. I made up two CD's from my photo card and bought new batteries for my watch. They were not allowed to change the batteries but gave me the tools to do it myself. Even with new batteries the watch would not work. I went next to the Dollar Store and bought a set of screw drivers so I could tear down the watch when I had more time. Pez and I then walked back to the Hostel to pick up our packs and started to walk the mile or so to town. I stopped at the laundromat and started a load of wash. Then stopped at the Post Office where I picked up my bounce box, replacement sleeping bag, a card, and a box of delicious brownies. We checked into the Holiday Lodge Motel and then I headed back to finish my laundry. Phone calls during the dry cycle and another attempt at fixing my watch. I headed back to the motel to charge the camera and cell phone batteries and then headed off for an all you can eat lunch. Next stop - Food Lion to resupply for five days on the trail. Feeling stuffed from the AYCE buffet I probably didn't buy enough food so I may run into a problem later this week. Did someone say "brownies for dinner"? Maybe. I stopped at Radio Shack for wire straps to seal my bounce box as I had somehow screwed up the combination lock I've been using. Next it was back to the Motel to sort the food and pack the bounce box and the down sleeping bag which is being shipped home. I think it is safe to assume I will not be seeing anymore single digit temps on this hike. I threw the last items into the box and rushed over to hit the Post Office just before closing. Walked over to the RiteAid to pick up a thankyou card and headed back to the motel. Footloose, Rumbler, Bearbag Hanger, Pez, and Scuba, and yours truely headed over to have dinner at a local Italian restaurant. I then returned to the motel to pack my backpack for an early departure tomorrow morning. And this is what hikers refer to as a zero day. My reward is the luxury of taking a nice hot shower and then sleeping on a real bed with a pillow and sheets. It is time to cash in right now. Goodnight, enjoy your zero's,Lwop