Date: 2006-04-25
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Davis Path Shelter
Miles today: 14.2

I got a terrible nights sleep last night. I was the first to crawl in my sleeping bag, but the last to fall asleep. I was hot and uncomfortable and by the time I was ready to sleep everyone else was asleep and snoring very loudly. Freight Train snores so loud that I am surprised he doesn't wake himself up. When I finally feel asleep, I woke up frequently and had the same trouble falling asleep every time.Needless to say when I woke up at 8am I was not in a good mood. Infact if someone gave me a ways and means to quit the trail right at that moment I probably would have said "YES!!!" I packed my gear and didn't talk to anyone. Once I was ready to go I walked up to the Mt. Rogers Ranger Station and bought a soda. It was perfect... exactly what I wanted. Once I got on the trail I hiked by myself, which I liked. I really didn't want to deal with people today. The hike was great though, about half in the woods and half across grassy fields. It was very sunny and hot, however, so the sun just baked me all over. The trees still don't have any leaves at the elevations I am at so the sun had clean shots at me all over the trail.Made it to Interstate 81 and began to peruse the commercial establishments off the exit ramp. First I went to the Relax Inn and picked up my loaner backpack that was mailed there by Gregory. The backpack I have been using started to have some issues with the shoulder straps. So I contacted Gregory and they sent me a loaner pack to use while I send my pack back to them so they can fix it. So I went about moving all my gear to my loaner pack, once done I need to get a hitch to the Atkins, VA postoffice so I could mail my pack back to Gregory.I was told the post office was about 2 miles up the road so started walking hoping I would find a hitch along the way. After walking for a long mile I was getting pretty close to giving up on hitching.   That was when this guy in a beat-up white pick-up truck pulled over and told me to hop in. He drove me to the post office and then offered to give me a ride back to the trail as well. The guy was very nice, a little older than me, and worked at a rubber seal factory about 15 min from Atkins. On the ride back I really only wanted him to drop me off at the gas station so I could get some lunch and a few items of resupply, but he insisted that he take me to the trailhead which is about a half mile from the gas station. "No, please just drop me off at the gas station." I pleaded. "Nonsense, I'll give you a ride to the trail." He replied back, rather forcefully. I begin to have visions of him driving me off into the woods and beating me to death my hiking polls and then turning my head into a hat.... I don't wanna die! He pulls over right at the turnout for the AT and drops me off. He was a nice guy... but I am glad he didn't kill me.The final 2.5 miles to the shelter were pretty easy and I made it before 6 so I had plenty of time to chill out before dark. It started raining, hard, pretty soon after I reached the shelter. 5 more people arrived shortly there after to make a total of 8 of us: Novocaine, Senator, Ajax, Freight Train, Night Rider, Dirt, Sleeper and I. Everyone but Sleeper I have been hiking with for the last few days. Sleeper is a very cool guy, probably about 45, who is an Anesthesiologist when he is not hiking the trail. The other 6 are all between the ages of 20 and 26, but Sleeper does a very good job of going beer for beer with us young guys.