Date: 2016-05-06
From: VA 624, Newport Rd

To: VA 624, Newport Rd
Miles today: 0.0

I got up and had the free breakfast at the hotel. It wasn't great but it was free! I had to take care of my damaged phone so I walked to the Verizon store which was right next to the Outfitter, which was next to a Chinese Buffet, which was next to Kroger. Great, I can do a lot of things here! At Verizon they got my phone to partially work. The home button does not work so they created a floating home button. The phone still does not react well at all and it takes too long to do anything. They needed my wifes social to get into the account to see what plan I had. I sent Yvonne a text for the info. While I was waiting I went to the outfitter and looked at their sleeping bags, pads and rain gear. I bought a new water filter, the Sawyer larger size. This should definitely help me out. I went to eat at the buffet then went shopping at Kroger. I have lost soooooo much weight as well as some muscle mass on my upper body. I started at 182 lbs and am down to 155 lbs. While shopping I really paid attention to high calorie and high protein items. I realized that my food intake will have to increase. I took quite a while shopping then I went back to the hotel and unloaded. Yvonne got back with me with the info so I went back to Verizon. They got into our account and realized they needed the password. So I sent another text to Yvonne and walked back to the hotel. While I was waiting to hear back from her, I went through my gear, packed my back pack with everything except food and water and when I got Yvonne's response I headed back to Verizon with my backpack. My first stop was at the outfitter where I weighed my pack. It was 25 lbs so I still need to get it lower. I went to Verizon and they did not have a plan to replace my phone. They said I would have to go to a third party to fix my phone as they do not fix phones. The third party is in another town!! He also told me my storage is full and that is why my phone is messing up. I did not believe him but I left there determined to delete pictures and other things to open more storage space and see what happens. I went back to the outfitter and found Bombadil and Goldberry there. I'm sure he replaced his broken pole. I checked out the sleeping bags and bought a 45 degree Big Agnes bag that will save me 1 lb 2 oz. I also bought a new rain top which is half the weight and feels better. My rain top is a Marmot Minimalist. I is an excellent top but I sweat sooooo much under it. Although it keeps the rain out I am dripping wet with sweat underneath. My new top is an Outdoor Research Helium II. I also ran into Maria. She was picking up a resupply box and waiting for her ride. She walked the 25 miles from 4 Pines Hostel today...she is quite a hiker. Maria is about 30 years old and she had a great job, an apartment in Atlanta and a nice car but sold everything and left her job to do the trail. Her father is from Canada and mother from Argentina, she was raised in both places and speaks Spanish very well. Maria may go back to the same job or do something else...she will figure it out. She also plans to do more traveling when she finishes the trail. She will figure it all out and, now, she has time to think about it. I learned about quilts from her. Its funny that I am learning so much about hiking related things from everyone I come in contact with and most are half my age. On the way back to the hotel I ran into Stone. He actually lives 15 miles from Daleville and was about to have a followup interview with a local TV station. They did a spot on him before he started. That was pretty cool, I was hiking with a celebrity!! When I got back to the room and talked to my wife a bit and relaxed. I walked back to the Kroger area to have dinner at Three Lil Pigs restaurant. I sat at the bar, ordered dinner, and a local dark ale and started deleting pictures and videos. I had preserved lots of great memories. They are on my computer at home so all is not lost! I had spinach and sausage soup to start, pulled pork and ribs with hush puppies and black eyed peas for dinner and...free banana pudding for dessert since I was a thru hiker. I was full! I walked back to the hotel and all the deletions did not seem to help my phone. I got to sleep pretty late after watching Ironman III.