Date: 2015-05-08
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 23.6

Another day, another friend gone.As soon as I wake up, I have to pee. But I get so stiff with my little old lady hiker body that I always have to hobble out to the woods or privy. In shelters, there is almost always a step down that I almost always fall down. The upside is that even midnight bathroom trips are usually beautiful, the sky full of stars or the moon shining bright. Morning trips are made in the very first light of day, the sun just peeking over the horizon.Today I made my usual early bathroom trip, embracing the rising sun from the hilltop, and packed up my things. I waited for Chris to eat breakfast and followed him out onto the trail. Neither of us had slept well. I was extra tired and sluggish, not feeling well for some reason. I don't know if I was hungry or dehydrated, or if I ate too much last night. I am not very good at understanding my own body's needs.Overall, we managed to make good time, Chris again setting a good pace. I managed to keep him within my range of vision most of the day. It was hot, but luckily the hike was spent mostly in the shade. We paused for breaks to stretch, drink, and snack at the top of hills. We stopped to enjoy the fresh breezes, cooling our gross, sweaty hiker bodies, as well as the beauty of the trail and the hills it rambles through.I must say that the first part of the day was NOT as nice and flat as I was expecting. It took us longer than expected to make it to the first shelter. I was thirsty and hungry and aching to stop. It got to the point of, "Where is it?" "You don't think we could have missed it, do you?" "I hear water, we must be close.So the first miles weren't fun, but the trail did smooth out after a while. I expected the rise after our midmorning water stop to be miserable, but it was long and gentle and beautiful. We reached the top, reveled in the breeze and agreed that it had actually been a pleasant climb.We stopped for lunch at Laurel Creek, sitting on the rocks and soaking our feet in the wonderfully, briskly cold water while we ate. We watched the tadpoles swimming by, and I pointed out a big crayfish. I felt a little guilty eating tuna for lunch next to a creek full of fish, but there was nothing to be done. It was a heavy tuna pouch, and one of the hiker laws is "Eat the heaviest first."For dessert, Chris shared a dark chocolate cookie butter candy bar. It was amazing. I could live on chocolate. I asked him if I could keep the wrapper so that I can ask mom to get me another if she goes to Trader Joe's anytime soon.The afternoon wasn't terrible. The hills still sucked, but I have lived to tell the tale. We ran across trail magic sodas and water bottles left on the trail just short of my stopping point for the day. They were appreciated on a hot day.Every once in a while I would catch the scent of fresh flowers and take deep breaths, sucking it into my lungs like I could make it part of me. Unfortunately I tried to do this while I was huffing and puffing uphill a couple of times, while still trying to keep pace with Chris, and I ended up extra huffing and puffing and nearly suffocating myself.We reached my meeting point with mom and Dan an hour and a half before they were due to arrive. The trail intersects with a rural route where they would be able to find me. We stopped, dropping our packs, and Chris waited with me for a while before continuing north on the trail. He offered to wait longer, but I felt bad. He still had two miles left to hike to reach the shelter where he planned to spend the night. I let him go, receiving a hug and thanking him for letting me tag along behind him for the last few days.They were good days. I am glad that I managed to catch up with him. I doubt that I will be able to again, but I hope so. He was a wonderful hiking companion. I was sad to see him go, and I will miss him. That is the way of the trail, though. People come, and people go as the miles pass beneath our feet. Some we see again, some we onky hear about as word travels along the trail. I hope I will see Chris again. If not, I am grateful for the time I got to spend with him.Then I started walking into town to meet mom and Dan, trying not to die in the afternoon sun. After about THREE MILES, someone finally took pity on this poor pitiful frying hiker, and a nice guy pulled over and offered to drive me to the motel. As we pulled into the driveway, mom and Dan pulled out. I sent them a frantic text, "Go back to the motel!"And happiness arrived again. Smelly hiker hugs were endured by both of my visitors. A shower was taken I even made my poor mom scrub the part of my back I couldn't reach (as if I was five years old) to make sure I was REALLY clean. Gifts of gear were reviewed (sleeping bag from mom and Dan and umbrella from Daddy). I got a hug from Rhonda and a gift of money (undoubtedly to be used for pizza, ice cream, a shower, or clean laundry) from Lucy. A wonderful card from Jill was included in a bundle of mail. Thank you!!!! For dinner? You guessed it. Pizza. And a day of hot hiking also called for ice cream for dessert. I don't know if a hiker could be happier.I am thankful for amazing loved ones who get up at the crack of dawn, drive a gazillion miles (so weird to think how far they travelled today versus how far I did! Driving versus hiking!), and buy me pizza. My poor mother is amazing. For the last two weeks she has been putting together a ridiculous amount of junk to bring me... every day I would send her a text with another ridiculous request: "Can you bring me more toothpaste?" "Please bring sleeping bag, thin black pants, and flip flops in my closet, maybe in the back left in the milk crates?"I am thankful for good friends, even ones who are miles ahead of me now. Maybe if I get new shoes I will be able to catch up!I am also super thankful that I have two days to rest my poor body, especially my feet. And as always, I am thankful for the trail, and the journey.