Date: 2007-05-12
From: Lamberts Meadow Shelter

To: U.S. 220 Daleville, VA
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: light rain

It didn't rain last night and there was a new moon up in the sky this morning. Last night was one of the warmest nights we have had on the trail so it is definitely time to send our winter gear home. My fleece pants and long underwear top are much too warm now. So all fleece, gloves, and winter sleeping bags will be replaced with lighter weight clothing and sleeping bags. I'm glad we kept our winter things for an extra week, though. The hike today was over ridge tops until we got close to Daleville and then we came down quickly. Toto was sure that we would get rained on before we got here. But by 10:45 we were at U.S. 220 and within sight of the motel. When we got here our room was not ready so we went to the outfitter to get new, thinner socks, new bite valves for our packs' water systems, a cartridge replacement for our water filter, and a multifunctional piece of headgear. The hat I've been wearing is too hot (it's cotton) and although I like it because it fits my head better than most hats I need something cooler and something that will dry quicker. We both got lighter cushioned socks because our feet have gotten bigger and we don't have as much room in our boots. Hopefully that will work. If not we both may have to get different boots.Along the trail we have seen lilies of the valley and blueberries in bloom. Today we even saw small blueberries setting on. There is much green now at higher elevations and many more small flowers blooming everyday. One flower that I saw for the first time 2 years ago- turkey beard, I think--we saw again for the first time this year in the same place I first saw them in 05.It is strange how we forgot how difficult the trail was 2 years ago. Toto has been accusing me of having amnesia about certain parts of the trail. But over the last 2 days as he walked over what we both walked 2 years ago he could not remember it as it is. Then there are parts that I remember clearly but they are mostly associated with something pleasant, like seeing the park bench at the top of the mountain the other day or the first time I saw the flower called turkey beard. Or I remember a particularly hard day either because of the heat and a hard long climb. As we get to some parts of the trail I will have a feeling of having been there before or will recall something vaguely familiar.   We ate a late lunch today at the Country Cookin Restaurant with Ross and Truffles. Truffles had talked to a trail maintainer on the trail the other day and the maintainer had given him his telephone number in case he needed anything. So Truffles called him and so now he and Ross have a place to stay. So many of the young people on the trail have limited financial resources and have to make do with very little. When Homer picked Ross and Truffles up he asked if we needed a ride so he gave us a ride back to the motel. It isn't very far but a very busy interchange is between the motel and restaurant so we were happy to have a ride.I forgot to say that Toto called the outfitter today and told them his name and the person on the other end said, "We've got you hat!" They are closed on Sunday so we made a trip there before our room was ready. When we got back our room was still not ready until about 2pm. After we showered we got a ride to the restaurant from the woman at the desk when she got off work.Tonight when Toto went out to get a sandwich and ice cream he stopped by the Three Little Pigs BBQ restaurant to listen to the music for a bit and a man called out to him using his trail name. It was Del, the man that shuttled him 2 years ago to VA 611 so he could hike back to Daleville with me. Our next leg of the hike will be from here to Waynesboro, which will take about 10 days. We have gone 6 days without a shower and clean clothes and we would like not to have to do that again unless there is no other way. So between here and Waynesboro where we plan to take another zero day we need to get to at least one place to clean up. There are several places to get off to shower and do laundry but having them spaced apart so that it is not making us have a very long day or too short of a day is the problem. Some would say just take your time but we are anxious to get up the trail and get home to see our grandchildren, family, and friends.      Life is Great!Dorothy & Toto