Date: 2005-06-30
From: Dickey Gap, where route 16 goes into Troutdale

To: near Old Orchard Shelter (39 miles to Damascas)
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: scattered clouds

miles: 10 total: 570dest: near Old Orchard Shelter (39 miles to Damascas)Some animal, probably a racoon messed around camp last night. The cooking things I left outside the tent were rattled and moved. I packed up to go into Troutdale. Hoping to get breakfast in town, so I omit the usual oatmeal ritual. I wait at route 16 a long time for a ride. Finally and old gentleman, out for some hiking himself, staying down at the campground, pulls off to pick me up. My stuff and self go into the pickup shell after he shoves his stuff around a bit. He lets me off at the Trading Post for breakfast, with his recommendation (woohoo). He tells me he went to VPI, class of '54, retired to Florida. I tell him my dad is class of '51, married a local girl, now living in Florida. He is ready to move back up here. "Too crowded in Florida", he says. He wishes me luck, and I go inside to finish off 4 eggs, 6 pieces of toast, jelly, home fries, 2 big glasses of tomato juice, and a Snickers ice cream bar. Funny place this Trading Post: flea market, convenience store, restaurant, all squeezed into one.I walk down to the Post Office, about a half mile down the road. The clerk there is very sociable. He tells me that the critter this morning could have been a mink, otter, possum, or racoon. He works in the Post Office part time, likes it that way, and is concerned he might have to step up and do the postmasters job when he steps down. What he most likes doing is making furniture: corner cupboards, tables, an occaisional desk. (There is another fellow advertising that he does woodworking here next to the Post Office.) He says most people he knows work more than one job. The location of Troutdale is excellent for launching an outdoor adventure. I think this is Grayson County. There are bicycle, and horse trails too here in the NRA.I pick up my maildrop from the Post Office, leave some over-supply in a hiker box, and find to my surprise that there is an extra package from Abbey at work. Thanks Abbey, I will enjoy tasting someone else's food selection. The Alive shakes look especially healthy and inviting.I hitchhike back to the trail, and am picked up by a gentleman who tells me he saw me hitching this morning, but was in a hurry. Back on the trail I meet some northbounders: Trouble and I talk about alternatives to Damascas for a trail exit; Cherokee (with dog Jasmine) and I talk resupply while the dog eyes me suspiciously (turns out she doesn't like hats). I stop in at Hurricane Shelter on Cherokee's advice, to see this new shelter. California and Turtle showed up to while I was having lunch on Abbey. The shelter is a good design: one open side, with the picnic table under an extended roof. Sleeping arrangements are simply on the floor. It is made of dove-tailed 6" pine lumber. Could use pegs, or shelves. The composting privy is not being used properly. The pit has been filled with leaves to the point no more will go in. There are adequate instructions posted how to use it.I meet Moses on the trail. She is hoping her sister follows the white blazes and doesn't get side tracked by the yellow blazed horse trails. I never see sister. I hope she catches up to Moses without too much difficulty. I meet Tackle on the trail. He would like me to send his wife the picture I took of him when I get back. Maybe to validate that he has lost the 40 pounds he says he has. Maybe he just misses her. He, like me, is doing a long section, and already thinking about next year.There are a lot of horses out here. I see and hear a lot of them down the hill on the other side of Fox Creek I am walking above.I cross Fox Creek, route 603, and approach Orchard Shelter. But, I find a camp site I like first. It takes a while to decide just the right spot. Level, with no dead limbs overhead or dead trees nearby to crash in the night. The sky rumbles as I finish this journalling, and settle in for sleep.