Date: 2009-05-10
From: Pearisburg

To: stealth site 0.5 mi before Symms Gap Meadow
Miles today: 11.4

I still got up at 7:30, even after not getting much sleep! The trail is changing me! I had to do my laundry, get breakfast at Hardy's (had to get another one of those breakfast biscuits that I got to taste from Papa Doc!), and get my mail drop and repack. Unfortunately, Brenda was not up to answer the bell and someone was already using the washing machine. I also had to get to the drugstore to buy a new bottle of contact lens solution. Skeeter, the housekeeper, was kind enough to drive me uptown, check on the opening time of the drugstore, and drop me off at Hardys. The breakfast biscuit was decent, but definitely much more tasty out on the trail! I had a cinnamon biscuit for dessert, along with a cup of coffee. Bahama Dave came in, and I chatted with him on the way out. He is section hiking to Harpers Ferry this year, and said he would check my journal to find out about the rest of the way, which he will hike in years to come. I went on to the drugstore, walked back to the hotel, and still the washing machine was in use. I finally retrieved my maildrop, and as I was walking back to my room, someone yelled out, "Where are you going?" "Ummm... to my room...,(or north...)"This guy was section hiking and wanted to know all of the details about the terrain I had just covered. He wanted me to come in and sit down and tell him all about it. Unfortunately, I had a lot of things to do before I was to check out at 11! Once again, I had too much food, and had to leave some behind. When everything was packed up, my pack was quite full and heavy, but I thought I could manage. I got back out on the trail well into the afternoon, after having done no writing, and started the next portion of the hike. I quickly came to a sign for Pearis cemetery and decided to check it out. I found many gravestones with my last name, which was kind of interesting. I continued on over roads, an underpass, and a bridge, and back again into the woods. I had a long steep climb to conquer and because my pack was so heavy, I had to keep stopping to take it off in order to relieve the pain on my shoulders. Because I had left so late, I didn't feel any pressure to get in a good number of miles, and so I took my time.   I arrived at beautiful Rice field in the early evening, took some pictures, and made my way over to the shelter, which had a style to cross in front of it! There, I found Chance (who was already sleeping in his bag) and Goggle. Stone Brown was retrieving water. I read through the registry and moved on. I knew there was a campsite a few miles ahead. My intention for this next stretch of my hike was to enjoy more of the upcoming scenery, as well as watch some nice sunsets and sunrises. However, I also had to get to Daleville in order to get a ride from Bound for the upcoming Trail Days. Rice field was a beautiful area with magnificent views and I was torn on whether I should stay to watch the sunset, or move on to get a couple more miles in, and possibly see a nice sunset there. There was no guarantee, though. I decided to stop and cook dinner there, and watch the early portion of the sunset. Then, I packed up and moved on toward the campsite. Unfortunately, it was well-embedded within the woods, with no view at all, and I didn't even see the sites! I did find the water source, and afterwards caught the sight of a tent. I decided I should keep going until I got out of the woods, and out into the open. As darkness set in, I found a possible site with a slight view. I decided to stop and set up my hammock, but then changed my mind. I saw in my guidebook that there was a meadow ahead, and thought that if I didn't get to see a brilliant sunset, maybe I could see a beautiful sunrise! I got my headlamp out, passed by some more deer, and continued on for three more miles into the dark. When the landscape changed at 9:40 pm, I decided to stop and find some trees to set up in. I didn't set up my tarp, thinking the night would be clear.   At 6:30 in the morning, I felt a drop on my head! It was starting to rain! I got up, tied up and staked my tarp, and went back to sleep. After not being able to sleep in town, I was tired. The rain did not seem to be letting up. I can not believe I am saying this, but I did not get up until 10:15 that morning! (Uh-oh... maybe I was reverting back to my old-life time frame of getting up...). It was more foggy than rainy (I was set up under dripping trees which had caused me to think it was worse than it really was), and as I packed up, the three guys who had spent the night at Rice Field Shelter, all came walking by, one by one! I slipped right in with them and continued on!