Date: 2015-04-28
From: Priest Shelter

To: Reids Gap, Devil's Backbone Brewpub
Miles today: 15.5

4/28, Reids Gap, 15.5Nights like last night and mornings like this one make me say, " what was I thinking?" As I have mentioned, the winter weight, and its accompanying warmth, were sent home from Daleville. Since then each night has gotten progressively colder culminating with a low below 32 degrees last night as evidenced by the frozen used coffee filter on the picnic table this morning. I would love to tell you I slept ok, but I didn't. I slept, but it was the cold sleep of winter camping. If you have read my earlier posts I think I describe sleeping an hour until shivering wakes me at which time I wriggle around to warm up, fall back asleep and repeat in an hour. That was how I slept last night. This morning I crawled out reluctantly because warming up required moving or even hiking, and I had a few things to take care of. One example is just as Lorax said he felt sorry for whoever had to use he stainless latrine seat first, my bowel decided it should be me. After that chilling experience packing seemed a bit warmer task. Breakfast was a quick mix of instant breakfast and a couple pop tarts, and I was packed by 7:45. Maverick slept out in his tent because it is actually warmer than the shelter so he was packed and ready soon after. We started hiking today at 8:30 in jackets and pants as the temperature had only warmed to 42 degrees on the mountain. We knew todays hike would be a challenge, starting with a long downhill, from 4000 to 1500 ft altitude, followed immediately by a long uphill climb, from 1200 back to 4000 ft. We finished both challenges by 3:30, and headed for our destination. We read in one of our hiking guides about a craft brew pub, 5 miles off trail, that allows free camping on site, and possibly cheap breakfast and a ride back to the trail. We were headed for Devils Backbone Brewery. Devils Backbone is a named ridge line in the near mountains. The location is 5 miles off trail, which is a little longer than most places so getting there requires purchasing a shuttle ride, or hitchhiking. We arrived at the Rieds Gap parking area at 5:15 and approached the two cars parked there. I could smell that one of them had been hot, and we found its driver trying to borrow the cell phone of another driver to get a tow. We exchanged pleasantries, "Hey, are you guys thru hikers?", "yes", "where are you headed?". It is a common exchange. I loaned my phone to the stranded driver, because his had ran out of power before he could let his wife know he was running late, and before he was done, Maverick had scored a hitch to the pub. We threw our gear in the pickup bed, and hopped into the backseat. Our trail angel today had been out counting hawks for the local birding club in their volunteer effort to track migration. She spoke highly of the Pub and gladly dropped us there. We went in, ordered a pint and inquired about the camping. By the end of he evening we had eaten a great meal, secured a free ride back to the trail, turned down an invitation to a private home to drink away the evening, and received instructions from the pub owner about how to get breakfast. We met Klaus here, and the three of us are the pub's first hikers of the season. By July they will have free showers to go with the free camping to entice more hikers to brave the 5 miles. It was a great evening visiting wi the pub patrons about hiking, and with Klaus about the trail. Tomorrow we hike 20 miles into Waynesboro. I have decided to take another zero because the foot problem I have been battling for over a week has not improved. I finally borrowed Mavericks mirror late this morning and looked at the trouble spot. I have been treating it as a cut, but it is actually a blister, under an old blister. The spot was rubbed nearly raw so I washed it in the stream and bandaged it, then adjusted the toe box area of my shoe to prevent the area from being rubbed. This seems to have helped, but I need to take a day off my feet to allow healing enough to resume the hike. Taking a zero in Waynesboro will work out because one of the guestbook contacts from Trail Journals will pick us up there to pick our brains for his 2018 thru hike. I spoke to him tonight and he is going to meet us at Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro and take us wherever we need to go. Then after a late dinner tomorrow, he thinks he may come back and join us for dinner on Thursday as well, for a longer conversation. It should make for a couple of fun evenings. Well we are settled into our tents on the wooded edge of a quiet field. The temperature is about 55 degrees and I am full, and ready to sleep. The experiences of the trail are increasingly interesting, and after tomorrow I begin the final section of Virginia, the Shenandoah National Park during which I will be joined by some more hikers from home. Until then...goodnight.Silverback