Date: 2009-06-12
From: Sugar Run Gap/Wood Hole

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

I awoke at 6:30 am, when the sunlight was starting to beam through the clouds, and I climbed up the bunkhouse and crawled into one of the empty bunks without disturbing anyone. When I re-awoke an hour later, I met Iceman (who I had actually met at Trail Days), Cattywompus, Jersey Girl, and a very talkative and somewhat annoying Two Pack. I heard some great things about the Woods Hole Hostel from Recom and I definitely wanted to spend the night there to check it out. Unfortunately, the owners were not present and Two Pack had been put in charge. So, not only did we not receive a warm breakfast, but we also did not receive the warm hospitality of the two owners. Maybe next time. I attempted to dry my clothing on some rocks outside the bunkhouse, but the air was so humid that none of the clothing seemed to dry. There is nothing better in the morning than putting on some really wet cold clothing. I was so tired that I ended up leaving at 12:30 pm. The weather had cleared up quite a bit and I was rewarded with a beautiful viewpoint just 6-7 miles into the trail. I was on the edge of the ridge and looked out into beautiful Virginia countryside. I figured that I would call my mom and dad to say hello and to let them know that all was going well, as I hadn¢t talked to them for a little while. A few more miles down the trail, I made it to the lookout point of Angels Rest, which overlooks mountains and the large town of Pearisburg. It was a very steep descent into town, but I managed quite well. I received a hitch in the back of a pick-up truck to take me into town, where I gorged on a sandwich and fries and began to ice my leg, as it had given me a few problems in the last couple of miles. I made another stop at Dairy Queen for some wonderful ice cream, at which time Jeremy had called me to let me know that he had just arrived. The plan was that he was bringing me my re-supply that I had purchased a few days prior and that he was going to take me around the mountain into West Virginia and 12 miles up the trail, which is what we had walked with them about a week back or so. When Jeremy dropped me off, it was getting dark and I had planned on camping just at the base of the mountain before hiking up. As I was setting up my tent, two farmers came on down in their pickup truck. We struck up a conversation and they offered me some soda pop, which I graciously accepted. The larger set man was Tommy Booth, a 6 ft. 5 in. large man, who was the owner of the farm adjacent to the Groundhog Trail. His nephew Adam was an equally tall man and both were incredibly hospitable. Tommy let me know that he had a barn just a half mile down the trail and I could sleep in it if I wanted to get out of the rain. I accepted, knowing that it might rain that evening, so I jumped into the back of their huge pick-up truck and headed down the road. We pulled into the barn, which smelled entirely of manure and hay. He holds the steer in the barn during the winter time and lets them graze in the summer. They laid down a wooden plank for me right on the hay floor and I began to unpack my belongings in the barn. There were a few outside dogs running around and Tommy had also warned me that one of them had just given birth to a litter and that I should expect to see little pups running around the barn at night. I shook their hands and thanked them for providing me some shelter for the evening and they also said that they would pick me up the next morning and treat me to breakfast in the local town diner. I was honored. I can¢t say enough how good-hearted they were. Life was simple and they were happy folks. They enjoyed tending the fields and their cattle and feeling a connection with the good earth. Sounds a bit strange, but I actually kind of enjoyed that country smell of fresh manure. It was good to be in the country in the comfort of some West Virginia folks. After getting myself organized and hanging some of my clothing up to dry, I sat back on the wooden plank, closed my eyes and fell asleep.