Date: 2016-04-02
From: Laurel Creek - VA 615 - Mile 583

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning's wake-up wasn't pretty. Despite our showers and doing some laundry, the room reeked with 5 of us in the motel room. Bubba shuttled us back to Laurel Creek. Blues Brother apparently had the best night's sleep and he took off up the trail followed by Rambo. Big Critter was next, leaving Fresh Ground and me. Fresh Ground and I hiked together all day at a reasonable pace. Today's destination didn't require pushing ourselves so we didn't. I am lucky to be hiking with this group. Fresh Ground wants to enjoy each day of his hike and is a very positive hiker. It was fun to again hear the "last climb of the day" phrase as we repeatedly came around a corner to confront yet another climb.We decided to stop to make a phone call or two. Mine was to my son, David, whose birthday is today. It was good to speak with him. He has a big week academically this week and sounds like he is prepared. Beth's Mom, Mimi, often says that David has a "zest for life" and I think she is correct. Beth and I are fortunate to have two wonderful children. I get a lift every time I speak with either of them and today was no exception. Happy Birthday David!Fresh Ground noticed a hitch in my step. It's my left knee. I think today's reasonable pace let it loosen up so that it went away after a couple hours but it is something I'll have to be more conscious of to make sure that I am not changing my stride and potentially creating a problem with an offsetting body part. Fresh Ground freely shares his life story and this sharing enables me to create a stronger bond with him. Our conversation effortlessly continued until we came to Big Critter's place for a break. A nice couple out for 2 days approached and Fresh Ground immediately offered them pieces of candy - an unusual practice out here given that every ounce of weight takes its toll. It is an example of how Fresh Ground brings smiles out. The smiles continue as we find ourselves pitted against each other in this year's Final Four. Fresh Ground from North Carolina raves about his team while I root for David's Villanova. There's a Duke grad within this couple and Big Critter is a big Duke fan. Please. I'm from Connecticut and we'll never get over Christian Laettner. A bet is made as to who buys dinner next week at Homeplace Restaurant, one of the AT's favorite all-you-can-eat dinner spots that I view as a prized AT destination. This new basketball topic propels us forward. Today's trail has its ups and downs but the terrain is primarily dirt-based and enables us to follow each other pretty closely so that the three of us can weave in and out of conversation. To our left are views of increasingly lush green valleys with homes and farms sprinkled in between.Water sources were hard to come by today and Fresh Ground finds another opportunity to get a piece of me when he asks if either of us has any extra water. I continue to carry more water than most hikers and he gets some of mine while bringing out another round of laughter. Jenny Knob Shelter approaches and the stories start to be exchanged between us and Blues Brother and Rambo, who walked together today. Subman sent me a nice message today and I'm smiling now thinking how lucky I am to have hiked and be hiking with such great people. Earlier in the day, "Rusty" Potts sent a nice message too and it was good to hear of his plans to return to the AT and a potential opportunity to see him again. Then there's the other message too. Messages from long-time friends and family and good wishes from my extended AT family created via trailjournals. Blues Brother said it best tonight - when you're out here this long, you have to really like to hike outdoors because each and every day you better be ready to hike over whatever terrain comes your way for some long hours. Blues said it right. Word came that Sooner Or Later plans to resume hiking on Monday after overcoming a cellulitis infection. Sooner's return is good news, but his challenge reminded all of us how lucky we are to be healthy and hiking.