Date: 2010-05-25
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter

To: Glasgow
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: light rain

Slept deeply to the sound of a hard early morning rain storm. Typical! Nannerpuss came in really late. He was asleep on the edge of the shelter floor. He was bent around the pole hanging off the side below everyone's feet in the shelter. The Dog Pound thought they heard something walking around their campsite. We all joked and said it was a Nannerpuss. Nannerpuss is a young blond kid that Alkaline grew up with. The name, "Nannerpuss" was a character in a Denny's Commercial years ago. Apparently, it was a banana peel with eyes that danced around.Decided last night not to press on to Thunderhill shelter because we heard that the Old Farts were there. Don't want to deal with their drama anymore. I'm kind of glad this all happened because now I'm going to stay in my tent for the majority of the trail.Laughed because my guidebook states that there's a "moss-covered rocky area" ahead today. It's at mile 757.5 if you'd like to see it. Good luck finding it!Nice clean white shoes and white shorts on section hikers at Apple Orchard trail. They looked so bright and shiny compared to us. Made me jealous and wished that I was clean again.I was glad to see the Guillotine in the daylight instead of seeing it in the dark during a night hike. Wish I would have taken my picture with me on top of the rock instead of the typical, below the rock photo.There was an old lady section hiker at Thunderhill. It took us a while to realize that someone had left a whole bag of candy on the shelter floor. We went around in a circle asking each person there if it belonged to them. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. No genuine thru-hiker would ever leave such treasure behind. I'd forget my tent before I forgot that many goodies. Must have been a section hiker or a trail angel. Before the first dirty hand entered the bag we were already doing the math. 3 Cliff Bars and 4 Snickers. Michigan, in an act of reckless compassion and kindness, handed the bag of goodies to the old, fresh smelling, dry, fully fed lady section hiker. I gasped and held my breath as she shifted through the bag that I still had questions as to whether there was enough for everyone. My hunger made me anxious. Mean even. She laid out 3 Cliff Bars and slowly, ever so patiently chose her favorite. It crossed my mind. It did. Before I knew everyone was going to get one, I was going to take, or "suggest" that she defer to the Thru-hikers. I didn't want to get rough with the old lady. (wink, wink)The register warned us of a squatter ahead. He's suppose to have a very mean dog and he has been acting strange. He's been staying at Petites Gap. He's living there in a van. His dogs aren't friendly at all. The way they barked suggested that they are aggressive and I'm glad their in his van. We meet him and Michigan tries the guy out. He's quiet. Shy, but not crazy. He's mostly non-responsive to questions. We've seen crazier and we're disappointed a little.There's a trail maintainer doing work this morning and clearing plants off the overgrown trail. I'm worried about walking on the poison ivy that he's chopped up. The nettles are waist high! Reminding me of Overmountain in August. Break at Marble spring with Dog Pound (BooBoo, Cricket, Michigan), Backwards and Conan.Anxious for my resupply and wanting to make a phone call to Lish for our rendezvous. She's meeting me for memorial day weekend. I know I can't make Waynesboro by Friday. Trying to rush like that isn't fun. Don't know if she wants to hike or relax. I need a day off. I haven't showered or laundered my clothes since Pearisburg. I like this though. I feel snotty about dropping in and out of a town, it feels like I resisted the urge to be comfortable. I left ahead of the Dog Pound and ran to town. Passed Nannerpuss! Met up with Tree, Alkaline, Stretcher and 6 Toes (he's feeling horrible!) and Muddy Waters. Muddy lives in the area and is doing trail magic at Matts Creek Shelter! Pepsi, Apple, Smarty, Tootsie Roll, and Bubblegum! The best part about meeting Muddy was that he told us to jump off the James River footbridge! It's tradition he said! I jumped 3 times. The last one was the hardest. Thought about it for way to long. Trying to get a picture but Tree kept missing it. Thru-hikers were comparatively fearless to the teenage kids from town who were hanging out. We didn't even hesitate the first time. Dropped our packs, dropped our clothes, climbed the rail and jumped in one fluid motion. Felt so good letting go and soaring 45ft. Bad form on my dives though. Flopped in some way on everyone. Legs stinging. Arms stinging. Ass stings! Soul filled to the brim with adrenaline. What a rush! Better than skydiving! Jitter hands.Tree caught the first ride into town immediately! That's always a good sign that today is going to ROCK! We piled into the back of the Ford Ranger and went sailing down the crooked highway. Felt so good with the wind in my beard and the excitement in my heart. Glasgow has a Brontosaurus. The local red headed maniquin cave girl in a skimpy leopard skin loin cloth is riding the dinosaur! Rocket and Skip were actually asleep under its prehistoric shadow! Awesome hiker napping spot. The next few hours were spent feeding the hungry beast who lives in my bowels. Michigan, Cricket, BooBoo, Rocket, Skip, Alkaline, Nannerpuss, Stretcher, Brooklyn, Landfill, Tree, SuperMax, Stitches, 151, Cowgirl (with Kelly the Border Collie) here at the new shelter in town. Hot dogs, s'mores, and beer around the campfire. 151's mp3 player with speakers was a great hit! He told a story about getting his finger bit by a Cotton Mouth snake. 151 said, "It swelled 3X the size and turned black." I asked to see it, expecting to see a missing finger or nub. I turned my head lamp on and inspected it. Not a scratch. Tall tale! Michigan told a funny story about him and his friend catching an alligator, duct taping it's mouth and putting in his friends wifes shower stall. Before the night was over 151 was riding the dinosaur and feeling up the cave woman hair.