Date: 2008-03-20
From: Pearisburg

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

This is my second recuperation day for my chest injury. I'd like to discuss some of my good/not so good practices thus far on this hike. But first, a few things more about Pearisburg that I have learned - and you might want to know. The library has only three internet computers - and the terminals are usually being used. You may even have to make a "reservation" and come back. Time limit is one hour and they do enforce it. On the other hand they will allow you to upload pictures (at least they did for me).There is also another location where you can get internet access - the Courthouse Cafe. This is right off the intersection of Wenonah (spelling?) and Main Street. They have two terminals but no one seemed to be using them. You probably ought to be nice and buy a cup of coffee if you are going to use them.There are (as far as I know) three motels in town. Two in the downtown area (I'm blanking out on their names but they are next to each other) and the Rendevous - which is very close to the trail, but a bit of a walk to everything else.Only my opinion, but the motels are old, not well cared for, and a bit sub-par for the $40-odd dollars you will pay per night. In comparison, I thought the $40 Hiawassee Inn back in Georgia was a lot nicer. But the town has about everything else except for an outfitter (you might find something you need at the Walmart). The Chinese lunch AYCE buffet ($4.95) I can say was pretty good. Same for the Mexican restaurant near Walmart.Okay - now for some practices/habits that I developed thus far during this thru-hike. If this seems redundant, please ignore.1. When arriving at a spot where I plan on tenting for the night the very first thing I do is collect my water. I don't care if I'm cold or wet or it is getting dark. Water is important (and I need to let the bleach purify the water for 30 minutes anyway).2. The next thing I do at a tenting spot depends upon the weather. If it is raining and/or my clothes are not too wet from perspiration and/or I'm not too cold - I get my tent pitched. Then I throw in my sleeping bag to let it regain its loft. And throw inside the tent anything that might get lost in the approaching night.3. On the other hand, if I am cold or wet, I immediately strip out of those clothes and put on my fleece layer; Puffball jacket; and rain suit (to help keep warmth in and winds out).4. In the winter it worked very well to use a closed cell sleeping pad on the tent floor and a Thermarest inflatable on top of the pad. My Thermarest is 3/4 length and that worked fine. It is now warmer and the Thermarest will probably be shipped home soon.5. Even though the Osprey Aether is a large pack, it will fit inside the tent's vestibule. You just have to stake the vestibule out tightly. Speaking of which - unless it is pouring rain when you pitch your tent, stake out the four corners. The wind can create havoc even if you are inside. And if you get out for a bathroom break during the night - it can indeed fly away.6. I started off carrying four one-liter cheap plastic bottles for water. But their small openings made them a pain to fill up at the water source each evening. So I switched to a 4-liter Platypus camp bottle (with the black, web carrying straps). But that was probably a mistake because I could at least carrying the 4 water bottles in my pack's side pockets. That doesn't work for the Platypus - and I wind up having to hand carry it while hunting out a tenting spot.7. I used a cheap, battery alarm clock to get me up in the morning at first. Now I'm conditioned to getting up and don't need it anymore.8. Trail Boss and others just can't understand why it takes me an hour and a half to get up in the morning, eat breakfast, pack, and get on the trail. Maybe I'm doing something really wrong. But I just don't want to rush and risk breaking something or leaving something behind. I guess I'm anal in that sense.9. Every day, every mile, I carry Wingfoot's (the new guy's) guide book attached to my shouldar strap. I continously match where I am with where I should be. Gives me a great way to monitor my daily progress, etc.10. I have this habit of constantly looking down when I hike. This is good because it helps prevent my tripping over roots or rocks (even though it seems I still manage to trip a lot anyway). But the penalty of looking down so much is that I can sometimes miss double-blazes that indicate an approaching turn. Thus, I can continue straight (once for 45 minutes) before realizing the error of my ways.11. It really helps with managing your pack weight to adjust your hip and shouldar and sternum straps throughout the day. Shifting that weight can make a painful back a lot better. Try this - bend over and jump a bit so your pack's hip strap rides up on your waist. Then strap the waist tight down tight. Stand back straight and loosen your shouldar straps just enough to put your thumb between the strap and your shouldar. Then pull the sternum strap snug. This results in most of the pack's weight resting on the hips and the sternum strap keeping the pack from swaying.12. When I first started this thru-hike I was terrible about not wanting to take my pack off for periodic breaks during the day. Instead, I'd just find a fallen tree or rock to sit on (without removing the pack). But this isn't that good for relaxing your back and other muscles. And I think it is actually counter-productive to how far you can hike in a given day. So I began to put my water bottle in a pack pocket where I could not reach it without taking my pack off. That solved the problem.I guess that's all for now. There are some more things and I'll add them to some more journal entries while Trail Boss and myself are on our break over the next few days.I should be back on the trail, hiking, on Monday. It's gratifying to see/hear that other thru-hikers have caught up and passed me. I look forward to chatting with them down the road.Safe hiking everyone!