Date: 2004-05-23
From: Pearisburg

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

The night at Woodshole was surprisingly restful. I was surprised because I was sleeping in a room that contained seven people. Hans slept downstairs on the porch. I heard rain on the tin roof, one person go downstairs to use the privy, and some soft snoring, but those were only punctuations in a peaceful night of mostly sleeping. I was grateful not to have to dry out my tent yet again.The breakfast was a model of gracious entertaining. Tillie did remind a few of her guests to put their cups on their saucers. The food was delicious¢scrambled eggs, a large sausage, grits and all the biscuits one could possibly need. There was gravy, but I must say that the Troutdale Trading Post gravy was more flavorful.Ms. Tillie asked the hikers to cut a few briars as their rent payment. Some of the guests became rather ambitious with the weeds and asked for a swing blade. I followed in behind them, and together, we made a tidy space beyond the split rail fence down to the brook. We made Woodshole look every bit as charming as the postcard photo.I put on my pack at 9:30 to head up Sugar Run Road to the trail and there was Bill, the man who runs Holy Family Hostel, at the end of the driveway waiting to give me a ride to the trail. He was giving Four Bears a ride and saw me coming off the porch. It was perfect timing, and a welcome relief to not have to walk a half mile uphill on the road before walking 2 miles uphill on the trail. I enjoyed seeing all the azaleas and rhododendron in bloom throughout the day. I started up the trail before Four Bears did. When he passed me, he asked if I had seen the pink lady¢s slipper. I had not. I missed it. I watched more carefully the rest of the day, but I didn¢t see another one. The profusion of azaleas made up for the lack of lady¢s slippers.I took a long break for lunch and changed socks. I took another long break after visiting a spring near Angels Rest. The views to the east and to the north from two separate locations were impressive enough for me to take a few photos. The trail down from Angels Rest was steep, but it wasn¢t as difficult as I had feared. I got to the paved road into town at 5:20.   Now or Never was already at the road and was trying to decide whether to walk the AT to the next road crossing. I convinced him to walk with me, even though I might have ruined his chances for hitching a ride by walking the less traveled road. I think it turned out just fine, because when we finally got a ride, it was from a person who wanted to give us a ride to the dinner party, and that ride was right on time. 9:25 PM Holy Family HostelI had a good night. I got up this morning and made pancakes out of various things in the kitchen¢a small amount of pancake mix, flour, baking powder, powdered eggs, olive oil, milk powder, Squeeze Parkay, and water. They were so good! I was amazed. I didn¢t have any recipe or measuring cups or spoons. It was almost a miracle. Raven bought pancake mix and syrup today at Wal- Mart, so pancakes in the morning won¢t be as much of a challenge.I rode into town this morning with Bill as he was taking hikers to the trail. I startled the layreader by walking into the unlocked church, which happened to have his keys hanging from the lock. He had just come in to turn on the air conditioning, but he directed me to the undercroft where there was a restroom and library, etc. I happily passed the time there. I also walked around the very quiet streets until time for the service. When I looked at the bulletin, I saw that the processional hymn was, "All hail the power of Jesus name." I had been singing that hymn on the way down from Angels Rest yesterday. It was one of those moments in which I felt that I was in the place I was truly meant to be. I was even more sure of it when I learned that the tiny congregation did not have a song leader that morning. I volunteered to sound the starting note on the piano so that we could do justice to the hymns chosen for the day. There were only two hymns. The closing hymn was, "Crown him with many crowns." After the service, I was thanked profusely for my contribution. They sang right along with me and even followed my tempo. I was very happy to be needed and appreciated in that way. I even got a ride with one of the worship leaders to Wal-Mart for my groceries and then to the hostel.The rest of the day was spent hanging around the hostel and eating¢more times and more food than I can remember. The blister on my heel seems almost completely healed. I am ready to hike tomorrow.I had called Marny from the church undercroft and arranged to meet her on June 1. We will be together for 2 and 1/2 days. She will then drive me to the airport at Greensboro, NC on June 3.