Date: 2013-06-06
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Dripping Rock,
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: light rain

Last night was the worst night of sleep that I've had since I started this journey. Several times during the night it sounded like a fighting cat screaming. I know there are some type of owls (I think) that sounds like a cat so I'm not sure what it was a cat, but I do know it was loud and sinister sounding. Several of the tenters got up and were using their headlights to look around. Melkie was edgy and growled and barked. I wasn't particularly concerned but all the noise and activity kept waking me up. The rain started while we were packing up and rained constantly all day. We passed cliffs and overlooks that were obviously beautiful views but were obliterated by the clouds and rain. The trial was rocky and each of us had near misses slipping on rocks. I was the only one who had a fall and I landed with all my body weight on my right knee. It's sore but no permanent damage. After only 6.5 miles we came out on the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) and decided we had had enough. We were all soaked to the bone and shivering. We discussed putting up our tents versus going into town and decided to go into town. There was almost no traffic on the BRP due to the bad weather so we weren't successful hitch hiking. Waynesboro has a trail angel network to give people rides but either people weren't home, were already shuttling, or didn't want to drive in this weather. I even tried calling paid shuttlers to no avail. Finally I decided to call the Dutch Haus to see if they could recommend someone. Earl answered the phone and said Lois was in Waynesboro and may be able to come and get us. The wind had picked up and by the time she arrived we were all shivering and miserable. In the pouring rain we rode about 15 miles into town in the back of her pickup truck and despite being numb from the wind and rain we were happy to be in town - THANK YOU Lois!!! Apparently I was shivering the hardest because I got the first shower. After showering we went to an all you can eat Chinese buffet that's very popular with hikers. Another hiker, Kokopelli, joined us at the end of our meal. Kokopelli (see pics) is 62 years old and is attempting his second thru hike. Last year he hiked the AT and with only 60 miles left he fell and broke his knee. He put his tent up on the trail and waited for help to arrive. With the help of rescue people and pain meds he walked out another 8 miles. He has a huge scar from the resulting surgery. This year he started all over. One of the reasons I wanted to come into town was to go to an outfitter to try different shoes in hopes that it would help my left foot. I was asking the front desk clerk at the hotel about how to get a ride there when she offered me her car keys as long as I promised to be back by 6:30 when she got off work. THANK YOU Sue!!! I purchased a pair of Merrell Moab's because they seemed to have the widest toe box of the shoes that this outfitter had in stock. Matthew's tent leaks like a sieve and the forecast for tomorrow is for heavy rain. None of the hikers we've talked to are planning to hike tomorrow so we'll use the time to pick up a new tent and fix Trouble's phone. Sue has offered to let me use her car from 2:00 until 6:00 tomorrow!Magic Scout came by our room and chatted. He is so funny but also likes to have serious conversations. Tonight it ranged from freedom of speech to gender equality to Plato's analogy of seeing life as flickering images on a cave wall rather than looking outside the cave at the real world. He want to name Matthew Quiet Puck but I don't think Matthew has bought in to that name yet. It's so nice to be dry and warm . . .