May 11 part 2

So, I spent quite a time this afternoon updating this blog, then it only saved part of the blog.  So here I am again trying to update.  Again.  After I hiked out of Daleville, VA, the trail follows along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This is kind of interesting because the trail keeps crossing the Parkway.  The second day out of Daleville, I had planned on a 24 mile day.  By late morning it started raining.  I don't mind the rain, it is better than hot humid weather, and generally I can hike more comfortably because I am not overheating.  At mid day I came to a road crossing just before a 2,000 foot climb and I met a nice couple who had lawn chairs set up, their SUV tailgate open with all kinds of trail magic including juice, ice tea, water, homemade bread, zucchini bread, brownies, butter, apple butter, and YUMMY hard boiled eggs (protein is a commodity).  They were very nice and I sat and talked with them for a while and was getting too comfortable, but needed to start climbing.  ( I lost the paper with their names, and hope that if they read this they will comment and leave me their names).  This gave me the added energy for the afternoon climb.  By 3:45 I came to the Cornelius Knob Shelter just five miles short of the shelter I was planning to hike to for the day.  The heavy down pour was due soon, and after reading trail logs from the last shelter and this shelter it looked like the next shelter would be full and I would have to tent in the rain.  I do not like tenting in the rain and prefer staying in the shelters when there is foul weather.  So I decided to stay put and make up the miles the following day.  I got my water, set up my bedding, changed into dry clothes, cooked and ate dinner, and cleaned my dishes.  It was now 5:15 and this clean couple in their late 50's come around from behind the shelter (there is a parking lot on the Parkway about a 100 yards behind the shelter...who knew), obviously not hikers, and carrying tote bags.  They were Zora and Cornelius, the shelter caretakers, who on the day of their 30th anniversary decided to come out in the pouring rain and celebrate with thruhikers by bringing trail magic.  They brought a complete dinner with roasted chicken, fried chicken, potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw, and cookies - and their was a lot of food.  Unfortunately for the other hikers, no one else hiked in to this shelter, so the three of us sat for an hour and a half and feasted.  I couldn't believe it.  The next day I continued on to the summit of the mountain and hiked down into the valley along the James River.  By 3:00 I stopped for a mid afternoon snack at a shelter and met up with two other hikers I had been leap frogging with.  I needed two days of re-supply to get to Waynsboro where I planned to take a zero day and make a big re-supply.  So one of the other hikers and I decided we would hike on 2 more miles and hitch hike the 5.5 miles(in the now pouring rain) to the town of Glasgow to get groceries.  We crossws the James river (on this very long foot bridge) and come to a bulletin board in the parking lot that has a handwritten poster stating "AT thruhikers, free ride to town at 5:00 with ride back to trail head, free BBQ, showers, shelter, and re-supply"; It was 4:00 so we waited for this trail magic along with 2 other hikers.  At 5:00 our ride shows up and we all pile into this SUV driven by Jim a retired peanut farmer who brings us into town where another 9-10 hikers are waiting.  They had a BBQ pit on a trailer, served hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, beans, oranges, sweets, coke, strawberry shortcake, and lots of it.  This was provided by two retired couples "Jim and Dawn", and "Tony and Betty".  Now the story is that this is the second time they have done this. Last week was the first time they did this, after Tony and Betty picked up a thruhiker hitch hiking into town who talked about and explained trail magic.  I have to say the best part of this whole trip so far has been meeting the gracious people who go way out of their way to provide a little comfort.  It is simply amazing and has restored my faith in the goodness of people.  I can't tell you how much it means when you walk out of the woods and your tired and you have a big hill to climb and you need sugar (hiker's heroine) to make the next hour or two of climbing and someone walks up to you and asks you if you are hungry and thirsty and sits you down and gives you a drink and a cookie.  These are the most thoughtful people one could ever come across.  The next day, Thursday, May 10, I am now fueled by two days of protein from all the trail magic and have all kinds of energy.  They weather is clear, sunny, no humidity, no rain, and a cool breeze all day.  I had two 2,000 foot climbs, one at the beginning of the day, and one to finish the day as part of another marathon hiking day which was a 26.4 mile hike.  I had views of the James River, Valleys both east and west as far as the eye can see.  This was the most enjoyable hiking day of the 53 days that I have been on the trail.  At the end of the day I was on top of a mountain overlooking Cold Mountain (for those of you who have read the book by that name), sleeping in my tent under a clear sky filled with stars in a huge field (acres and acres). When I approached the camping area there were two other thruhikers here "sprite" and "snag", "sprite " was swinging on a swing hung from a tree.  I got up at 5:00 and finally rolled out of my sleeping bag (which stinks- my cloths stink, I stink, all hikers stink -- especially after a couple of days of rain) and packed everything up ate my breakfast of Wasa bread and Cream Cheese and hike a short day called NERO (nearly zero miles) of ten miles.  I hike to a parking lot from which I and 7 other hikers were picked up from and brought to the Dutch Haus Hostel at Miles 817 (only 200 more miles to Harper's Ferry the home of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the unofficial and psychological half way point - mile 1092 is the actual half way point.  also only 50% of the thruhikers make it to Harper's Ferry, and only 50% of those hikers make it to Mr. Kathadin.)  I plan on pulling into the Dutch Haus Hostel for one night to get a much needed shower and laundry plus more hot home cooked food.  I meet some other thruhikers, one of them "daypack" who is making his third thruhike in 6 years, and another "Dutchman" just came in from slack packing.  The owners of the hostel brought them 20 miles up the trail and they hiked the 20 miles back to the hostel with just a small back pack with some water and lunch.  Only a couple pounds in the pack vs. a full pack.  After reviewing the next 9 to 10 days it will take me to get to Harper's Ferry from here, I decided that I will stay on here another day and do the same.  This will allow me to skip a zero day in Waynsboro and get to Harper's Ferry in 8-9 days from now.  Early on I had hoped to be in Harper's Ferry by June 1st.  I should be there by May 20th +/-.  With that I am still trying to get pictures posted.  I have moved some from my camera to PICASA and am trying to figure out how to link Picasa to the Blog.  It is a slow and time consuming process, and usually I am restricted on time and access to a computer.  They will be coming sooner or later.  Besides that, all is well, I am healthy (lost 30 pounds and went from a snug 38 inch pant size to a loose fitting 34 inch pant size. Much more to come after Harper's Ferry and Memorial Day weekend.