Start: Manassas Gap Shelter (AT mi 982.8). Stop: Front Royal, Virginia (AT mi 972.1). Today’s miles: 10.7 miles Total AT mileage: 1221 miles
I had my watch alarm set for 6:30 and 7am.. I turned off the 6:30 one, but ended up getting up around 6:45.. as I was packing inside the tent, sprinkles were starting to pelt on the outside of it. Crap. No one wants to pack a wet tent! So I hurried as quickly as I could to get everything inside into the pack and then took down the tent and packed it too. I propped my umbrella over the pack while I went to get my food bag.
By the time I got back, the rain had stopped. I ate sitting on a log and then put my food bag in my pack, put on the rain cover, and officially got my day started. It was just after 7:30. Still 45 minutes to get up/pack/eat.
The rain came and went all day. Light sprinkles to full downpours. Luckily, the trail was a breeze. I had some uphills that were longer than most in the Rollercoaster, but honestly the grade was nice, the ground was soft, and I had not one single complaint.. even in the rain. I saw several deer and a rabbit. It feels like the wildlife is much more willing to be caught by the eye down here in Virginia.. the animals in Maine were elusive.
On the last stretch of downhill to a parking lot, there were several downed trees to maneuver through/over.. and otherwise it truly was uneventful. With 2 miles to go, I called a shuttle guy from my app, and he said he’d be there waiting for me at the parking lot. To my great joy, he AND his dog were waiting for me. I got to pet and cuddle a brindle colored pitty my whole 15 minute ride to the Hampton Inn in Front Royal, Virginia.
My hotel was chosen because of 2 things: it’s proximity to Walmart, and ability to cut half the room cost by paying with some points from my credit card. I’m officially fresh out of points, now, but they have helped me out tremendously on this trip. So, when I walked into the hotel at 12:20pm, the nice lady let me know that my room wasn’t ready. Cool. I asked if she could store my bag for me while I walked to Walmart, and she agreed. I felt real bad watching her pick the stinky thing up and tote it behind the counter, but she wouldn’t let me back there to put it away for her.
Another worker heard me talking with her and offered to drop me off at Walmart so I wouldn’t have to walk there in the rain. He was headed in that direction anyway! How lucky! So, we walked out together and I got in to his very nice Jeep Grand Cherokee and wondered if he regretted his offer. I was wet, a little muddy, and smelled like-well, hiker trash. He didn’t make any faces though, so, that was kind.
He dropped me off and I got started on my resupply. I replaced my knock off crocs, sad they didn’t have the same colorful ones. I got my food for the next few days (I plan to have 3 days of food, but to stop at the “waysides” or little stores in Shenandoah National Park to eat meals as I pass them-so maybe I won’t have get off trail to resupply for a bit longer this go around..), some hair ties since every last one of mine have broken, some peroxide to clean out my ears, and some muscle relief packets of epsom salt for a bath later.
Once checked out, I walked across the parking lot to a Mexican restaurant. I know now that it must look odd to walk into a restaurant to sit down to eat with 4 bags of groceries and whatnot. I know, because I got stares from just about every table. I was also still wet and muddy-but I wasn’t going to wait to get cleaned up and come back out into the rain. Priorities people.
I sat in a booth in the back and absolutely devoured my food. It was so full of flavor that I was shocked at how good it was. I had a margarita, chips and salsa and queso with jalapeños, and Texas fajitas. DE-LI-CIOUS. It was so good I had to stop my self from trying to eat absolutely all of it, because I’d be too stuffed to carry all my crap back to the hotel.. a mile away in the rain.. ha
It was on my way back that I thought about the weird little things that I’m suddenly grateful for. Like the fact that Virginia doesn’t have the no plastic bags rule. Toting 4 paper bags back would have been dreadful. And, I didn’t have to pay for said un-environmentally friendly plastic bags. I get why they’re bad and that I should use a reusable bag-but folks-I’m hiking here, not pulling up in my car with my reusable bags at my disposal.
Anywho-by the time I got back, my room was ready. It’s so comfortable! A king bed, a nice tub.. what every hiker dreams about. I showered, took a bath, rinsed off with cold water since the bath had me sweating (god baths are so strange.. but my legs do feel better, less sore), and then after laying around for about 30 minutes flipping through channels, I put on my rain pants and jacket and headed downstairs to do laundry. So exciting.
Now, I’m back in that bed, watching tv and relaxing. I’ll get up and pack my things to make the morning go smoother in a bit, but for now.. I’m just enjoying the pure bliss of doing nothing. Nothing is required of me, nothing has to be done or has a deadline-and y’all, it’s delightful. I even think I’ll sleep in and enjoy the breakfast they serve in the morning before heading out to the trail. Life is good. Sweet dreams, y’all