My 2nd Aunt Mary.

Day 57 - 6/12/10
Got up late, didn't leave until 8:30. One reason was because I hung
around the breakfast table talking. I usually try to get moving
quickly, but this morning I didn't, so I was able to enjoy some
conversation with everyone else.

The terrain today wasn't too hard, mostly downhill, so that was nice.
I stopped into the first shelter out of the Shenandoahs, Tom Floyd
Wayside, around 1:15 for lunch. I needed water so I followed the sign
and ended up going over a 1/4 mile down this steep hill to get it, and
it wasn't even a good source. That annoyed me, I wish I had known. I
stayed there for over an hour, sitting and relaxing, and finally
started my book. I didn't get to last night because when I checked how
long the first chapter was (27 pages) I knew I would end up falling
asleep before I finished it. But taking an extended lunch break to do
some reading felt great.

I left at 2:30 and hiked for over an hour, watching the skies slowly
get darker above me. I made it to US 522, the road you use to hitch
into Front Royal, and just as I was about to cross it to make my way
to the trail on the other side, a lady comes running over with a
sandwich on a plate. It wasn't for me, but she was a trail angel and
she had a bunch of food in her car for hikers, including lunch meats
and all the fixings. There was also a French girl with her who
apparently is here for a summer internship and is staying with Aunt
Mary (this is the lady's trail name). It was perfect timing on my part
because the rain just started to hit when I got there, so I was able
to sit in her car, stay dry, and wait it out.

I wasn't very hungry though, I had only just eaten less then 2 hours
ago, but I felt bad because she had been there for a while, several
hours at least, and I was the first hiker to go by. I ended up eating
and drinking a lot so her efforts wouldn't feel wasted. I had two
strawberries, chocolate milk, a banana, an orange, a slice of pumpkin
pie, a yogurt, and a regular milk. Not bad for someone who wasn't
hungry. I felt so full afterward that my stomach hurt, much the same
as it did when I had my cereal incident back in Hot Springs. Any more
and I defintely would have thrown up. A few others who were behind me
showed up, they ate some food, and she ended up taking both of them
into town. I said goodbye and thank you! then continued on for 5 more
miles, experiencing discomfort the whole way. I got to the shelter,
Jim and Molly Denton shelter, and to my dismay the guy who had snored
like a chainsaw way back when I stayed at the shelter just before
Franklin, NC was here. This really bothered me because there is no way
in hell, excuse my language, that he could be ahead of me.

This brings me to something that I feel like ranting about. I have no
problem with people who decide to blue blaze (take side trails to cut
out some miles aka shortcut), or even someone who does the occasional
yellow blaze (car ride to cut out some miles). But when you do it to
the point where you are skipping some serious mileage, I take offense
to that. It's insulting to the thru hiker community. The saying goes
"hike your own hike", not "hitch your own hike", therefore you have to
hike to be legit. And the thing that bothers me the most is that this
guy is cocky as hell, and honestly believes that he's hiking the AT.
If I were him I wouldn't be able to live with myself. He's cheating,
but acting as if he isn't.

Anyway, I don't want to waste my breath (or anyone else's time) on
this guy. At least I know that I'm doing my best, and being honest
about it. So I set up my tent, then made dinner. Rice again with bacon
bits in a wrap. While it was cooking I looked through the register and
saw that one of Evelyn and Jim's friends had left me a message, and a
book to take with me on the trail! That was very cool, especially for
not ever having met the guy. So that was a nice bonus.

Now I'm getting ready for bed, but before I hit the hay I'll be
wrapping up the first chapter of The Hobbit. Now that I have two books
I really need to get reading! Another good day with some great trail
magic and nice people. Tomorrow another18+ miles. Goodnight!

Total miles: 965.4