Wise Shelter

6-15-12
AT miles hiked today: 9
Total AT miles hiked: 500.1!!!

I have hiked 500 miles! Woo Hoo!
We just got the best trail magic from Greg and Robin at Massey Gap. We met them on the trail in Grayson Highlands and mentioned going to the camp store two miles down the road. They offered us a ride if we were there when they were. We got lost down the horse trail on our way back to the parking area and nobody was at their cars. Do we walk the 1.5 miles or go back the .5 miles we walked to get down here? What about the soda, ice cream and showers?

Then Greg and Robin drove up and showed us maps and offered us a ride to the camp store where I bought orange juice, a cold pepsi, cookies, a chaco taco and a shower for tomorrow. They told us about the bluegrass festival and we checked for campsites but they were all full, so they brought us back to the parking area and we hiked to the Wise shelter on the AT. From here there is supposed to be a bike trail back to the camp store. It is 1.2 miles off the trail, but this is a once a year event with great performers and there will be barbecue. Yes, it's going to be a zero day. It's going to be amazing. Plus I can wash my clothes in the shower and get a little less stinky. I will pay to do my laundry, if given the chance.

We will eat and listen to music and do some chores and then hike back out. We will have to find rides again, but it should be okay with so many people going to the festival. I'm exited! Ice cream. Fresh-squeezed lemonade. Barbecue chicken. Yum.

Also, we saw a herd of ponies with babies and one pony licked me while trying to chew on my camera case, backpack straps and the mouthpiece to my water bladder. I took a lot of pictures today and hope I got some good ones.

Eagle Eye got new insoles for her shoes in Damascus and they changed the way she walked and gave her a bad muscle pain. We slowed way down, but after she put back her old insoles it didn't take long before her leg felt better. It's a good reminder. Even little changes on the AT can have big consequences.