6-27-12 Woodstock, VA

Eagle Eye Donna and I got a ride from True Brit to Newport, VA this morning. He wouldn't accept any money, and he really went out of his way to help us out. I can't thank him enough for how much he helped us and his continued generosity to all of us hikers.

We arrived at the Mini Mart in Newport at the same time as Toe Knee Chestnut (Toni's new trail name) and Rockin Robin. We had our reunion there and set up in the shade behind the Post Office, which was next door. We got a watermelon and peaches and apples and cold drinks and then hung out all day waiting for Toe Knee's husband, Jim, to arrive. We knew we would be there till around 6pm so we stayed in the shade, but we all still got sunburned.

Jim arrived at 6pm and we piled in for a long drive. Along the way we went to a Shoney's and got food and the salad bar, and Jim hurried off to pay the whole bill. Thank you, Jim (and Toe Knee)!

We stopped in Woodstock, VA to get a hotel room and found that most of the rooms were taken by firefighters. There is a fire not far from here. This is all so weirdly intense. I feel like I'm in some strange reality, all disconnected from my trail life of the past two months. I can't wait to walk again.