Good day.

Today got way better.  I hustled down the trail in beautiful weather, many miles today.  Actually a marathon.  There were many awesome views of farm nestled in the mountains, and of course of the long green tunnel, the Appalachian trail.

The trail crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway numerous times, in passes between the high points the Appalachian trail sought.  Climbing one such high point, a commanding view of the mountains surrounding me, was minuscule by a small ski resort with large hotels lining one side.  This 15 run 500 acre resort looked to be mostly blue runs with tight, but only moderately steep and wide sections of trees.in between. 

The road to town arrived just after seven PM.  I took my pack off flicked off a tick, then had a car stop before I was even ready to begin hitching. 

John said he saw me standing up there, I was near the span of a road bridge over a freeway, and figured I needed a ride somewhere.  He took the cloverleafs to get to me, and had no idea what the Appalachian trail was.  He was just a fellow hitch hiker.

John dropped me off at the Ming Garden Buffet, for inexpensive all you can eat Chinese and made before my eyes sushi.  The food was great, but they didn't like hikers much.  There was a sign on the door telling hikers of the free showers at the local YMCA.

I headed there after the Ming Garden, clutching my overfull belly.  The Y registered me to camp by a little pond on a field they owned nearby.  I headed over there, and saw two hikers stepping out of the trees, having just treated their chronic conditions with medical marijuana. 

The hikers told me of a Lutheran church a block away that was a free hostel, and sounded nice.  Reluctantly I left the mosquito pond and followed them to the church.  Upon walking in, a delighted shout of, "Guino!" welcomed me in.  Jaws had been here as night already and was waiting for So Far to catch up.

I took a shower and washed my clothes in a sink, completely clean, nice.  I wasn't about to be locked in like a dog at a pound at ten though, minutes away.  I needed to resupply and wasn't ready for lights out.   The mosquito pond run by the YMCA was only a block away though, so I left. 

I got a 106 mile resupply, three nights, taken care of, and will get better sleep then in a room with fifteen hikers.  Now it's time to sleep.

Goodnight Hiker Trash.