Leaving Shenandoah

June 26,

Start:  933.1 Panorama rest area
End:   958.2. Tom Floyd Wayside
Total:   25.1

Last night was a great night, I slept soundly under the stars while cool breezes blew.  The old stone stairwell definitely was a good choice.  I have a bagel with strawberry cream cheese, then fill my water from the faucets that have the signs warning of E. colli.  A sobo hiker rolls in, and I start chatting with him.  I am thirsty and start to drink the tainted water.  Oops.

The morning is nice with a light pack, and I soon pass a shelter and see two more sobo's who tell me of a Chinese buffet in Front Royal.  Guino becomes so happy at this news, for Chinese buffet is a Penguin favorite food.  They also say I need to stop at Elkwallow wayside, a gas station near the trail and eat.  I decide to pass on the food by the trail, I have food in my pack to eat. 

My legs.start screaming for a break as noon approaches, and I take a minute near the short side trail to the wayside to make up my mind.  I look down and see a Elaphe obsoleta, a black rat snake.  Allegedly a nonvenomous snake.  I smell food and decide to head head over.

The wayside has a grill and gift store, the food is pricey, so I get hot dogs and buns from the grocery side of the store.  I eat eight hot dogs and buns, a 2250 calorie lunch.  After a break I head back to the trail, three hours lost from my hiking day. 

I hustle on in cool weather under cloudy skys.  I know that I won't make the road to town tonight, but am content with camping out.  After eight rain starts, only lightly though, so I get to bust out my umbrella.  The Go-light umbrella may possibly be my favorite gear item.  I decide to night hike on, and reach to Tom Floyd wayside shelter at ten PM.  Red Stripe is the only shelter occupant, and is sleeping in a hammock hung from the roof beams.  There is plenty of room for me beneath though.  The rain pours all night, and I sleep dry as the rain beats on the metal roof.