Day 48 - Woodshole Hostel to Pearisburg

Happy to get up at 6:30 because town was near! After breakfast, Tillie took a picture of the whole gang (16 of us, I think).

Then the rains came again. It rained continuously and hard during the night. I was awake for a lot of it, so I know it’s true. Heard that the mountains got three inches. Anyway, it’s very hard to leave someplace dry to go someplace wet. But we made the move at about 8:30.

Beano gets his feet wet.

I slipped and fell on a wet rock and nearly had one of my crying episodes til Bean and Phil came walking over. That ended it quick. Overtired and wet and cranky, I guess.

I’ve been having this mental image of myself at work with my Platypus strapped to my chair, sipping water and Crystal Light out of the bite valve. Also, I wonder if I will continue to remove all packaging from my food when I get home from the grocery store. It’s become so automatic now. Chuck the cardboard, empty bags into Ziploc baggies, repeat. Because we do all this prep work, our trash after being out in the woods for three or four days can fit in one hand – not a trash bag or garbage can. Makes you think a little.

When we got to Pearisburg, Dave and I were standing outside the local Pizza Hut when Charlie waved us in. Stray Cat, Ebb, and Honkey were already there. It was a beautiful thing to behold the lunch buffet. And I was so wet and dirty and smelly I can’t believe I was in a public restaurant. I went to town - it was so good.

Then we checked into our motel room. Nothing fancy, but what can you expect for $36. It did the trick for me. Helped Dave shave his head, then he went out to do laundry and I had some quality time with those tweezers of mine. Took a shower and then sprawled out on the bed to watch Oprah. Heaven!

We all met at the Chinese restaurant across the street for the dinner buffet. It was a disappointment, but of course I ate my fill. Chilled out on the bed in front of the TV for a while. Had some trouble sleeping – I think the bed was too soft! Up at 9.