|
|
Hiking
the Appalachian Trail
|
|
|
Third
Report |
When I was going in to Sugar Grove, I came from Raccoon Shelter to Partnership shelter, it was like 13.1 miles. I was sitting in a shelter the other night, I think it was Friday, and a guy named Grave Hound (?) Grabbed me and was like, "Perry you need to make the Post Office tomorrow before noon. And I was like, "Well I don't really have a choice because I don't want to get stuck at Sugar Grove until Monday." There was a lady there with a group of kids from NC State, I think it was a church league or something. Anyway, she looked at me and she goes, "Are you going to do 13.1 miles before noon? And I was like, "Yeah, I'm going to do my best." She said, Well, it took us a day to do ten miles," and it kinda made me feel pretty good, and I thought that was kinda funny.
I woke up at 5:30 and got hiking at 6:30 till 10:30 and didn't have any food with me, just a liter of water, so I pretty much just ran the whole way, or jogged I guess. When I got to Partnership Shelter, I ran into a nice couple, Andrew and Laura Sam. He was a through hiker about ten years ago and she was a section hiker. They had some cookies, homemade cookies and they gave me a couple of cookies and they were talking to this guy named Creed. And I was like, "I hate to eat and run, but I got to get to the Post Office before noon." And they were like, "We'll take you." And I was like, "Excellent!" So they took me to the post office and I got there at quarter till eleven and the post office closed at 10:30. And I was like, "Oh my goodness." So I went in there and knocked on the door and this little old lady came to the door, and I said, "Can I please have my package?" She said, "Sure, no problem." So I got my package and I just wanted to tell you that story because Sam and Andrew, these trail angels, really helped me out, they ran me to the diner, and came back when I was done eating. Then they ran me to the trail. Well they asked me, and I didn't think anything about it, "Where is your next mail drop?" And I was like Petersburg, VA. Well, when I got here Thursday, a couple day ago, they sent me like a pound of cookies! So I thought that was pretty nice and I wanted to give them thanks, and I told them about the website.
One of the funniest things that happened to me...I was going into Bland County. I was coming out of the woods. It was raining and the stream was really high. There are a lot of cutbacks in VA so I had crossed the same stream several times. It was hilarious, I came out of the woods and there was this little barn with a little smoke coming out of the chimney. I came around and saw "Bland County Transit" and I thought WOW, maybe I can get a shuttle ride to Bastian, where my post office box is. When this old guy came to the door and I asked if I could get a ride to Bastian Post Office. He informed me that he was only going to Bland. I told him that was OK that I would go ahead and hitchhike. Of course it was raining. Before I could say another word, he invited me in for a cup of coffee. Before I knew it I had a home cooked meal sitting in front of me. It was the Bland County Senior Citizen meeting. They only meet on Tuesdays and Fridays of all things. It was a miracle that I got there on a Tuesday. I will send it on when I get the photos developed.
I hiked on to Atkins, and I stopped at this little truck stop, got myself a shower, and there was a Dairy Queen there and Easter was the next day. And I traveled on the Petersburg. Nothing really exciting has happened since then, just the fact that I wanted to give recognition to Andrew and Laura Sam.
I should be in Winchester around May 15, 2000 and I will call then. I plan to be in Shepherdstown on Friday May 19 for the Shepherd College graduation. Talk to you later, bye.
If you would like to sponsor Perry's quest to hike the Appalachian Trail, please click here