On the Trail Again

So, I posted how it went with the Awesome M.I.L on the trail, but I have not mentioned anything since then. I have acquired a new hiking friend and enjoy his company immensely.
On Sunday, 5 June 2005, Spice Rack and I left the Awesome M.I.L and her wonderful husband, Jim, around 11am to head out on a 24mile trek. Bad idea to start so late in the day. We had intentions of making it to Elk Wallow Gap Wayside in Shenandoah National Park before they closed at 5:30pm. That meant we would have to do about 18miles in 6 hours. We did not think it was possible but held onto the idea! It did not work! We got there around 6:30pm to find everything closed as well as the bathrooms. We entertained thoughts of staying there for the night and getting shakes in the morning, but decided after cooking ourselves dinner we would move on! About 9pm, we took off for our last 5.5miles of the day! Yup! In the dark we headed for the hills. It was crazy, but I felt secure as long as I had someone to hike with in the dark. Night hiking was really neat, but I've realized I need a brighter light. It was a little hard to see everything and not trip over rocks. As a matter of fact, I did trip and went all the way to the ground. Spice Rack helped me up and we moved on to great views of the night sky! The night was beautiful but tiring. We pulled into the shelter at true midnight versus hiker midnight (9pm). What a day!
The next day we planned a stop in Front Royal to pick up Spice Rack's P.O. drop. Since we did not get Mountain Blackberry shakes in the park, I decided I wanted a Wendy's Frosty in town and thus joined Spice Rack on his hitch into town. It was another scalding day and we hung out in the P.O. and any air conditioned location we could find. Then it was back to the trail where we stayed at the Jim & Molly Denton Shelter for the night. Nice cold shower there got the heart racing, but felt good to be slightly clean. Ran into Freeheel and Motorin again. It was nice to see friendly faces again.
In the morning, we were still at the shelter when in rolled Iron Foot. Now, some of you may remember I started with Iron Foot back when he was named Kyle. I helped name him Iron Foot. It was great to see him and for the past 2 days Spice Rack and I have been playing leap frog with he and his british companions, GG & Slip.
Currently, I am at Bears Den Hostel awaiting the arrival of my friend, Susan, from DC. She is going to stay the night here with Spice Rack and I. We did the 10miles here over the Dreaded Rollercoaster Section (which was more like a log flume than a true rollercoaster) before 1pm. We then headed down to have lunch at the Horseshoe Curve Restaurant with Iron Foot, GG, & Slip. Nothing like fried food and beer on a hot day. Spice Rack and I left our packs at the Bears Den and hiked down to the restaurant so we just had to hike back up a mile. Upon return it was a great shower with some after bath splash to make me feel like a lady again! No stinky girl here! That will change in the heat tomorrow as I descend upon Harpers Ferry. Will be there tomorrow night with the intention of taking a day off to check out the place!
Hope all is going well with my friends and family throughout the country. For those reading this, please make sure and either email, write, or call my husband to congratulate him on winning his first marathon over memorial day weekend. Also, commend him on a job well done this past weekend at yet another marathon! He won his age group and ran the marathon in 3:15hours+/-. Do go to the link and check out how he is doing with his races. He needs the support since I am not there to give it to him! I hope he knows how much I send out all my positive energy to him on each of his race days and worry about him all day! I look forward to town stops when I can check it out and see how he is doing! My husband is my best friend in the world as well as my motivator and inspiration for many things. Thank you my love and continue to do well in your races! My love is always with you!