It was glorious being clean and sleeping in a bed until almost 8 without having to decide where to go. Breakfast was even ready for us and I didn’t have to make it (or filter water for it). The return to what everyone else takes for granted and now we feel lucky to have. We were only about 1/2 mile from Dicks Sporting Goods, so we thought we’d take a chance and see if this store had the boots Bunny was looking for. All of the boots were on a shelf that we could get to, but they didn’t have any in her size. We asked the clerk if there might be any more in back but he wasn’t hopeful. Our good fortune continued when he brought back the only pair they had in back and it was Bunny’s size.
We celebrated our good fortune with the second meal of the morning at Red Robin. I’ve never been in one because Curt Rebstock used to make fun of the place to me (or was it Johnny Rockets—I haven’t eaten there, either). If it would have been a little later, we would have had beer—it had to be noon somewhere. After we mailed her old shoes (and a few other things) back home we had time to get caught up on the blog. I think everyone reading this is probably aware that this is where our fighting began and the blog ended.
Most married couples do not spend 31 (that’s 24 & 7 for the mathematically challenged) with each other. It does get to be wearing on the nerves, especially when one of those people is me. As everyone knows, I am generally an unexciteable and pretty laid back dude. It takes a lot to get me riled up (true dat). Some may disagree with that statement, but they know deep in their hearts that I am right. I can say for certain that Bunny will disagree (can I get an “Amen” and a big TRUE DAT?). Truth of the matter is that even I can get on people’s nerves over time—nae, nae, nae, it’s true. Probably not a week goes by that we don’t annoy the piss out of each other in some way (we are married—enough said).
Judge Super Dave picked us up at 4:30 to take us back to the trail. We were very relieved to discover that he is not the type of judge that doesn’t wear clothes under his robes. He was still in a suit having come straight to us from court. We threw everything in his car and began the drive back. He decided to take us through town so we could get a glimpse of Virginia Tech and tell us a little history of the area. One of the big controversies in the area is the new gas pipeline that we encountered along the AT a couple days ago. The installation is proceeding because the consortium was allowed to use “imminent domain” to secure the pipeline route because the gas was supposedly for domestic use. Now they are wanting to extend the route down to the coast in NC so the gas can ship overseas. My castration plan doesn’t sound so bad now! There is much opposition to the pipeline and both sides are lying trying to make a bad situation even worse.
Once back on the trail, we were only planning to go to the first shelter which was only a few miles uphill from where Super Dave dropped us off. The highlight of this section of trail is the Keffer Oak—the largest oak tree along the AT. I’d better cover myself and say the Southern AT because there are people reading doing fact checks on things I say (true dat) and if I do throw something in as a fact, I’d better be right. I repeat, Bunny does not poop in Wal-Mart parking lots.
Just as soon as we got high enough to get a cell signal, Bunny’s son called all upset that the family had turned against him and didn’t want him to join the army. He had been barraged for two days from his grandparents, aunt, and uncle to not join. They talked for well over an hour trying to come up with a solution. In the end, Bunny wanted to go home to help him and I wanted her to call her parents to find out what was happening. I may not have been the most calm in my stating to call home, true dat. Round 2.
Ultimately, we arrived pretty late at the shelter. Blaze and a third Patches were there all spread out thinking they had the place to themselves. We decided to not eat a hot meal since we were both still steaming. Bunny set up our sleeping system (as she does every night) while I hung bear bags—home is where you hang your food bags. Lights out on an empty stomach.
EFG