May 26-27 in central VA

May 26, 2005 | Day 60 | Miles: 9.4 | Total Miles: 714.5
End: Comfort Inn, Daleville, VA (near Roanoke)
Danielle:
Sunny, windy and getting hot
Since we were meeting my parents, we weren't in too much of a rush today, and enjoyed the ridgeline with sporadic views as we wandered down to this major interchange off I-81. We got to the road a few minutes after they did, and they had brought some soda, bananas and cookies for any hikers that might wander by. Luckily, a bunch did while we were standing there, and much of the food was quickly devoured. Thanks Mom and Dad!
Then we quickly turned them into a shuttle service, doing laundry, hitting the outfitter, grocery store, and having them help out a few of our friends with chores too. Such good sports! By the time all that was done, it was dinnertime and we had great Mexican food and margaritas with Hairball and Snowbunny. Yum! Hairball was on his best behavior and didn't shock my mom too much with his funny expressions :-) Then a quick pack-up of the packs and finally, soon, to bed so we can get up and do 18.5m tomorrow. Fun, fun :-) It was great my parents could come up for a short visit. Thanks guys!

Ryan:
sunny, breezy, warm
another short day and we're in town. great trail magic today: danielle's parents met us at the trailhead. they had to check in on us, and make sure we were still alive, and that everything in these journals wasn't fabricated. so, really...we're doing great. last night at around 9:30 at the shelter, hairball, pacman and i were enjoying the remains of the very large fire hairball and i had constructed. (hairball likes to burn stuff...i like helping him.) we heard a loud crash in the woods. on went the headlamps probing the forest. one pair of green eyes, then another, then another, then another. like little girls we scurried around to get our food bags and hang them in the trees, while thoughts of angry, maneater bears went crashing through our heads. throw the bear line, look in the woods...more green eyes. the shelter was surrounded by them. after more scurrying and whatnot, the food was hung and we were nestled deep in our sleeping bags. still green eyes everywhere. a bit unsettling. during, my final pee before i jumped into the shelter, i was shining my light towards the green eyes...watching them move. one got very close, so close that i could clearly make out the shape of its body...a deer. we had seen them around the shelter all afternoon. but those eyes! i think they were green eyed maneating alien deer.

May 27, 2005 | Day 61 | Miles: 18.5 | Total Miles: 733
End: Bobblets Gap Shelter, Tent
Danielle:
Overcast with patches of sun and warm
After a second breakfast at Hardees--yummy biscuits!--and saying goodbye to Mom and Dad, we finally got out on the trail about 9:20am. We were a bit slow this morning but after lunch by the creek we picked up the pace a bit. We went through some great rolling terrain with tunnels of blooming rhododendron. Gorgeous! We also made our first few crosses of the Blue Ridge Parkway today at a few nice overlooks.
Finally got into the shelter about 5:50pm. There are a few guys out here who are going south for a bit and they had basically taken over the shelter, along with their little dog. Kind of annoying, as we should be able to fit 6-8 people in, and there are only 4 in there. Oh well. We found a slightly slanting spot on the gravel next to the shelter to set up our tent. Shouldn't be too bad. All in all, a good day to be out :-)

Ryan:
hazy, humid, looking like it's going to rain.
we had a great visit with danielle's parents, and now we're back at it. they brought me new shoes. my feet still hurt, but it's amazing what shoes with support feel like. although, i was feeling a little rubbing on the heels that i'm sure will be sticking around for a couple days. duct tape it is. everything feels worse after a night in a bed. it just doesn't make sense. you're supposed to be well rested, but we always feel worse. not bad, but just out of sorts. since we did the two short days, some of the people that went back to trail days are starting to catch up with us. it's great to catch up with old friends.
today's song - i'll be around, the spinners (song may actually be called, i'll be there, but i think it's the spinners. either way, it's terrible, but it was on in hardees this morning. what is not terrible are hardees breakfast biscuit sandwich things...pure magic.)