May 11-12 in southern VA

May 11, 2005 | Day 45 | Miles: 20.8 | Total Miles: 523.2
End: Partnership Shelter
Danielle:
Hot hot hot
Another 20-mile day. I know, I know. We are trying to stay away from them, but the pull of this shelter was too strong. It has showers, a deep sink, enclosed privy and a visitor center with phone, restrooms and soda machne. Plus, from the phone you can order pizza! Yeah! We were psyched. We got pizza, salads and split a tiramisu. We're stuffed! Very enjoyable. This is how all shelters should be! Wouldn't that be nice :-)
As for hiking today, the terrain wasn't too bad and the miles went by quickly. However, it was super hot and muggy and sunny, so that made it hard. Plus my feet were hurting a bit. Ugh. But we pulled through and made it. And only 11.5m tomorrow. Yeah :-) A short day. How nice.

Ryan:
sunny, hottish
at miles - 20.8
it's starting to feel like summer. we had record warmth in the shelter this morning...57 degrees. we even started hiking in just our t-shirts...a first. so, basically, we walked a long way in the hottishness. but, all that was really important from the day is that we ordered pizza for dinner. the shelter is a short walk from the mt rogers visitor center and there's a phone and they deliver. there's also a shower at the shelter. in other words, virginia is pretty nice.
today's song - 500 miles, the proclaimers (make it stop!)

May 12, 2005 | Day 46 | Miles: 11.5 | Total Miles: 534.8
End: Relax Inn, Rural Retreat, VA
Danielle:
Sunny, super humid and hot
Well, 64 degrees in the shelter this morning. It is definitely summer here in VA!
A pretty quick 11m down to "town" today, which in this case is a truckstop by the highway. My feet and I were feeling a bit better today, which was good. Ryan has been doing awesome in the heat, and his knees are doing well too--two days without his braces in the past three days. I'm so glad about that. He is a tough one :-) At least we choose our tired days when the other is feeling good :-) I guess the past few have been my tired days but I'm hanging in there. Can't feel superduper all the time--even though I want to!! I think this short day will be good, and I'll be recharged again.
We're currently at the roadside motel and have eaten ice cream at Dairy Queen twice, plus dinner at Rhonda's Family Restaurant. $10.49 for both of us. And that was about what it was worth too :-) But hey...
Back to hiking tomorrow :-) We should officially hit the 25% mark tomorrow. Cool.

Ryan:
sunny, hot, pm thunderstorm, 98.9% humidity
for those of you keeping score, it was 64 degrees in the shelter at 6:15 this morning. not good times. and the humidity was through the roof. really not good times. however, many thanks to swift who arrived at the shelter pretty late with oc-1 after an extra trip to damascus, so oc-1 could buy all new gear (sweet!), and brought a very tasty cabernet savignon with him. i drank it out of a titanium pot. mmmmm... (btw, swift stands for "so, whaddid i forget today." he got this name when he hiked the trail in 2003 because he always leaves something behind. unfortunately, he has bad knees and made to mt. moosilauke in nh before they gave out on him in '03. but, he's back again this year, giving it another try. he's a really good soul, and i truly hope he makes it all the way this year. if i can't make it, i want swift to make it.) today, it was hot, and the humidity was brutal. strangely enough, i felt ok. granted, i sweated a ton and my hat looks like the rim of a margerita glass, but the heat didn't kill me. hopefully, that's a good sign for the months to come. unfortunately, danielle wasn't feeling so great. for some reason her feet have reached a temperature close enough to melt rock the last couple days. plus, we've been walking through some fields of tall grass...great for her allergies. it was better today, so with any luck she'll get through it. she's been doing really well lately, but i can tell she's pretty tired. i wish i could carry more, but i'm maxed out myself. by the end of the day, she's dragging. but, she's tough, and i'm proud of her everyday. she's pretty amazing, and the best hiking partner i could have asked for. the best part of the end of the day today is the relax inn, and it is, indeed, relaxin'. basically, we're at a truck stop, so not the most luxurious accommodations, but we did get to go to dairy queen...twice. i also order the 8 oz. barbeque dinner at rhonda's restaurant...i'm sure that will be rearing its ugly head again. oh, excuse me.