Fair.

The morning after Devil’s Backbone, I walked about a mile to the gas station. I loaded up on coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and snacks and looked for a ride back to the trail. I was able to hitch a ride from a local who managed to fit seven of us hikers in the back of his small pickup truck. The three-mile ride was uncomfortable, but it got us all back to the trail in one piece.

Today, I had a little pep in my step as it was going to be a town day: shower, laundry, and food. I made quick work of Humpback Ridge and the descent into Waynesboro. By 2 p.m., I had made it 20 miles to my destination.

A local shuttle driver named Katz picked me up from Rockfish Gap and drove me into town. He gave me a drive-by tour: hotels, restaurants, Walmart, Kroger. He dropped me off at the Chinese buffet where I had already planned on meeting other hikers. I filled up on as much food as I could before heading to the hotel where I was splitting a room with Poles and Skyline.

After a nice, hot shower, it was on to the Rose’s Bargain Store for some inexpensive town clothes before starting laundry and hitting the pool. I even found a cheap pool floaty to relax on as I lounged in the water.

A group of us hit up a pizza place for dinner and watched the NBA Finals game. The plan was to zero the next day, so staying up past 10pm was not an issue.

I enjoyed sleeping in a comfortable bed. There were no plans today except to resupply, which I took care of in the morning. The rest of the day was spent poolside, catching up with other hikers and relaxing.

There were several hikers who ended up in town that day, and we all made plans to hit the buffet (again) for dinner and then afterward check out the town fair that was occurring. I won a lei from the sledgehammer game and decided I would wear it for the rest of the trip.

I do enjoy these days off in town, but the worst part is having to get my body moving again the next day. Tomorrow is a big day planned, as I head into Shenandoah National Park and continue the final portion of Virginia.