5/27/06 Saturday: Waynesboro, VA to Calf Mtn. Shelter Shenandoah National Park (SNP) (7mi)

PICTURES:
1. Thats Dave and I at Rockfish Gap saying our goodbyes...Thanks so much for visiting with me and helping out. You are a good friend. I do hope to repay the favor someday and I would certainly love to visit again next time to explore the rich Civil War history of this area...
2. A couple of volunteers grooming the trail near the entrance of SNP... Thats Lee on the left and Natasha on the right..
3. I wonder what they need all them discs for way out here???
Dave drove the approximately 2 hours out here to visit and arrived about 0730. He is another early riser... I had got up early to sample the continental breakfast, a little appetizer before we would go out for breakfast...:)... There was a Cracker Barrel right near the hotel, so we decided to check it out... On the way over there we drove by a Bar-B-Que restaurant which apparently was the destination of all the fire engines I heard at 0300. The place was serving dinner the night before, I had opted for Dominoes Pizza delivery, but now It had a rather large hole in the roof with a number of busted windows... It looked pretty bad... After breakfast, Dave drove me to the laundry where we met another hiker I had supper with 2 nights ago. We were all about the same age and got to know one another a bit before departing for the outfitters to get new carbide tips for my trekking poles, and shoe laces... After that we were off to the grocery store for more snacks for the week in Shenandoah. After that it was time for lunch...:)... And Hardees was right there... We ate our fill and Dave finally dropped me off at Rockfish Gap to continue my trek north about 1300. He and his wife adopted two children 6 years ago and they are about 8 years old now... He is quite involved with Scouting and had to hurry back for a car was fund raiser which had already started. What a friend, and I had not seen him for 30 years... He had not changed a bit...still the honest, caring, friendly, give you the shirt off his back kind of guy.... Dave, I can not thank you enough...
I started my hike about 1315 and met of all people Skunk with her Mom. Her Mom was here to hike for the week with no particular destination in mind... They made it to the first shelter late that night after what I thought was a rather difficult hike. I was told it would be flatter....someone liedddddddddddd... I turned in early with an upset stomach...for the first time since I started my hike I couldnt finish my meal... I felt a bit queasy all night but got over it in time for the next day... Thank God because a number of other hikers have ended up in the hospital with flu symptoms and dehydration....