[at-l] READY's journal: June 15 Friday TD 10

[kahley7@ptd.net (kahley)]

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>Fits and starts.  We enjoyed a long nap last night before going to a 
>nearby Mexican restaurant. We returned to the hotel and wrote a little bit 
>of our journals before catching an hour of t.v.
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>We were sound asleep again just about midnight and did not awaken till 
>after 10 am. Check-Out tme was 11, so we put a move on getting packed and 
>out. We made it with minutes to spare; however, we walked out of the room 
>into a downpour.
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>We waited on the porch of the hotel registration office until the rain 
>subsided.  We then proceeded to the Fox Diner for breakfast.  The diner 
>featured a bulletin board where, prominently displayed, was an article 
>which touted its slogan in Swedish, "frokost hele dagen!:  Breakfast all 
>day."
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>We shared a table with Patches and Sticks, who were enjoying a zero day in 
>Front Royal today.  We too would be having a zero day if we did not get 
>moving, so move we did.
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>The plan? Back to the shopping center to buy a second pair of shoes for 
>later in the hike. As we walked however, I started to experience intense 
>pain in my feet.  Hmmm?  We were puzzled, and finally determined that the 
>gel inaserts we'd purchased were simply so thick that they were elevating 
>my heel out of the correct position in the shoe. We decided to try some 
>thinner inserts.
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>I left Spur at a bench at the shopping center so he could journal, and 
>proceeded to several stores on my own.  I found that the same shoe a half 
>sixe smaller was a better fit.  I'd send the already purchased pair ahead 
>for when I could expect my feet to get bigger, and wear the smaller shoe 
>now. I got thinner gel inserts at the K-Mart in the same center.
>
>Because I'd walked around for some time checking the fit of the shoes, 
>much time had passed. It was after 3 pm!  We still had the post office 
>mwil drop to pick up and some food shopping to do.
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>A second downpour hit as we were in the post office. We used that time to 
>pack our stash into our packs.  Spur stopped at a restaurant for a 
>chocolate milkshake while I held out for the 7-Eleven (next stop) for a 
>ready-made chicken wrap.
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>We were finally ready to hitch a ride back to the trail.  It was only 4 
>minutes or so before a family who lived right near the trail took pity on 
>us and stopped to give us a lift.
>
>Spur got into the front passenger seat while Mom climbd into the backseat 
>with her kids.  I rode in the very back amongst the backpacks and 
>their  groceries. It was a pleasant four miles of travel and we were at 
>the trailhead and hiking by 5:48.
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>The terrain was easy but slipery. It was tough negotiating the slick 
>surface in my new shoes, but I could tell immediately that yesterday's 
>agonizing foot pain was not to return.
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>We got to the shelter in less than 2 hours. Enough time for some hot 
>chocolate, licorice tea (yum!) and some ramen noodles.
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>Blowing Sunshine joined us and we discussed the features of this wonderful 
>shelter known as the Hiker Hilton.  Soon after a group of 6-7 scouts 
>arrived.   We were aware of their arrival for some time in advance, as 
>they were making a good bit of noise.
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>They were a great goup of kids. Spur stopped to chat with them as I 
>finished preparing the sleeping system for us in the shelter.
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>We were journalling just as it got dark, and we were asleep by 10.
>
>A long, but very satisfying day.
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