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[at-l] SLACKPACK TOUR

1997 SLACKPACK TOUR OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL
also visit website "www.geocities.com/yosemite/trails/4404"

MAY 25, 1997 - SUNDAY

	we ate breakfast at the restaurant at the motel, then headed out
to hike individually.  PANTHER FAN had been nursing a toothache for a few
days, but the pain was getting bad, so he and GILAMAN headed for the
hospital in MARION, VA.  this was, unfortunately, a holiday weekend, so
no dentists were available, and he could only get medication...
	the skies opened up on us as we hiked, and we were soaked as we
got to our destination, VA 42.  there is a privately owned pavilion at VA
42, but they allow hikers to use it, and sleep there.  GILAMAN and
PANTHER FAN had positioned the van in such a manner that we could get our
stuff in and out, and stay dry under the pavilion.  there were many, many
hikers at the pavilion:  HUNGRY MOTHER, TADPOLE, NUMB, FIREBIRD, MO JO,
OX, KADIDDLE, BONES, SISTER HEIDI, BROOSTER, HASHBROWN, HOOPS and M&M,
and others.  most of these people had been at the motel the previous
night...
	PANTHER FAN spent the night in the van, close to his medication. 
the rest of us spread out a large ground cloth under the pavilion, laid
out our sleeping pads and crawled into our sleeping bags.  we have now
hit the are 25% point in our odyssey...

MAY 26, 1997 - MONDAY

	it had rained quite a bit during the night, and continued into
the morning.  SUNSHINE headed out early, but TIMMY and i held back.  the
rains eventually slowed, and we headed out.  i dried out as best as i
could at both shelters along the way, but i was soaked to the skin most
of the day.  the last few miles were tough, with many little ups and
downs, and lots of rocks.  it seemed to take forever to get to our
destination, VA 623...
	PANTHER FAN had opted to get a motel room in WYTHEVILLE, VA, to
wait out the pain of his tooth ache.  it was doubtful that any dentist
would be available today, since it is MEMORIAL DAY.  GILAMAN will
retrieve PANTHER FAN on wednesday..
	GILAMAN had set up our large group tent, and had HOT SOUP waiting
for us as we arrived.  he had also offered soup to four or five other
hikers, and it had been gratefully accepted.  we changed into dry
clothes...

MAY 27, 1997 - TUESDAY

	the large tent, which we had never used before, could use some
seam sealing.  there was some required relocation of bodies inside the
tent last night as the rains came...
	it was cold, overcast, and very humid in the morning.  the water
in the trees was falling like rain, at times, as the winds blew. 
SUNSHINE had her OATMEAL, and hit the trail.  TIMMY had a swollen ankle,
and had decided to stay off of the trail today.  i could not warm up, and
made the same decision.  we dropped the tent, packed the van, and headed
to a laundromat in WYTHEVILLE to dry our sleeping bags...
	we ate lunch, then stopped by the motel PANTHER FAN was in to see
if he was "tooth pain" free, but he was not there.  we then headed to the
BIG WALKER MOTEL, on I-77, near BLAND, VA, and secured  a room.  soon
thereafter, i headed for the KIMBERLING CREEK (VA 612) road crossing to
wait for SUNSHINE...
	nearly there, i ran across a hiker named FORREST GUMP, who was
injured and thumbing into BLAND.  i also picked up NUMB and FIREBIRD.  i
dropped off NUMB and FIREBIRD in town, saw HASHBROWN, and informed him
that the others were in town, and took GUMP to our motel room.  on the
way back to the road crossing, i saw HOOPS and SUNSHINE.  SUNSHINE still
had a mile roadwalk to get to her destination, so i moved on to wait. 
BROOSTER was at the road crossing when i arrived.  we talked a few
minutes, before he headed out.  HOOPS and SUNSHINE arrived, and we all
waited for M&M (HOOPS partner).  she arrived, and SUNSHINE and i headed
into town.  we picked up the other "town" hikers, and dropped them off on
the trail.  this time we ran across OX.  he wanted a ride to the motel,
which is were we was headed, and let us know that other hikers, who also
wanted to go to the motel, were a half hour or so behind him.  i dropped
SUNSHINE and OX at the motel and, after a short rest, headed back to the
trail.  I picked up TADPOLE, HUNGRY MOTHER, and WILLIE APPALONG, and took
them to the motel.  they, plus OX, got a room.  the rest of us went to
supper...


Rick Mann, aka Pittsburgh
slackpacker@bigfoot.com
www.geocities.com/yosemite/trails/4404
800-803-2767
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