June 8 – Calf Mountain Shelter (Day 81 – milepoint 840.0)

Felt like I slept in this morning until I got up and found that it was only 7:30. The days are getting longer.

Aunt Marty, Pixie, Little Toe, and I set out for breakfast at Weasies Diner in Waynesboro. Just as we were leaving our campsite, we were greeted by Lecher Boyd, a local, and frequent AT section hiker. He drove us to an ATM and then to Weasies. I had the pleasure of sitting up front and enjoying the conversation.

I wasn’t hungry, but ate anyway, and didn’t feel at all bad about it.

After breakfast, we walked across town back to our tents and met a fisherman who gave us a ride to the St. James Baptist Church.

Rusty arrived when we did with his van full of hikers and we were all glad to see each other again, after only a day. As we sat outside the church, it soon became evident that Rusty is it’s only white member…but a very special one. We were welcomed warmly with hugs and handshakes and we had the opportunity to be social for a bit before the service started.

Someone asked an older woman about how long the service usually lasts, and with feeling, she replied, “Honey, we don’t go home ’til the Good Lord says it’s time, Hallelujah!”

Three hours later, we were all hugging every not-so-stranger in the building. The music is still echoing inside me and my hands feel bruised form 3 hours of clapping. Now there’s a church I can see going to every Sunday!

After the service, they invited us to join them in celebrating the Church’s 80th Anniversary…by letting them feed us dinner.

And this long, strange trip just keeps getting better. Sometimes in life it feels like the world is conspiring against you, but out here the conspiracies just seem to always be in your favor.

More hearty-hugs and thank yous after dinner and we headed back to the YMCA. I packed up and made a quick stop into the Y for a shower. Got to chatting with a local fella, Jeff, who works for the city of Waynesboro, and he offered me a ride up to Rockfish Gap. It was nice not to have to worry about the hitch.

Had to register for a Shenandoah National Park Permit for camping and hit the Trail at around 5 p.m. with a new toy on my pack – a NERF football. Soon ran into Little Toe and we walked into a pleasant evening, a short 7 miles to this shelter on Calf Mountain. It’s good to be on the move again.

-Aquaholic