ziplining vagabonds

1554/2184 miles done {71%}

For a while after our bed and breakfast stop, I was good. I think 10 days without a zero (a whole day with no hiking) is my breakdown point. This point is usually demonstrated by crying, walking slow, complaining, begging Tony for a motel, etc.

It's not always like that though. Let's summarize the past few days:

We saw McAfee Knob, the over 3,197 foot, most frequently photographed site on the AT. We woke up before sunrise {if you know me at all you know that is a rarity} to get to the viewpoint as the sun came up. The widely popular picture of Tony in his not so modest outerwear was taken there. McAfee Knob at sunrise was majestic, beautiful, and worth every second.

We had a couple close encounters with the native Virginians. We got a ride from a "retired" military policeman who was dressed in full camo and had at least 3 pairs of handcuffs in his car.....He dropped us off at Burger King with the warning that the "locals" didn't like "strangers."
At Burger King---
Me: I'll just have a ham, egg, and cheese croissant.
Unsightly worker: Country ham or black forest ham? The LOCALS eat country ham, but you probably are talking about the other.
Me: Whatever you want to use is fine.
Worker: (mouthing to the cook with a disgusted look) Black forest ham.
I ordered the food as dine-in and he gave it to me in a to-go bag. We ignored that not so subtle cue to leave immediately. Our ride back to the trail gave me a religious tract on how to be saved...

We met a sweet boy from Florida who is a senior in high school. He was out for 100 miles completely by himself. So brave! We hiked with him for about 4 days, and it helped to pass the time.

Since it is getting dark so early, we have been walking after dark a good amount. One particular night, we were
on our 21st mile at 9oclock when we came across a cow pasture filled with lots of little eyes looking at us. Tony beat his sticks to scatter them off the trail and one of the "cows" started snorting and pawing the ground and heading towards him. Needless to say we got out of that big guy's way pretty quick.

So back to the breakdown. I was crying away just so sad to be on the trail on Thanksgiving. Tony started flipping through the book for a way out. We called an old man who charged us $31 to take us to a motel
in Pearisburg, VA.

On the motel office door, we saw a paper advertising a community Thanksgiving dinner at the local church! I called the lady and she said to walk on over! We were so excited
that these people liked strangers! All of a sudden, another old man pulls up in a van and offers to take us to the church! Are we lucky or what? The dinner was true southern church pot luck style complete with deviled eggs! Who cares if they thought we were vagabonds?

The next day, my mom pulled up (yes, I realize crying inconsolably a day before might have been a touch dramatic. Don't judge me!) and whisked us away to a night with our family! Amanda and Jason, Cynthia, Laurie and Paavo, Mommy, Rhonda, and Grandma! So good to see everyone and recharge 2 nights.

Amanda and Jason dropped us back off on the trail to a windy sub 30 degree afternoon. Before we got to
our final destination 14 miles down the road, our water and gatorade in our packs were frozen. But don't worry,
we stayed at the "Captain's" (who we never laid eyes on). To get to
his screened in porch complete with a mini fridge filled with cokes and a working sauna, we had to zipline. Across a creek. With our packs. In the dark. On a cable that may or may not be safe. Tony went first. When we woke up the next morning, the thermometer read 22 degrees. We ate breakfast in the sauna.

Tonight we are back in Pearisburg. The lady at the motel gave us our same room back.

We did 20 miles to get here and are grateful to be inside! And we are breakdown free for at least another week!

Thank you Edgeworths for the care package!

And a BIG congratulations to our friend Daisy for completing the trail this week!!!! We are so excited for her and slightly jealous of course!

Guest post from Mr. McKay himself on the way. Stay tuned.

Talk to y'all soon. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!