Mile 875

These photos are from somewhere early in Virgina. That's Lyle standing next to the bridge over the fence. The red barn was a shelter where Lyle actually set up his tent to help keep warm. I have to admit that it is really beyond my comprehension how someone can hike all day and then crawl into a sleeping bag thrown down on a cot in a 3-sided rustic building. How can you really get a good night's sleep?

Tonight's campground somewhere north of Waynesboro marks 875 miles. Needless to say, Lyle and Plugger are very proud of their accomplishment! They are ahead of their timeline so Lyle is planning to be home in Appleton on the 22nd. He will hop the Amtrak in Harpers Ferry on the 21st and ride the train into Milwaukee via Chicago. Then he hops a bus from Milwaukee to Appleton.

It was a 22 mile day today. "Free" camping in prohibited in the Shenandoah Park so they have to stay at a shelter or in a park campsite. Unfortunately the spacing is such that if they want to stay at the shelters (the less expensive route) they have to put in long days to make it from shelter to shelter. Today didn't work out quite right, so they are spending the $14 per person for a tent site. But they have a small store where they found fresh fruit so there is a silver lining in every cloud!

They have been told to be on the lookout for bear again...this park is plagued more than the others they've been in. That is why they prohibit setting up tents outside of the controlled, designate areas. So far they haven't seen any sign so that makes me very happy! They were expecting a 3rd hiker to join them but plans fell through so it's just the two of them for the remainder of trip except for the other hikers they see along the way.

Lyle had another experience that proves how small the world really is. Plugger and Lyle stayed in hostel in Waynesboro VA sponsored by a local church. The doors closed at 10 p.m. and no alchohol was allowed so this fit them to a tee! They were really looking forward to a peaceful night's sleep. And, as extra precaution when hikers are staying at the hostel, the pastor comes and spends the night. They were talking and getting acquanited and come to find out the pastor grew up in Wild Rose Wisconsin! The two of them could hardly believe it. Kinda of spooky, you know?