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Dirk's Rambles

Friday, May 28, 2021, 9:10 am

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Theresa is picking me up between noon and 12:30 pm today at Stanimals Hostel in Glasgow, VA, where I have stayed since Monday May 24th. Stanimals has been a great place to stay. It is managed by Charlie, who is very organized and puts in long hours. He is at the hostel before 6 am and there until after 10 pm on some nights. He is the shuttle organizer, breakfast cook, evening dessert maker, dryer mechanic, accountant, standup comic and all around good guy. I've enjoyed being around him. Just as enjoyable is his right hand man, Strings. Strings does many things but is mostly a shuttle driver. He is also an excellent musician, playing piano and a string harp.

On Wednesday and Thursday (May 26 & 27), I slack packed 10.9 miles each day. Charlie wisely talked me into this to give my shins a break. I experienced little pain and only felt that the little pain the last couple of miles. I woke up painless after each slack pack.

After each slack pack, I put ice on my shins, massaged them, and elevated them. This helped to minimize the pain and inflammation. I have also taken ibuprophin. My brother Alex, who is a nurse practioner, advised me to take 3 ibuprophin 3 times per day. He also gave me additional advise throughout this ordeal. Thanks Brother Al!

I am taking another zero today as I wait for Theresa to pick me up. I will also take a zero tomorrow to spend time with Bill and Sally Wells, who have arranged for us to all have a condominium the next two days. How generous!

The weather has mostly been fantastic. Has been short period of rain, but nothing that required us to put on rain gear.

I have run into Five Pound, Mule, Southern, Fire Goddess, Bad Ass, Feather Blue, Happy, Calamity, and others while here. A number of section hikers have been on the trail.

There have been a lot of climbs. The climb from the James River is long and has sections of rocks, though I slacked packed that section on Wednesday, going south to avoid the climb. Virginia has been a challenge so far.

The trail crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) several days ago. The trail makes numerous crosses and/or parallels the BRP almost until I leave Virginia.
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