"Fall seven times, stand up eight."    ~Japanese proverb

Timber and Advatar wanted to slack pack 13 miles back into town. I didn't want to stay in town another night. I had several options on when to leave and how many miles I was going to do. I ended up hiking out of town with Red Stick around 11:30. It was going to be a short day (a nero) because I wanted to break in the new boots. I was afraid to hike too far or too hard and develop foot problems. Doing the 11 miles out of town would also, if the weather holds out for me, set me up for a campout on Jennings Creek (one of my favorite creeks in Va.).

The climb out of Daleville was uneventful. I did get a phone signal and on one of the few times on the trail get to talk with Lady Kritter as I was hiking. I was going up a switchback when I saw Timber, Advatar and Turtle Dove on their southbound slack pack. They gave me good trail mail about trail conditions. Also ran into two sobos (south bound hikers) who told us about a big hiker feed 60 miles north of us. They said most of the nobos a few days ahead of us were pushing to get there. Could explain why I didn't see that many nobo-thru hikers. Tonite there are only five hikers at the shelter: Red Stick, Sherpa, Dragon Tail, Two Rings and myself. First time I can remember on this trip an all guy shelter. It felt good we didn't have to mind our manners so we belched and farted without discretion.

Note from Lady Kritter: Monday, Memorial Day , May 31st is Kritter's birthday. If anyone feels inclined to send him a birthday greeting either here in Guestbook or high five him on the Trail, I'm sure he'd be surprised. This will be a milestone birthday for him. So, he hiked away from a surprise party... let's surprise him anyway!!!! 

You can check up on Wayne's almost daily progress at his Trail Journal.