Hiking Trail Journals

Appalachian Trail 2003 - Chelsea's Journals

Entry #73 - June 15, 2003

8:05 PM - Happy Father's Day again, Dad! Hope it was a good, relaxing one! :D

Not sure where I left off - I think I mentioned we stayed at the YMCA. The only disturbance we had there was when I woke up at about 4 AM to hear a lady screaming out on the street - a hundred or 2 yards away. She might have been running - the sound moved away. I thought I heard her saying "Get away from me!" and "Help me!" Andy woke up then, too. I sat wondering what to do. In a strange town, no one around, with only our tent to protect us. I felt like we should get out to help - but what could we do? Just layed there and listened as it faded away down the street. I hope everything was OK.

In the morning we were up early. Got some coffee @ the gas station and then had some of our leftover breakfast food instead of eating our somewhere. After that, it was on to the post office to pick up our mail drop.

It was time then to take advantage of an offer I'd had before we left to hike the AT. A guy I'd worked with in my "normal" life lives in Ivy, VA, which is only a half-hour or so from Waynesboro. He came and picked us up and we were fortunate enough to be able to stay at his place. It was a great day - got to clean up our stuff, do some maintenance, eat a lot, do a little shopping and Andy got a haircut. He brought us back to the trail this morning. We were only planning on 7 miles into Shenandoah Nat'l Park, so we took our time @ Rockfish Gap before heading out. Tonight we're at Calf Mtn Shelter with a few other hikers, and a lot of section hikers. One is a whole family with kids & all - one is 7, and they also have a 7 1/2 month old! They're doing the whole park.

Tomorrow maybe 20+ miles. We hear the trail through here is pretty easy & very well maintained. Should be interesting, with all the tourists, stores & food and other hoopla. Expecting we'll maybe see a bear finally. As long as it's not in the middle of the night!

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