May 31 – Five Clean Pair

Post date: Jun 1, 2012 6:19:29 AM

As the hikers readied to start the day, "Flash" advised all that an absolutely huge bear paraded around the campsite for quite some time last night.

Another topic of discussion was the hikers’ planned destination for the day. All save "Five Pair" indicated they were headed to the campground at Tom Floyd Wayside which was greeted by "Five Pair" with an observed lack of enthusiasm. When questioned about her destination, she advised that the Front Royal Terrapin Station Hostel was her next stop about a mile before the campground. Questioning the need for a hostel, "Five Pair" informed the small, attentive group that clean clothes were running dangerously low and a laundry event was a necessity whereupon the joking retort was "That sounds like someone who has been on the trail for just a couple days!! Aren’t you over the clean clothes thing yet?"

As "Five Pair" moved up the trail, movement caught her eye as scurrying up a nearby tree was a bear cub. A grab for the camera resulted in a bit of a movie of the young bear attempting to hide but curiosity forces the young one to spy on "Five Pair" from above but soon the realization of the prior night caught up with "Five Pair" and that a squeal by this very cute ball of black fur would result in a not so cute, likely angry larger ball of black fur charging through the wood so "Five Pair" bid adieu to the cub and made her way further up the trail.

After a cappuccino and cheeseburger stop at the Elkwallow Wayside, a snack break overlooking another breathtaking vista and another day of up and downs, the end came to her 22.7 mile day. Off the trail for the .4 mile hike to the hostel where pizza and soda were awaiting her arrival and as important for "Five Pair", laundry facilities.

959.6 miles complete/1,224.8 miles to go