No one seemed to have set an alarm but all of us in the shelter (other than Old School, who must have needed extra sleep after his very long day) were up and out by around 7. It was an easy 5.6 mile walk. Two Esses, Lone Star and Slingshot were first and Slingshot had already contacted one of about a dozen locals who offer free shuttle rides to hikers. Tom had a sedan and wound up taking us in two loads to the Quality Inn. They still had leftover breakfast (waffles you make yourself, scrambled eggs, yogurt etc.) and we all helped ourselves, then Checklist and I started a load of laundry and I went across the road to Walmart for what wound up being a $90 resupply. I should have kept my bill to understand how $0.50 ramen, $1 Knorr sides, cheese, peanut butter etc. wind up adding up to so much.
Once the laundry was done Checklist and I walked through pretty downtown Waynesboro and had lunch at a charming restaurant, Stella Bella and Lucy’s, 95% of whose clientele appeared to be women 60+. Then we walked back by which time check-in was available (we had just dumped our bags in the eating area of the lobby). When it came time for me to check in they had no record of my reservation. I checked my email from Expedia and realized I had accidentally booked with Days Inn, not Quality Inn (which explains why I got a lower rate than everyone else). Days Inn is two and a half miles out from Quality Inn, by the interstate. The staff suggested I try one of the free shuttles. After a few calls and text messages I got a ride from Ann. She showed up in a 1970s Cadillac DeVille, which was one of six cars she inherited from an uncle. She was very friendly and chatty.
The Days Inn is a bit dumpy but it will do.
I got another ride from Ann back to an Italian restaurant near the Quality Inn, where Two Esses, Lone Star and Hootenanny and I had supper, then a ride from another trail angel named June back to my hotel, and she also was available to drive Slingshot and I back to the trail tomorrow.
A big cluster of maidenhair fern, one of my favorite plants.
Our server, Dominique
Lunch with Checklist
Ann in her Cadillac DeVille