June 26, 2009

Hello bloggers,

Time for an update from the hills of Buena Vista! This is the support team's opportunity to fill you in from a new perspective. The view of the mountains is absolutely breathtaking!

However, getting to one's pickup destination was literally a journey through, shall we say, Roller Coaster Mountain Reality. The directional map program I was given via the computer was excellent. I was able to meet our thru-hikers in the middle-of-nowhere, off the side of a Blue Ridge Mountain. The trip was a breeze until the last five-mile forest ranger service road. All in all, it was a serene, scenic ride. The last five miles were, for me, from another part of the world. The road had what the road sign calls "turn-outs"...meaning your car could turn over off the side of the mountain. Good luck when a dinosaur-sized maintenance tractor-trailer with gigantic propellers comes charging toward you on the road....or how about the hot-rod from you guessed it.... The tractor pulled over to make way for the second vehicle, but this driver came as close to the next life when our hot-rod came dusting through. The end was worth it as when the guys called me via cellphone, I picked up the phone and then realized I was in shouting distance of their presence. They had arrived three minutes before I did and were joyously awaiting a rest.

Found a place to stay nearby and enjoyed supper with the crew. They hiked 25 miles that day and were picked up at Petite's Gap off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We returned the next morning and we decided to have their auxiliary crew join them for the first few blazes of the trail. At the first blaze to continue their journey....Jack pointed out something they had never seen before...someone had placed a nice-sized winged praying angel figurine at the foot of the first tree. Confirmation of the help we received meeting up with the needle in the haystack.

Earlier today, stopping by St. Patrick's Church in Lexington, the pastor, Fr. James D. asked me where I was from as I was passing him onto the parking lot. Quite providentially, it turned out he was in my pastor's seminary class and he wanted me to say hello to Fr. Art from St. John's, Westminster! What a nice Coincidence!

Well have obtained reasonable refuel for dinner. Enjoying the beautiful town of Lexington... also home of Washington and Lee University. Our hikers will reach Buena Vista tonight with hopes of reaching beyond Crabtree Falls.


Jack and Chris will update later!