Today was definitely one of the most memorable days on the trail. We all woke up in Bland, a tiny town in Virginia, at a humble hotel room. We took advantage of having the shower and the sink for washing bodies, dishes, clothes. We restocked on toilet paper and checked the hiker box for leftover food and supplies. We blared the television because we could.

A local church was having a free hiker breakfast, and after a phone call, a very kind lady came to pick us up. She drove us to many more kind people, who showered us with eggs, sausages, biscuits, pancakes, homemade jam and maple syrup, orange juice, chocolate milk, applesauce. On top of that, they gave us snacks and homemade cookies to go.

Wow! It was such a wonderful thing, for them to treat us so well, simply because we are hikers. A lot of other hikers that I had been hiking with arrived, so it was a giant party. I had been considering Trail Days, the hiker festival, and whether to attend or not. I knew then that I was supposed to go. Almost all of my favorite hikers were going, and it is part of the experience. Hiking the Appalachian Trail is more than just literally hiking the Appalachian Trail. I understand that now.

Hitchhiking is definitely a part of that experience. Now, I have hitched a few times before, both on and off the trail. But that was usually a two-minute ride down the road. This was a 70-mile trip that involved multiple highways. Getting out of Bland was the hardest part, as few people seemed to know (or else care) about Trail Days or the AT. We even had a lady think we were simply homeless and who gave us some granola bars. Luckily, the same kind lady who gave us a ride that morning picked us up on her way to the eye doctor. Small town. It may not seem like much, but it gave us momentum. And later, sitting in the bed of a truck, smiling in the sun and the wind, I knew it was precisely where I was supposed to be. After pleading, dancing, and ten rides later, we found ourselves in Damascus, VA. Not too bad at all.

The festivities for Trail Days are starting slowly, but people are arriving, and we will enjoy the time, living joyfully and frugally for the week. It was definitely a great experience today.