Thursday April 25

I forgot to tell you I went back to the outfitters yesterday (it IS across the street) to check for more mail:I had 5 more cards, the count is up to 27...
Zag woke up this morning saying: "I can't walk 16 miles..my toe is still killing me" so we decided to rent bikes and take a shuttle up the Virginia creeper trail...we rode 14 miles back to Damascus and will count that in our thru hike as the AT criss Crosses the creeper trail the while way down..it was the fastest and most fun 14 mike day yet! WE were like silly children..it was great..I squealed with delight several times. We met a few thru hikers that decided to hike up  the creeper trail instead of the AT...they were jealous we were riding DOWN the trail..pretty much coasting the whole way.
Newsflash: m80 got the virus. I wondered why they weren't jumping up and running down the mountain with us on Tuesday...I thought it was because they wanted some alone time on their 25th anniversary..nope. It's because he was vomiting and had diarrhea. Not a great way to celebrate....poor soul. I saw him at the pharmacy today..he feels a little better, but still not eating yet...hr thinks it's from willow chewing toilet paper then kissing him...goodness knows he had made every attempt to avoid contact with the shelters and other hikers. Poor willow the scape goat..I'd like to think that's the case, though. I really hope neither of us gets it. Ugh. Not being able to eat would be awful..never mine the gunk out both ends.
I had one more birthday card at the outfitter today. We took our boxes to the post office and stopped by the blue blaze for a beer. We also had lunch there after our ride..(I did only have a salad. ). The plan for tomorrow I'd to catch the 8am shuttle to hwy 58 past the lost mountain shelter and hike 11 miles to Thomas knob shelter, keeping us on schedule. 
Pics: our pitiful toes; me at a white blaze on the creeper; me and zag eating a gin gin (thanks J&d); zag@white blaze; silhouette of zags helmet head; Jeff @ Mt Rogers outfitters...keeper of my mail, hand Seamer of my backpack waist belt that was too big and just generally a nice guy.