Waynesboro

I'm currently in the Waynesboro, VA public library, having partaken in an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, which was followed up with free camping and a free shower at the YMCA [with soap and shampoo and other goodies provided by Peter, a blog reader (THANK YOU!)].  It was really easy to get a hitch into town this morning, and the folks at Graham's Shoe Service were very friendly (and lived up to their tag line: The Most Eccentric Shop in the USA!).  Slightly less hiker friendly: the Chinese buffet, where we had to leave our packs outside, were seated in a separate room from the other patrons, and were greeted at the front door by this charmingly informative sign (sorry I can't rotate it):

It says: Attention Hikers.  We wanted to let you know 

that the YMCA (two blocks away) has free showers.

Well then.

So I've only got about five more minutes on the computer before I have to run to pick up my newly repaired brand-new boots (Why do brand new boots need to be repaired, you ask?  Well, because they're Keens, and as it turns out, the only two good things that I can say about Keens are that a) they have a really roomy toe box, and b) that they have good customer service.  I've yet to have one of the FOUR pairs I've worn on the trail last more than 100 miles before something breaks, and something tells me that if I call them again to request a non-defective pair they're going to send a personal assassin out to hunt me down.  As is, I think my policy of calling them frequently has caused them to change their policy: the hiker grapevine tells me that they've started sending only one replacement pair to thru-hikers, not three.).  I'll update more when I get back from the shoe shop.

Like I said earlier, it's been easy to hitch around here, which may or may not be to me and my trail buddy Hoop practicing our "PLEASE HELP US" hitching faces. 

Effective, eh?