Pearisburg

Welllll, here I am again. This is Kim. I'm at the library in Pearisburg, VA. I did 11.7 miles into town yesterday, ate a whole bunch, ran some errands (post office, grocery, etc), and was on my way out of town to do probably another 8-10 miles when some older guy named Ray pulled up and offered me a ride to the trail head. Well, he ended up convincing me to stay at a hostel here in town. I'm so easily persuaded. Let's see....hike up a big ol' hill that I have coming up out of town, or stay over at a place that has a shower and mattresses. haha So, I stayed last night at the "Holy Family Church Hostel," and I made a new friend. His name is Coconut Monkey, and he actually carries a monkey head made of a coconut around with him on the trail. He's pretty great. And then, after about 6 days of not seeing him, Bleach caught up with me. So, Bleach was there last night, too. So it was a good stay.....I'm glad Ray convinced me to stick around Pearisburg.

BUT....now it's the next day, and I should be putting in some miles, but I'm finding it hard to leave. I'm reading emails from peeps, checking up on things, LISTENING TO MUSIC with headphones at the library (ah, Jamie Cullum is just hitting the spot), and I'm really finding myself wanting to be back in Oxford. I miss everyone so much. I miss music. I miss the internet. I want to give Jared and hug and I want to see Spencer wear my pack while he does his homework. There are so many people and small things that I miss....I could make a huge list of them, but I won't right now for the sake of time. I don't know why it's hitting me so hard right now, but regardless, I'm fighting temptations of getting off the trail. I'm realizing I have really deep roots in my relationships, which is good, but it's hard being so far away. *big sigh*

I believe now I am over 640 miles into the trip, which just amazes me. Before yesterday, the last 3 days I averaged about 25 miles a day, and when I am doing that many miles, time just seems to fly. It won't be long and I'll be in the Shanandoahs, which I am really excited about.

The weather has been amazing since the rain on Saturday. Just hoping it stays that way, because it sure makes hiking much more enjoyable.

Well, my time is limited here on the internet at the library, so I better wrap this up. It seems like there is so much to write about, but all I can think about right now is how much I miss home. I'll end with a song that really fits my life right now that I've probably posted on my blog before, but I've been singing it in my head on the trail several different times, and it just seems to go well with where I'm at right now.

"I have climbed highest mountain
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you

I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing in her fingertips
It burned like fire
This burning desire

I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well yes I'm still running

You broke the bonds and you
Loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Of my shame
You know I believed it

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for..."

-U2