Day 81
Friday, 9/8/00
Hog Camp Gap to Punchbowl Shelter
16.9 miles
Had quite an interesting day! Camping last night was great! Quite a bit of condensation though… Kind of misty in the morning. Met some weekenders on Cold Mountain, where I was going to camp… one of them is thinking of thru-hiking… 6 miles to U.S. 60. Needed to get to a town (Buena Vista): 9 miles’ to get food and find out where my maildrop is…
Took about 15 minutes to get a ride. Went to bank, grocery store, and called the folks. On the hitch back, the guy said his brother owns a cave (I think he said “Black Sheep” or something) in Boothbay! Small world!
Came to Brown Mountain Shelter after 2 miles. There was some dog with a radio collar there. He followed me about 5 miles! Thought I might be getting a pet… at a road crossing, the owner showed up. He’d been tracking the dog. He used them for bear-hunting. He had quite a few other dogs in his truck.
Nothing much else really happened. A guy, his daughter, and her daughter were here. They’re nice.
I think I’m going 19 tomorrow. Or 20-something…
Day 82
Saturday, 9/9/00
Punchbowl Shelter to Marble Spring
19.2 miles
Well, I guess that cold spell is over. Didn’t get too cold last night. Had trouble sleeping. I guess I didn’t go hard/far enough…
Started off with some climbing. Not too hard. Nice views from Bluff Mountain (3,372’).
Long descent to US-501. Then some good climbs. It heated up quite a bit. I was hiking with no shirt. Maybe I’ll actually get a tan! Almost stopped at Matt’s Creek Shelter. Nice stream with some swimming holes. It was VERY tempting. But, I went another 6 miles, mostly uphill to this spring. There’s a nice flat area and I pitched the tarp lean-to style.
Anyway… another guy showed up. Later some more bear dogs came tearing through followed by some yelping redneck. I guess he was excited because the dogs were on the scent of a bear… He was back later looking for his dogs…
The other guy here gave me some pudding. Nice!
I go over “High Cock Knob” (no joke!) tomorrow. Then, Apple Orchard Mountain (4,225’). Then down hill for a long time…
I think I’ll do 22.2 tomorrow. Weather looks promising.
Day 83
Sunday, 9/10/00
Marble Spring to Bryant Ridge Shelter
17.2 miles
Ahhh… feeling lazy today! Slept great last night. Not cold at all. Didn’t eat much for breakfast. Nothing left except dinner food now!
Ran into bear-hunters again. Lots of ‘em. There is supposed to be no hunting use of the AT! I didn’t want to argue with guys with guns…
The 7 miles uphill to Thunder Hill Shelter were easy. I could have made it yesterday no problem…
The view from Apple Orchard Mountain was nice but the valleys were all cloudy. Argh.
Went under the “Guillotine”. It’s a boulder wedged between to others and it looks like it could fall at any moment.
L O N G downhill to here. Went through lots of stinging nettles. I hate those things. Got here about 1:30, according to “Musk” and “Delo” (PA à GA and NH à GA). Been catching up to them for a while…
Wrote a letter to Mrs. Tharpe (Nell Tharpe of E. Boothbay. Her son had been hiking northbound that summer and I met with her before my trip to hear what tips she had). Chilled out. This shelter is BIG! And, I’m alone right now…
19 or 26 miles tomorrow…
Day 84
Monday, 9/11/00
Bryant Ridge Shelter to Fullardt Knob Shelter
26.1 miles
Well, 3 months ago I was at Rainbow Stream Lean-to in Maine after my first day. How the time flies…
Nice day weather wise. Didn’t sleep much last night. I guess I have to go big miles just so I can get some sleep! Didn’t have anything to eat for breakfast. Hiked about 7 miles, mostly uphill, before I had to stop and eat to keep my stomach from imploding. Ate cold mashed potatoes. I tried to make it into patties and fry it, but it just crumbled and burned… good to eat something though! That’s one of the disadvantages of alcohol stoves, there is no way to adjust the flame. It’s either as hot as the surface of the sun or off.
Crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway at some overlook where there was a bunch of bird watchers. They gave me some crackers, a ham/cheese sandwich (which I saw here get out of a cooler, so I doubt I’ll get food-poisoning again) and a bottle of ice! Nice folks! Shortly after I ran into Delo & Musk playing cards. They were waiting for “S. Cargo” to come back from town with some beer. I decided to stick around too… “S. Cargo” is some weird Korean chick who got on the trail at Shenandoah National Park. She showed up with beer and some other stuff. I had one and took off. Underage drinking!
A few big climbs up to this shelter. But that’s OK. My ankles and knees are back to normal and ready to haul ass!
Guy here named Dave who has spent a lot of time in Washington (I mean Warshington, sorry Dad!). He’s been to Wenatchee, Okanogan, Lake Chelan and even to the Calgary Stampede. He shared some freeze-dried food with me. Nice guy!
Only 3.5 miles, all downhill, to Troutville, where food awaits! I’m also looking eager to hear what Rachel has to say, be it good news or not… Don’t remember what this was about…
Looking forward to town…
A year later, I'd be sitting in the cafeteria at Utah State University, and watching the World Trade Center get destroyed...
A year later, I'd be sitting in the cafeteria at Utah State University, and watching the World Trade Center get destroyed...
Day 85
Tuesday, 9/12/00
Fullhardt Knob Shelter to Lambert Meadow Shelter
14.4 miles
Slept a little better last night. Before I fell asleep, I saw this huge spider silhouetted against the sky. It was right above my head and lowering itself slowly on its silk. Yikes!!! So I smacked him, but the web didn’t break, so he came swinging right back at me! Got him eventually though… Bright, almost full moon…
Did 3.5 miles to the P.O. by 8:30, right when it opened! Lots of food. Nice to get some mail too. Walked another 2 miles to the I-81 area, lots of gas stations, motels, etc. Bought some snacks and looked for denatured alcohol (for the stove). Looked everywhere for ¾ of an hour. Nothing! So, I bought some isopropyl alcohol instead… Denatured alcohol is often found at paint/hardware stores, and also, which I didn’t realize, gas-line antifreeze products like HEET is usually denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol is basically ethanol with poison added so you don’t drink it. Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) is usually 30% water…
Went to Winn Dixie. I’m getting’ down south!
Hiked 9 miles or so here… some decent hills. Going over McAffee Knob, Tinker Cliffs, and the Dragon’s Tooth tomorrow. The “most scenic” part of Virginia! McAffee Knob is actually the most photographed spot on the trail, or so I’d read.
There is a restaurant in Catawba called the Home Place. They have AYCE for $11 and once you pay you can have ANYTHING on their menu!!! But, it doesn’t open until 4:00. I’ll be past there by then… need to keep a-movin!
Day 86
Wednesday, 9/13/00
Lambert Meadow Shelter to Pickle Branch Shelter
22.1 miles
What a day! Pretty warm last night. Lots of mice scurrying around. Didn’t see them though… Another bright moon!
Easy climb up Tinker Mountain to Tinker Cliffs. Nice views along there. Down and up to McAffee Knob, the most photographed place on the AT. I can see why! Wow, what a view! It was a bit hazy, but still an excellent view. At some shelter below there a guy said he’d had a feast ready for anyone that showed up, but no one did. He took the food and left some beer. (This is according to his entry in the register). Never found any beer…
Went through several cow pastures. Smell reminded me of South Farm (in good ol’ Starkville, Mississippi that is!)… In the woods above a cowfield there were several really big cows munching on leaves. One especially big one started to walk towards me. Then I noticed it had horns and other features only bulls have… He must have been protecting his harem… I hiked really fast!
Went 0.4 miles off trail to a store hoping to fill up on water, but their gas tanks (it was a gas station) had leaked into their water supply. No kidding! In the environmental consulting world, that’s what we call a LUST, leaking underground storage tank. So, I had to buy bottled water. Tasty, but expensive.
Climb up Dragon’s Tooth was supposed to be “really hard”. There were lots of rocky sections where you had to use your hands. Fun! Reminded me of Maine. Bit boring after that.
This shelter is a half mile off the AT. It’s a long half mile! The water source is about another 0.3 miles from there… doubt I’ll have any company.
I used the isopropyl alcohol in my stove. Worked well enough, but much, much slower to boil water than denatured alcohol.
22.2 miles tomorrow and I’ll cross the 1500-mile mark! North Carolina here I come!!!
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