Date: 2016-04-01
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: overcast clouds

The rain did finally hit, and I was very glad to be indoors. The shelter is not the best constructed on the trail: I could feel the spray of rain from, well, somewhere, hitting me in the face as the drops came down. When we all woke, Golden Snitch and Seeker were hanging their wet things up to dry. Snitch bemusedly said that he thought his tent would be more waterproof. I also woke up to an extremely rude note in my guest book. Look. My journal is made up of my own opinions and perceptions of the trail and the people on it. While you may disagree with me, it is no more reasonable for you to tell me my opinions and perceptions are wrong than it is for me to say the same of yours. But don't just call me names because you disagree with me. At the end of the day, this is MY journal. This is MY forum to project what I think, and frankly, if you don't like it, there are literally hundreds of others to choose from. But I like it, and know many others do, too. As far as Kincora goes - and I know it means a lot more to other folks - it was nothing more than a business to me. My package arrived at 10:42, it sat on their porch for about four hours, I picked it up and happily tipped them the five dollars that they ask for holding packages, and left after no more than about twenty minutes. Seems to me like I was just as generous with the giving as those who stay there, get laundry done, take a shower and get a bunk for the night for the same price. Bob sounds like a wonderful and incredibly giving guy - he's a legend! - but he wasn't there when I was, and I decided that I would rather stay the night somewhere else. That's it. As far as my shoes go: I love these boots, I've never gotten a blister, and 800 miles in them is nothing to scoff at. The purchase of a Salomon boot doesn't just buy plastic and Gore-Tex, it buys the support and warranty of a reputable company that is apparently willing to replace even heavily worn and blown out boots. I don't think it's cheap of me to be asking for a replacement if they are willing to give it; I still don't know whether the outfitter WILL replace them, but if they do, it says great things about Salomon as a company, not bad things about me as a customer. And keep in mind, before you denigrate me and put Kincora on a pedestal, that it was literally an employee of Kincora who told me I should see if I could get the shoes replaced; I was ready to just toss them out. Consider my soapbox now gone from under me. Dream on headed out just earlier than me, but I passed him momentarily. The whole morning was spent along the Iron Mountain ridge with great views down into the valley below. The valley was filled with fog and green fields before the foothills of the mountains began again to the south and east. There was nothing particular about the hiking. It went up; it went down. The trail wove through narrow rhododendrons. Getting water is tougher than usual up here on the ridge. That challenge will only get more difficult in southern Virginia and Pennsylvania. The trail took a turn to the northeast and wound down off Iron Mountain to a neighboring ridge. Right before the road crossing was a giant orange cage attached to a tree with a big sign on it that said SNACKS! and explained that this was part of the ministry of a local church and a project organized by local 4th-6th grade girls. The magic is apparently restocked daily, which is abnormal for magic, most is one-time so it's strange to have a recurring place for magic. I ate lunch next to the box and helped myself to a Mountain Dew and a few mini cinnamon buns. The trail after the road crossing is apparently the only (or one of the only) handicap accessible mile of the trail, a wide flat gravel path that winds up through a set of pastures. It was very pretty hiking, and easy too, through the low grass of the fields. At the north end I saw a deer jump the barbed wire fence and sprint across the field before vaulting over the other side. The sun came out momentarily and the day became brutally hot and humid. It stayed overcast almost all day, which actually made for pleasant hiking, windy and a little wet but warm. I passed about the fifth Low Gap we've seen and began the last few climbs of the day. I had moved quickly all day, over three miles an hour pretty consistently. I had put in music after Double Springs Shelter and listened to a few Grizzly Bear albums. The trail passed a shelter that was clearly very very old and falling apart, but right on he trail. Soon enough I was at Abingdon Gap Shelter, ten miles short of Damascus. I did not expect to be the first one here, but was alone for quite a while. I changed, rolled out my bag and pad and went down to the water source (FAR) before Hootie showed up about 90 minutes after me. He says he's been feeling sick all day, but made a promise to himself and his father that he'd make it to Virginia by April Fools Day. He decided he wanted to push on at least 7 miles to the border even though he'd been feeling sick all day. Pants and Zenmaster were soon behind and were not so keen on moving on. We all said bye to Hootie and then cooked. Golden Snitch and Seeker arrived shortly after, and we're all together in the shelter tonight. Tomorrow I'll head the few miles down to Virginia and Damascus, and probably spend the day and night there, and get myself ready for 4 long days to Atkins.