Date: 2005-05-12
From: Petites Gap, USFS 35

To: US 501, Va. 130
Miles today: 9.9

Today is Thursday May twelfth. We spent a night in Glasgow Virginia at Mom and Pops, which was the Right Place. At one time it was called that. It was just OK. Was just your cheap little motel, bed was not the greatest. But it was convenient for setting up the cars today. Got up at six o'clock. We're out of there 6:16am. Drop one car off down at James River at US 501. Came up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway to Petites Gap, USFS 35. There had breakfast. A couple vehicles came in and dropped one car off. The guys got in their other car. And they left. And then another guy came up looked at the sign. And he finally left. And we got on the trail at 8:15. And we had to climb this one mountain, High Cock Knob. About a 1.2 mile climb, seven hundred feet. It was OK. And then we come down, got on some of the original AT trail from the thirty's. Great shape, great slope. Really nice, got down to Marble spring. There was one lone hiker getting ready to break camp. And we kept going. And right when we got to the gap we saw the two guys that had dropped the one car off earlier. They came up the trail. they said there were great views from both sides right here, so we are on an old road up there. Stood there and talked to them for a little while. And we said you guys like punishment, going uphill. here we are meeting them, And were not anywhere near half way and we took the easy way. The one guy, he was the talker and he said he's out here to give the other guy, who's a pastor, give him his penance. And the other guy says well I might start complaining yet. They knew a lot of things about the area. And then we left, and now we're continuing on down the trail. Looking for a spot eventually for lunch, and then the car.  We walked and walked and walked. Saw lots and lots of rhododendron blooming. They are beautiful and some great views of the James River and the valley or gorge that it cut. And a lot of Azalea blooming. And we took a lunch, about a half hour lunch. And we made it down to Matt¢s Creek shelter at one thirty and 1:45pm were on our way out. There was one guy passed us a thru hiker. And then we caught up with him at Matt¢s Creek shelter. Terry talked to him while I went to the bathroom. And he's Dubois Of the Woods. I think he's foreign. And of course he started back the wrong way on the trail. And I ask Terry, I'm coming back from the bathroom, where is he going? I guess he didn't hear us, finally up there on the hillside talking away, and we yell" hey it's down here". So we got him on the right track. Terry says Dubois wants to go in to Glasgow; he's looking for a McDonald's, which Terry told him there is none. So we're discussing if we will get the opportunity to give him a ride. We¢ll see. But anyhow, on to the river and the neat James River footbridge and our car. There was one southbound Hiker that we passed and just said hi to. and then there was another guy coming up with just the camera in his hand along the river. And then we finally got to the bridge and walked across the James River bridge, and got back to our car at US 501, Va. 130 at 2:45pm. We're glad to be done again, ten miles and about our limit maybe, I shouldn't say that because we are talking about doing twenty miles one day. We got back in the car and came back up to the Petites Gap and got our Minivan and now we're going to take the rental car back down to US 501 on the river and leave it there overnight, and that'll save us some shuttling in the morning.