Date: 2005-06-16
From: Hogback (second peak)

To: Mosbey's Camp
Miles today: 19.3

Up and gone by 6 AM this morning. What an awesome night. I woke a few times and enjoyed the clear view. The lights in the towns below were outstanding. It appeared that the larger town to my off right was Front Royal, VA.    Front Royal was where I was heading this day, to the post office, to recover my mosquito netting. I recall the first three hours I did 9 miles. The weather was cool, the load was light and the trail was easy going. I was also coming to the end of the Shenandoah National Park. I saw three more Black Bears that morning (one adult and two cubs) making it a total of fourteen thus far. The vegetation there was taller then the cubs when standing so they would climb a tree, look at me and then jump to the ground. It was quite comical, it reminded me of a circus performance. This must of happened at least a dozen times before they were out of sight. There may have been a third cub, they never were visible all at once except when they finally walked away and I got a count of three bodies.   I met three section hikers that day. First there was Sirius and his dog Soda Hound (yes the dog loved soda and was a Hound Dog), and then a young couple called Rite Aid (Carolisa) and Camp 7 (Mark). Camp 7 was taking a little leave time away from the service (I wished him good luck).    At Chester Gap and US-522 I hitched a ride to town. I walked another mile or so till I found the Post Office. My package was there and I pulled out the net and sent the rest home. It was so hot I could barely stand it. A nice elderly woman asked if I would like to join her and sit on her porch. I thanked her but reluctantly moved on. What nice people in this town and talk about your confederate history. Everywhere you looked there was a museum or point of historical reference. I could have stayed there longer but the heat drove me on. I wound up going to the local KFC joint and stayed there for over an hour, sitting in the air conditioned dinning area, eating chicken and drinking tea (heaven on earth indeed). Shortly there after I laid all my wet gear in the sun behind the 7-11 style store and then went shopping. I found that the Rite-Aid stores carry little items (like small tooth paste and the like). One thing I bought there and always carried with me was Hand Wipes with Aloe. I learned over the years that using them, in conjunction with the paperwork you do in the Privy, you avoid the "Hiker's Rash". Combined with a little "Gold Seal" powder and you were good to go. Once again available there in small portions at the pharmacy.   I hitched back to the trail head and found Doc sitting there. This is when he told me of his Bear encounter the day before. He was heading home so I was glad to see him once again. He wished me luck and was picked up within minutes, then gone for good.    I ran into Gozar eventually and we wound up spending the night at a place called Mosbeys Camp. Mosbey was a Confederate Raider who fought in this area during the Civil War. Like I said, a great deal of history here in this "neck of the woods". Gozar, being from the area, knew a lot about the man. I respected the fact that he was a guerilla warfare fighter (my old occupation).    The camp is not listed in the Hikers Handbook, it is located near the "Tom Sealock Spring" (at mile 958.6). I could imagine the Raiders getting there water from the same spring that I dipped my Nalgene bottles in to. Gozar was leaving the trail the next day to visit friends. We hoped to see each other somewhere "up the trail". Too tired to start a fire we settled in for the night. I was so glad to have my mosquito netting back.