Date: 2017-04-23
From: Stealth camping on ridge line near Pickle Branch

To: Lamberts Meadow Shelter, mid-VA
Miles today: 21.1

The weather put paid to any chance this day had of making it into my Top Five Days on the AT. On a sunny day it almost certainly would have. I got on the trail early, at 7:39, with fog and mist giving everything a Gothic look. Within less than three miles I had climbed to the top of Cove Mountain where I ditched my pack to take a short side trail to see Dragon's Tooth, a monolithic rock on the edge of a cliff. It would make a great setting for a scene from Game of Thrones. The descent from Cove, though, was for me the most technical I've encountered on the trail so far, down rocks where every step and pole plant had to be planned in advance, and where a misstep could have resulted in a serious fall. Sometimes I had to let my poles just hang from my wrists and use my hands to haul myself into positions I could advance from. In two places the trail maintainers had put in stainless steel rungs as otherwise there was no way anybody other than a rock-climber, and certainly not a hiker with a heavy pack, could have been expected to make it down. On the descent, I passed the 700-mile mark. Then it was on to McAfee Knob 12 miles away, across varied terrain including pastureland with grazing cows. The ascent to the Knob begins at a parking lot right on a main road. Even though it is a trek of almost four miles, it is a favorite with locals and visitors alike, who can take the 'difficult and strenuous' AT trail up, or the gentler 'scenic route'. As it had begun to rain some time before I arrived at the parking lot, there were only a few hardy hikers who had driven up to do the climb. I stopped at a shelter one mile into the climb, and finished off my jar of Nutella. I came back on the climb with engines roaring, and powered my way up. The trail had become a stream, often with water pooled along it. By the time I reached the summit, from which of course there were no views, I was soaked and reluctantly opted to don my poncho. Good move. This time I was able to get it on easily over me and my pack and it helped me warm up, which was a good thing as the temperature seemed to drop as the afternoon wore on. Five more miles of slogging through mud and puddles got me to Tinker Cliffs, which were breathtaking, especially as the trail meandered for a considerable distance right by the edge, which would not be for the faint of heart, or for me if it were windy. I had the cliffs to myself in the rain. Shortly after the cliffs, I saw two more of those orange lizards. I will have to Google them. I rolled into the destination shelter after 11 hours and 16 minutes of hiking. There was a crowd there, including Surly, a friend of Lucky Cub and Sweet Spot. I last saw him just before Greasy Creek Hostel, over 300 miles ago. Everybody started making room for me, but I opted to tent. "Brave man", said KJ, one of the crowd. And setting up in the rain by the nearby river meant I got stuff wet and a trifle muddy, but nothing abysmal. I woke at 1:15 with the rain lashing the tent and some was leaking in. It was bound to happen sooner or later.Tipperary