Date: 2014-05-26
From: Dan's House in Warrenton, VA

To: Bootens Gap mm 914.9
Miles today: 12.9

Up early and packing my back pack. Had the rest of cinnamon toast. Ate the whole loaf myself trying as I said to pack on the calories. After Dan and Charm got up we hit the local Starbucks and I got a 500 calorie frappacino. Back home Dan worked on getting his trucks back together - he's really handy. We left around 12 and stopped at WALMART for some last minute items. We also stopped on our way aand got gas, snack and something to eat for tonight. Got on Skyline Drive and after some pics I headed out at 2. Dan and Charm were headed with the dog to another point to do a 6 mile round trip hike today. It was really nice time at Dans relaxing and resting. Visiting his friends and just hanging with him and Charm was really great. I look forward to possibly seeing him in the fall and especially Landon who I didn't get to see this time. However, it felt so good to be back on the trail. It was a little warm but not too bad. It was mostly an uneventful day until ... coming down the backside of Bald face Mtn it was a little rough and I was watching my feet when ..... I topped over a small hill on a curve and off to my right ..... yes you guessed it ..... there was a bear 10 yards away - A BIV ONE! But before I could even think about taking a picture he deftly pivoted away and scurried over a knoll and out of sight. What a surprise for the both of us. I continued to make good time and stopped at mm 907.7 where there was suppose to be a spring and was going to fill up as there wasn't any water for the next 9 miles and I couldn't find any and thought I would have to ration my last liter. Yet as luck would have it a half mile down the trail there was a small unmarked spring going right across the trail! Thank you God. With 3 liters I headed out for Bearfence shelter about 2.5 miles away but after 2 hours it didn't appear I got to the top of the mtn and looked at the guide profile I realized some how I had missed it. Now the dilemma was where to tent given all the rules for the Shenandoah National Park as to where you can tent and the fact that the next shelter was 11.5 miles away and it was going to be dark in an hour or so. I checked the guide book and decided to go Bootens Gap where there was a parking lot at mm 914.9. When I got there I ate the chicken sandwich I got earlier and thought about where to tent. I spotted a forest service road and while you are not suppose to camp there I had to go somewhere. Following the road I found a flat spot, hung my bear bag and pitched my tent. As I journaled it got dark and the forest seem to come alive with animal activity. At first it didn't bother me as I figured it was probably just deer, but after a while and listening closer I could tell it was bears by the shuffling of the coot steps. Normally this would have been ok but I didn't like not being able to see outside my tent and knowing how close they might be. After about an hour of this I decided enough was enough and got my gear together and went up to the parking lot where I cowboy camped under the stars. It wasn't the most comfortable thing but at least I didn't end up as a burrito snack for a bear. THERE is always something new on the trail.