Date: 2015-05-02
From: O'Lystery Campsite

To: Chestnut Knob
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: few clouds

I slept warmly and comfortably. Certainly I was pleased that I did not hear any vehicle traffic during the night as my tent and I are only about 250 yards from a road. Yes, the hiker who came in at 11:00 p.m. was indeed Luna. This morning she felt badly about the "noise" that stemmed from pitching her tent near mine; this is a great campsite except that the ground is so hard packed as you grunt and groan as you try mightly to drive in your tent stakes! I told her not to worry as I had easily fallen back asleep very quickly. Harrison and Phil were brought to the trail by Bubba from the Bland area. Neither had done this section previously, so I'm glad it worked for them to join me today and tomorrow. We headed up the trail with a first stop at Doc Maul Shelter.   The lunch break later on was beside a picturesque stream that must surely hold some colorful brook trout. We met a couple of CPAs from South Carolina there who were out for a section hike. The climb to Chestnut Knob was both challenging and rewarding as the steepness of the terrain was a real workout and yet, the views from the alpine-like meadows on top made you feel as though you were on top of the world. Please check out my photos to share in those majestic vistas with me.The shelter came in sight, but as Phil and Harrison were ahead of me, they had walked a short distance up the trail to camp in the woods. Here came a great treat as Harrison's "mystery supper" was revealed: ribeye steaks cooked on a fire and baked potatoes cooked on the coals. This hiker was in hiker heaven. Wow! What a great surprise and tremendously great meal we shared in the outdoors (beats dehydrated spaghetti anytime). From this point on, we suggested to Harrison that he should adopt a trail name of "Ribeye," "Fireman," "Pyro," or "Chef." So far, Harrison does not seem as though he'll take any of these incredibly good suggestions. James, a young man from West Virginia who had just hit the trail, and his dog (half beagle, half Bassett hound) joined us by pitching his orange tent close by.   Phil led the effort to show James how to adjust his backpack's suspension straps as James' backpack had not been kind to him so far. The results were immediately better; hence, we suggested to James that his trail name should be "Backpack." As with Harrison our powers of trail-naming persuasion did not seem to excite James either.We spent some time around a campfire over at the shelter with the other hikers. Luna and Hoba were here, among many others as well, as the moon was full and the skies simply seemed as though all the infinite number stars in the heavens were too much for the skies to hold.The sun is sinking in the west, so it is time to dive in the sleeping back to stay warm at this higher elevation. What an incredibly memorable day this will be for me.   I've been hiking and camping for over forty-three years when I started as a Tenderfoot scout. Today has been a great day to share friendship and fellowship made possible by two "old" friends and also with new friends on the trail. There is an unmistakable power out here to reflect God's love to all people as we share resources and service for others on their hikes and life's journeys.