Date: 2009-06-01
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Pickle Branch- Campsite
Miles today: 22.5

What a day! Bark and I were up and actually on the trail by 7am this morning. I have found it very difficult to keep sleeping after the sun starts to rise. Even if I wanted to sleep in, (and believe me, I do!), the sun shines so bright we have to wake up. It does make for beautiful and cool mornings and since the weather st starting to really heat up, we will start as early as we need to. We were glad to have finally caught up with Flatlander and began our hike with him today. We stayed together for a little while until we needed a photo and bathroom break. Along the trail there was an unnamed/ unmarked historic house- pretty dark and a little creepy so we took a pic and headed out. The pasture walking has been a favorite of both Bark and myself. Today we got our fix! It was sunny and clear all day. You could see for miles all around- a few cows here and there, a white country church with a beautiful steeple and plenty of stiles (ladders) to climb as we crossed some property fences. One of the highlights of today's hike came pretty early on in the morning. The Keffer Oak is believed to be around 300 years old and is approximately 18 feet around! We were worried we had missed it until right in front of us, there it stood. Incredible!!! Neither one of us had ever seen a tree quite so big- we stopped and took a few pics and ended up having a snack with Ninja, Hardcore, Sideshow and Baltimore (not Jack). When everyone was finished we headed out for the first significant climb of the day- it was a tough one. Whoever said VA is flat, has never hiked in VA. The up's seem to be increasingly steep and the ridgelines can be knobby as well. Once on top of the ridge we found ourselves hiking with Hardcore who we just met outside of Pearisburg. The trail took us right to an incredible rock outcropping which not only welcomed astounding views, but provided the perfect lunch spot. It was an opportune time for conversation with Hardcore. The three of us moved on from there and Hardcore hiked with us and we talked a good bit -our beliefs, our families, the hike... a wide spectrum. Before everyone left the shelter this morning Phoenix told us that today would be the day that mother nature would bless us- well he was correct about that. We saw a pretty big Black Snake and a nice little Garden Snake. Luckily both are harmless! The breaks were over and another big climb was in the plan for the day. We started out pretty fast and realized quickly that with the heat and the steep climb, we had better take it easy. It was very difficult, but there is always a huge sense of victory and accomplishment when you make it to the top. Instead of a view at the top we had a very interesting summit- a very nice memorial was placed on the mountain for Audey Murphy- the most decorated WWII veteran. There were flowers and flags decorating his memorial- the approximate spot of where his plane crashed. And just as far as we went up that mountain, it took us back down, and down... and down some more. We were only a couple of miles from our stopping point for the night, but I was pretty zapped by the heat so Bark and I decided to camp a little before the shelter (but not before Bark jumped in the creek) and we called it a night after we rehydrated and ate a good meal. Besides, Bark always enjoys building a camp fire