Date: 2014-04-24
From: Niday Shelter

To: Johns Spring Shelter
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Today felt immediately productive because we got out of bed relatively on time, leaving the shelter well before 8:00 AM. While I like sleeping in as much as the next person, the day is always less hectic when you get an early start, and I like having time for a leisurely lunch break whenever possible.It turned out to be a good thing we left early today in particular, as around 1:00 PM we reached one of the highlights of the Virginia AT section, Dragon¢s Tooth. This jagged collection of boulders made for a semi-rock climb and provided excellent views of the surrounding valleys. Before Dragon¢s tooth, the trail was beautifully maintained and smooth, allowing us to cruise through over a dozen miles in very little time.After Dragon¢s Tooth, the trail turned into a cliff and rock scramble, bringing our progress to a crawl. We had to edge our way down 15-20 foot cliff faces using footholds only a few inches wide. This lasted for around three miles, and while fun and exhilarating, it was hell on the ankles.When I mentioned a few entries back that I had run out of water, I forgot to mention why: the valve of my water bladder finally gave out leaking water all inside of my pack instead of feeding into my drinking hose. Thus, I have only been able to use my one liter water bottle for reliable hydration. In most sections of the trail, this would likely be fine, but since we have been following the ridgeline, opportunities to refill my water supply have been very far apart. After lunch, I was again waterless for several miles, a situation made less pleasant by the hot sun and lack of tree cover.Yet for every low on the trail, there is a corresponding high, and today the trail paid us back big time. After descending down Dragon¢s tooth, we crossed a road with a hiker-friendly local grocery nearby. There we rehydrated, recouped and dug into freshly made peanut butter brownies. I also picked up a second Gatorade bottle, giving me way to store two liters of water until I can replace my water bladder.We left for another six miles of hiking, after which we were 1.5 miles from the most talked about restaurant on the trail: The Homeplace in Catawba, VA. This all-you-can-eat heaven specializes in homegrown vegetables and classic southern meats. We were able to quickly hitch down to the Homeplace, arriving at a delightful, southern plantation style building bustling with patrons. After quickly washing off our sweat and dirt collection, we proceeded to dine on fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, pinto beans, cinnamon apples, and homemade biscuits with apple butter. For dessert we had apple cobbler with ice cream, and our drinks were sweet tea and lemonade, which we promptly mixed into Arnold Palmers. All of that was only $15, completely delicious and worth every penny. I haven¢t been this full since I started my trek.After dinner, Birdman, hawk, Sea Biscuit, Mechanic and I were able to get a ride back to the trailhead, and we hiked one mile into an empty shelter.Tomorrow I plan to wake up and hike extra early in order to experience sun rise on McAfee Knob, which is one of the most beautiful (and most photographed) views on the trail. Tomorrow calls for rain, but the sky is completely clear and filled with stars as I write this. I¢m hoping my luck will hold out until then.BONUS: I saw a tiny bear cub peeking over the top of a ridgeline today, wondering what us crazy humans were up to. Outside of the occasional scat, this was the first real bear sighting so far, and even though he was likely 100 yards away, it was still a cool thing to see.