Date: 2008-05-01
From: 2.5 miles north of Vandeventer Shelter

To: Tenting 1.5 miles n of Abingdon Gap Shelter, TN
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: clear sky

I slept great last night. I woke up to the drumming of a male grouse about 6am, just as it was getting light out.I hadn't used my JetBoil stove for a while, so I fumbled around with it trying to remember my routine.I got it going and brewed 24.7 ounces of Stumpknocker Blend coffee....I felt like I needed a little extra this morning. :-)It was a mild 43 degrees out while I lay in my tent and enjoyed 8 ounces of chocolate mini donuts and my coffee.That male grouse kept drumming right though breakfast.It's been four months today since I started this walk and I've only made about 430 miles. I would be willing to bet I'm the slowest nobo this year. Ha!! :-)I got packed up and started walking north at 7:25am. The sun is coming up nicely and it looks like it's going to be another beautiful day.I got to the spring just before Iron Mtn Shelter and drank a liter of water and filled one water bottle. The springs are running so good right now that I don't need to carry more than a liter at a time.I stopped at Iron Mtn Shelter and met Cannibal who is thru hiking and his girl friend, Genuine Draft, who is out for a short while.I signed the register and walked on.I got to Nick Grindstaff's Memorial. He was born exactly 101 years before me....December 26th, 1851. He died on July 22, 1923. It says on the stone; ¢Lived alone, suffered alone and died alone".Boy, what a different life out here in the woods. I love bike riding, but it's always nice to get back into the woods and listen to birds singing and watch spring coming in with all the plants blooming.I got to the stream just before Tenn. 91 and met Spiderman and Little Bear. They started at Springer twelve years ago and have made it this far. They're walking into Damascus on this trip.I crossed Tenn. 91 and entered my favorite farm walk on the AT. If I ever won the lottery, I'd buy someplace just like that....but I'd have to actually play the lottery to win and I don't do that. Oh well, guess I'll just enjoy walking through this farm today. :-)I stopped at a bench that a Trail crew thoughtfully place in the middle of the farm just for me! I enjoyed my lunch there which consisted of chicken salad, crackers, Fritos and diced peaches.Spiderman and Little Bear came walking up just as I was finishing lunch, so I gave them the bench and I walked on. I think they were going to spend some time there because Little Bear got her mat out and looked like she was going to take a nap.I drank another liter of water and filled my bottle again at the nice spring about two miles later.I got to Double Springs Shelter and talked to G-town Colonel for a while. He said he was glad I walked in because he forgot which way he walked in from. I told him I was a southbounder. :-)I signed the register and I walked on, then he followed. I guess he didn't believe I really was a sobo. Ha! :-)I came across a burned area. It lasted for about 2 miles all the way to U.S. 421.I stopped at another nice spring at U.S. 421 and sat down for while to drink some nice cool water and rest my weary feet. (I have no idea why I'm walking this many miles after not walking for so long)G-town Colonel came up and we talked a while. He said that a cross country bike ride is in his future after seeing that someone like me can do it. Was that a compliment or not?I walked over McQueen's Knob and by the old shelter without stopping.I got to Abingdon Gap Shelter and sat down to eat dinner. Rest Step was there and I met Retread and Long Way True.Long Way True said we had met once before at the SoRuck. I remember her face, but not the name.I cooked dinner and kept squishing black flies that were swarming. Sure don't like those little buggers.I walked on and came up to a tent with two thru hikers in it. I stopped long enough to say hello and find out their names are Barley and Rain.I walked on another 12 mile and found a nice flat spot to set up my tent.I even got some black flies inside the tent while I set it up and when I got inside; I laid down and squished the buggers. :-)I'm set up for a short walk into Damascus, VA in the morning where I'm planning to stay an extra day.Some of you may not know it, but I try to send in a few pictures each day to show what I'm seeing out here. Go to the photo section on the left toolbar to get to them.Oh yeah, I'm talking to some of the thru hikers that were on the Trail when Chief was out here and they said they found gear he tossed when that little snow flurry hit and he called his wife to rescue him. They said it was good gear.....too bad the guy that owned it didn't know how to use it. ;-)Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)