Date: 2003-06-30
From: Hightop Hut

To: Rock Spring Hut
Miles today: 23.9
Weather: broken clouds

Okay, technically I only did 15 miles by foot and I yellow blazed the remaining 8.9 miles. And you know what?¢¦. I don¢t care! I had a great day. I woke up around 6:30 when I heard Braids and Whichway packing up. At about 7:00 I got up and made breakfast and packed up my stuff. Whichway wanted us all to be to the truck by 4 so I had no time to mess around on my breaks today. I was out of camp between * and 8:30 with hopes of seeing some wildlife (except for a bear) but I saw nothing but squirrels. I made really good time for a while (3 mph) without trying to, then I guess I must have gotten tired because I really had to push myself to keep that pace. I normally only do 2 mph unless the terrain is pretty easy and today it was. I stopped in at the Lewis Mountain Campground to pick up some resupplies, have a quick lunch, and call Dad. I guess I must have passed Whichway and Braids when they stopped to get water because when I walked out of the phone booth they came walking around the corner. The three of us sat on the porch of the camp store and had lunch. Doritos and 7 up for me. Then we headed out. It¢s kind of funny, well, I guess it¢s more of a habit now, but every time I come to a garbage can I have to dig out my zip lock of garbage and empty it. Anything to lighten my load. J So we had 3 miles to go and we left the campground at 2:00. It was an easy walk and I arrived at the truck by 3:00, Whichway and Braids made it by 3:30 and out of nowhere came Moe, Moses and their friend (can¢t remember his name) 10 minutes later. Those 3 amaze me. They didn¢t get out of camp until after 10 and were still able to be to the truck before 4 pm. If I could only walk that fast. So with the 4 of us and 6 packs piled in the back of the truck we were off to Big Meadows Wayside for some dinner. A nice big bacon cheese burger and French fries¢¦mmmm. It was sooo good! After we stuffed ourselves we all piled back into the truck and headed up the road. They dropped me off at a fire road just past the Rock Spring parking area to get me closer to the hut. After hugging my new friends goodbye and wishing the guys good luck, off I went. The 3 guys were catching a ride with Whichway to the bus station so they could go to the beach for a little vacation before returning back to the trail. I¢m sure I¢ll see them again when they go flying past me. J The walk up the fire road took me all of 2 minutes and I was back on the trail. We had picked the fire road because we knew it would put me closer to the hut but I had no idea it would be as close as it was. I literally walked for no more than 3 minutes and that includes the fire road. There was one other person, a sectioning south bounder, here when I arrived. Talked to him for a few minutes then went up the hill to the camping area to set up my tent. Why do they always put the tent sites up the hill in the Shenandoahs? The hut is just below the tent sites and the cabin is just below that. I kept hearing these noises coming from the cabin that sounded like someone was down there but the south bounder had said no one else was here when I had been talking to him so that¢s what I thought. Only I kept hearing more noises so when I went down to get my water I decided to stop by the cabin and see for myself what all the noise was. I must have been wearing my BRAVE hat at that moment. Nothing to worry about, it was just 2 old guys that had rented the cabin for the night. For $15 a night you get the whole cabin. It is old but still a deal. Chatted with them for a few then off to get my water. When I got back up to the hut someone else came in who was another sectioning south bounder from Orlando. A couple others have since come in but I didn¢t meet them yet because I was already in my tent for the night. Once I got water all I had left to do was hang my food bag, so I did then I jumped in my tent. I¢m gonna sleep soooo good tonight! It¢s cool out and I¢m all comfy in my portable house. Good night! This place is infested with mice! I¢m laying here in my tent listening to them run around outside. The little bastards better not chew on my pack! There¢s nothing in it so it should be safe, but they still better stay away.