Date: 2005-05-02
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Bland, Virginia - Big Walker Motel
Miles today: 11.5

I had a good easy hike into Bland Virginia today and am sharing a motel room with Pace. It was very cold overnight and everyone mentioned it this morning. I was ok in my 20 degree bag and silk liner. We awoke at dim first light and started to stir. I was ready by 7:30. Hellboy and 6Stringer had already left. There were a couple of climbs around 1000 feet but I was strong and did well. Seth caught up to me and we hiked together for awhile on easy flat terrain. He caught me just north of the High Water Bypass trail for the Wolf Creek area. We both had decided not to take the bypass, though I guess this section can be dangerous if there have been recent heavy rains. Wolf Creek is noted for about 12 crossings in a little over two miles, plus another dozen crossings of side streams running down into Wolf. It was a great time. Seth had low cut boots and mine are regular height. We laughed and splashed our way through the first half mile, the water getting deeper and the stream ever wider with each crossing. Finally Seth's boots were completely overwhelmed so he took them off and put on his Crocks (camp shoes) and splashed on through. The rocks were slippery and we blundered across some of the remaining crossings. For others, we took pride in finding the most advantageous ford, sometimes requiring much creativity as we searched up and down the bank for a line of rocks in the streambed, many times zig-zagging back and forth up or downstream. Often the bank was a tangle of underbrush making entry and exit from the stream interesting. I wondered if we looked like a couple of hesitant wildebeasts from one of those Discovery Channel documentaries where they stare closely at the water, checking for crocodiles before plunging in. The water seldom got over the tops of my boots as I tiptoed over the protruding rocks, not to say that I got off completely dry. It was fun. We guessed that we had crossed for the last time so Seth stopped to change to his boots again. I went on. In about 300 yards I came to the place where the High Water Bypass rejoined the A.T. In about another 200 yards I came to the footbridge over Laurel Creek. I waited for Seth to come and take my picture, but he never showed. I went across the bridge to meet Bill, Trail Dreamer, and another man whose name I did not get, who pick up hikers there, take them to their home (or church?) for a free breakfast (a ministry of New Hope Church) and then back to the trail. I was not hungry and wanted to make Bland as early as possible so I skipped the trail magic. While I was talking with them Pace came along. He had taken the High Water Bypass trail, and must have rejoined the A.T. after I had passed the junction but before Seth had reached it. We both decided to continue on, but were puzzled as to where Seth could be. August and Wood had camped near Laurel Creek (one on each side, I heard, them not knowing how close they were to each other at the end of the day before) after hiking five miles ahead last night, so I passed one of them still buttoned down in his tent. Across the road and a few steps ahead was a big styrofoam cooler with Milky Way bars and orange juice. It was very refreshing. The next seven miles were great. There were some significant climbs, and some rocky places but mostly it was nice trail with good views down into the valley with farms, and eventually the small community of Bastian Va. came into view. I was probably 1500 feet above the valley. The trail traversed the side of the high ridge into deep coves in the mountain side with long steep views slanting into the forest of large tree trunks below, and then out to a point before turning back into the next cove. This repeated dozens of times and was a really fun hike. I kept expecting Seth to catch me but I hit the gravel road and then paved Virginia 52 at the Mountaintop Holiness Church, and still no Seth. It had turned very cold. As I stood beside the road for a hitch, I put on more layers and my hands started to turn numb since my gloves were buried deep in the pack and I did not retrieve them. I decided if I did not catch a ride by 1:30, I would at least start to walk the 2 1/2 miles down the winding mountain road to Bland. I prayed for someone to stop and sure enough, an older gentleman in a beat up pickup pulling a trailer with a John Deere lawn tractor soon pulled over. He was a very friendly country gentleman with a weathered look, and he dropped me off at the Dairy Queen right across the road from the Big Walker Motel. I went in to order a double cheeseburger with fries and a drink, noticing that Pace was seated there. I joined him and we spent an hour talking about our trips and the morning's hike. He asked if I wanted to share a room at the motel, so we are splitting a room for the night. We went down to the Dollar General and got our supplies for the trip to Pearisburg. While there I saw August again, and he and Wood are doing fine. 6Sringer is also here at the motel, and the three of us are planning to meet at DQ at 7:00 in the morning for breakfast and to see about the trip back up to the trail. 6Stringer also told me that both he and Seth had gone with Bill and Trail Dreamer for the free breakfast, so I was glad to know what had become of them. Pace and I had dinner at DQ again and we are set for the night. It was so good to shower, and sleeping on a mattress tonight will be a treat. Today was alot of fun with the many things to experience. I called in my progress to the gang at the office and I talked with Marlene for awhile. It was good to check in with her. She is doing fine and they had a great time at the Ladies Retreat - the best ever she said. So this was a good full day. I will read some, watch a little TV and turn in. Goodnight Sweetheart.