Date: 2009-05-23
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Johns Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: broken clouds

Thom got up first, around 6:15 am. I was extremely tired and did not feel like getting up. I really wanted some of Starbuck's coffee (he offered us some the night before if we got up at 6). I finally convinced Erik to go down and ask, but it was too late...So, I got up, packed up my things, and then cooked my oatmeal down at the picnic table. As we hiked that morning, I still felt tired, which was an unusual feeling for me. I thought it must be the cold. We checked out the view at the Thunder Ridge Overlook (pretty hazy), and continued on to High Cock Knob. I wasn't sure if we were at the summit, but a southbounder assured us we were ("it's all downhill from here"). There was no view and it was quite buggy, and we tried to find a piece of ground without poison ivy (which was all over that area). Thom decided to go ahead to the spring a mile away to filter water. Turns out the southbounder was wrong (never ask someone travelling in the opposite direction what the terrain they just covered is like! Most brains throw that information out as soon as it's over and only focus on what is ahead...) We were not yet at the summit... The climb ahead was still steep!   We crossed paths with another boy scout troop at the intersection of the path leading to the spring and caught up with the troop who had camped near us at Thunder Hill Shelter when we arrived at Matts Creek Shelter. Erik and I got there first and decided to soak our feet in the creek while we ate lunch. I normally don't do this as I don't like to take off my gaitors, shoes, socks, dry my feet and put everything back on. So that kind if break was nice and different for me.      Our next destination was the James River Footbridge, which I knew a lot of thru-hikers jump off. I had been wondering for quite some time if I would do that, as well. As we got closer to the bridge, I heard huge cannonball- like splashes and knew people were jumping off of it already. I felt comforted to know that others were doing what I hoped to. The jump was about 30 feet down to the water and I hadn't realized that the bridge had huge metal crossbars all along it that had to be climbed over in order to make the jump. Most of the jumpers were local teenagers. There was one girl who was too scared to jump and was being gently coaxed by a young man. He finally jumped without her. By the time I got up to the bridge, she was still standing there. A couple of guys who had already jumped told us that those of us who hadn't yet jumped, needed to go first. I stood up there for awhile, taking everything in. It was up there that I noticed that both of my heels were discolored and bruised! Finally, it was time for me to take the plunge... The closer that I got to actually jumping, the scarier it became! I asked the two guys to my left to give me a countdown. "3,2,1..." I didn't do anything. I really wanted them to count the other way, so I asked them to please do that. "1... 2..." I knew I had to do it then. I thought that this journey is all about overcoming my fears and insecurities and things that hold me back, and on 3, I jumped, and I screamed. The impact did not come as quickly as I had expected, and it hurt, but I did it!      A little while later, I noticed that Elizabeth was not standing on the bridge. She had jumped, too! As I climbed up the bridge stairs again, this time to cross it with my backpack, a couple of kids were bent over, peering at some water snakes below. I had jumped into snake invested water! Being around the kids, and maybe the swimming and hiking, made me start craving a hamburger and milkshake! However, there were no options nearby, and so we hiked on to the next shelter... It was about 6:30 when we reached Johns Hollow Shelter. Early! It was infiltrated with people out for Memorial Day. Unfortunately, there were no thru-hikers, there. I was hoping to introduce Thom and Erik to some of my fellow hikers, but I guess they got to see my typical AT experience of being alone. A whipporwill was causing a racket (and would do the same early in the morning). We had a big day the following day, so we decided to go to bed early and get up at 5:30 am.