Date: 2007-04-30
From: Cow Camp Shelter

To: Dutch Haus-Montebello,VA
Miles today: 12.5

Day #6 Mon Apr 30thThe Sun makes a great alarm clock...we get up & grab a quick start breakfast...camp coffee (double shot) & energy bars & we climb out the 6/10 mile from the shelter back to the trail (...doesnt count! Darn!)"Turbo" left before us...he's planning on stopping @ the Dutch Haus (hostel) also our destination for the day.we start climbing (naturally!) but, the climbs seem to go quicker if they come early in the day...we head straight up Cold Mtn (i remember the movie!) (4,022 ft elevation)..on top are remnants of old stone fences & maybe a livestock pen (maybe for pigs?)...coming off the mtn....Jigsaw & i walk along a couple of Balds (grassy peaks without trees)...beautiful views...almost 360 degree views of the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia.we hike down thru hog Camp Gap & USFS 48 (3,485 ft elevation) then along Tar Jacket Ridge (3,847 ft elevation) & down into Salt Log Gap/USFS 63 (3,257 ft elevation)...My legs are feeling ver "heavy" today.   i tell myself this is normal...they'll feel better by afternoon...yea...that's it!...i hike on...JIGSAW has hiked ahead by this time...(leaving me in the dust, again!hehehehehe)I cross a small creek..here, i try to call "D-bird" (my lovely wife) but, no service...darn cell phones!...i hike on.I meet a thru-hiker from Florida by the name of "Ike"...but, he tells me all the fellow hikers are now calling him..."HIKE"...he's heading to the next shelter...i hike on over USFS 246 & Greasy Spring Rd...then hike to another large stream (i find out later this is the North fork of Piney River)...i re-water..."Hike" is doing the same here...w/ a PUR water filter...(i dont filter my water...just drink it straight outta the stream!...i DO have iodine tabs just in case the water is "questionable")i hike on...over Elk Pond Branch & then to Seely-Woodworth shelter...Jigsaw is already here (of course) along w/ two (father & son) section hikers from NC...then...in comes "Hike"..followed shortly by "Dice" (Maine) & "The Brain" (Vermont) all thru-hikers. We rest for about a hlaf hour here & try to call the Dutch haus...but NO CELL SERVICE here....DARN CELL PHONES!We head for Fish hatchery Rd...passing Porters Field...we get there & call again the Dutch Haus...yea!...Cell Service here!Earl (co-owner)tells us he'll pick us up in 30 minutes....we hurry down the bumpy Fish hatchery Rd. (1.1.mile walk...NOT on the trail).."The Brain" has joined us for the walk...as promised...Earl rolls up in his big truck as we walk into the parking lot...load our gear in the back & about 10 minutes later we're @ the hostel with a nice, chilled glass of tea in our hands......NICE!Very Nice hostel! Listed as a Bed & Breakfast in montebello,VA in all the hiking brochures...they've been helping hikers for a number of years now.Earl shows us to our rooms (Jigsaw & i share a room with twin beds) "The Brain" gets a room to himself...nice.HOT SHOWER felt GREAT!!!they do our dirty laundry & dry it...while we relax in a robe...i might take a nap...4:30pm We have Lasagna & meatballs for supper, along with Quesidillas, asparagus soup, bread sticks, & chocolate chip peanut butter pie for dessert...yummmmmmmmy!We talked after dinner for abt an hour...good conversation with "The Brain", Earl & Lois & Me & Jigsaw.Earl & Lois Wikum, owners of the Dutch Haus are good people...Super nice & bend over backwards to help hikers...Check 'em out if you're near Montebello,VAI'm tired...sleep in a real bed tonight...Life is GOOD!                           12.5 miles today                     (+1.1 miles that didnt count!)