Date: 2012-05-01
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: light rain

This morning I was up early because I wanted to finish the big climb of the day before it got too hot out but I got on the trail a little later than I wanted at 7:30am. The first part of the trail had only a few ups and downs and I got through them in a hurry. I got to the base of the 2000 foot climb and took a break to eat my cheese danish and drink some water, but apparently I left my danish on the table back at the shelter and that's a hiker foul....Medicine Man ended up eating it and said it was good. So I ate some of my other goodies I had in my pocket and started up the mountain. While I was going up, I caught up to Sugar Plumb, Yard Stick, Dakota Dan, Father Man and Connect Four. I ran into them at different points and was surprised that I was passing people on an up hill...I am the one that usually gets passed! I must really be getting my trail legs or it might be my new lighter pack but whatever it was, I was liking it!Once I finally got to the top of the steeper part of the climb, the trail went through some old farm fields for two or three miles and I got to the next shelter by 11:30. That meant I maintained 3 mph average with a hard climb...I am really starting to like this new pack! I was to meet up with Big Sky, Medicine Man, Bird Man and Blue Fox there so I just relaxed while I waited. Soon everyone I had passed while going up the mountain caught up to me and they all took breaks and continued on so I was the only one there. After waiting for two hours with no sign of them getting there any time soon, I decided to leave a note for them and continue on to the next shelter where we all had planned to stay. I got on my pack and took one steep out of the shelter and I heard a very deep rumble of thunder. I turned around and the sky was pitch black! Here a thunder storm had snuck up on me while I was waiting and resting. I decided to wait the storm out inside the shelter and before long the wind was blowing, the lighting was zapping, it started to pour and hail so I was glad I stayed. About half way through the storm, I saw Big Sky and Blue Fox walking up the trail with their rain gear on and once they saw the shelter they hurried into the shelter...about five minutes later Medicine Man and Bird Man did the same. They were all a little grumpy that they were wet and I was dry but they should have gone with me and not hung around at the shelter in the morning (haha)...I guess I just got lucky on this one! I cant miss them all. Once the storm passed we continued on up the trail in sunny weather but because of the storm it got really humid out. I went first and once again soon lost the rest of the gang but decided to continue on because I could hear another storm coming from behind. On the map the trail looked fairly easy, but it was rocky and had a lot of small steep ups and downs. I had to stop a few times to take a short break because I was thirsty and had no energy. I would grab a snack from my pocket and soon I was once again powering up and down the hills but the storm was still catching up to me. While I was hiking, I turned a corner and I heard something running through the leaves and saw three black bears, a mother and two cubs. They took off down the mountain so fast that I did not have time to get my camera out so I did not get any pictures of my first bear sighting on the trail. I waited a few minutes to give them some space and continued on. I made sure to make some noise to let them know I had passed by. Soon after, I got to a road crossing and found some trail magic in two coolers; they both had water in them because this section of the trail is on the ridge line of the mountain and it can be hard at times to find water up here. I sat down and drank a bottle of water and as I was sitting, it started to drizzle so I did not stay long. From there I only had four miles until I got to the shelter with most of it down hill so I continued my fast pace to try and stay ahead of the storm. The storm did eventually pass by to the west and the sun was back out by the time I got to the shelter at 5:30pm. The shelter was full by the time I got there so I picked out a good spot and pitched my tent.   I was starving and decided to go ahead and eat supper while I was waiting for the rest of the group to show up. It took forever but finally at 8:00pm Medicine Man and Bird Man showed up and they were exhausted. They said that Big Sky, Blue Fox and a few others decided to hitch into town for the night and they will catch up with us later. So I guess I will stick with my schedule and try to get to Pearisburg VA in three and a half days and meet them there. But I am planning on doing two 20+ mile days in the next two days and I don't think they can keep up with that so I don't know whats going to happen...I just hope it works out that we meet up somewhere. Well its past nine and time for bed, tonight I am using my awning on my tent for the first time and I am being put to sleep by the noise of the creek and a whippoorwill...good night all.