Date: 2004-06-03
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: broken clouds

On the morning of June 3rd we woke up to deer not more than 30 feet from the shelter. Actually, the brothers were up first for their big day. Buick was the last to rise. It was an open forest, now that it could be seen. There was a great water source (stream) near by. The privy was a masterpiece of a painting, a kind of multi plane mural complete with flora and fauna artwork. Pretty strange in fact. Too bad there's no photo. The morning was damp but clearing. A nice start to our second month. The brothers were the first to hit the trail and we bade them well.The brothers had told us of the nasty time they had with river crossings yesterday just north of here. They had been unable to keep from slipping in. The handbook spoke of 12 crossings in a stretch of 2 miles. That is pretty intense. It also mentioned an alternate blue blazed high water route. We discussed this considering last nights rain and thought it would be a good idea to take the high water route.The register here at Jenkins Shelter would be the first to bare the signature of ¢The Voyageur¢. That finally felt right. From now on when asked, that's the name I would give. Having signed the book it was time to say see ya later to the late rising Buick and head up the trail into the mottled sunlight of the first day of my second month on the trail. This was definitely doable. It was a good feeling.Before long the trail brought me to the sign for the high water route. It followed a contour line for almost the full two miles and then plummeted to the river in just a few switchbacks that demanded a run. The river looked full enough. The high water route was the right decision. Just over the bridge the trail crossed a small road and reentered the woods on the flat along a small creek. A few hundred yards in, there were some campsites with picnic tables and trashcans. Then the miracle happened. Five feet off the right side of the trail sat a large white cooler. A sign on the cooler invited only thru-hikers to partake of its contents as a gift from the good folks at a local church. The cooler was full of small bottles of orange juice and other juices packed in ice. Unbelievable, I was ecstatic. Wow, what a wonderful thing to do for strangers passing through the wilderness. Lots of hikers talked about trail magic in the form of food stashed in a cooler on the side of the trail but this was my first experience. It is impossible to explain just how this can make a thru-hiker feel. It was great. Now it was time for a 600 foot climb. Not bad.The trail seemed to follow lots of old logging road grades today. It was moderately graded and free of rocks and most all obstacles. It contoured along a seemingly endless ridge as it undulated in and around arms and ridges. Interstate 77 came into view and stayed there for the longest time. This might not seem to be an issue but the trail had to cross this highway. Finally it climbed to a dirt road. Just before that there was a cooler but alas it was empty.The Highway and the White Blaze:The dirt road descended in both directions but after a quick scan from the middle of the road a white blaze appeared about 50 feet down the left side. My boots happily bounced down the mountain road as it wound its way passed a giant cell tower and a few homes complete with barking dog and sly cat. Usually, road walking makes me pretty unhappy but this half mile was fine. It was still in the forest. It was still dirt. It was downhill. Really, it was the first road walk of any length in a very long time. Sure, it was fine.Then this little road ended at a sharp bend in a bigger paved road. This road too, descended in both directions. I-77 was visible not far below to the left. There was a sign here at the intersection indicating the trail southbound up the dirt road. Someone had neatly written in Sharpe on the back of the sign which way and how far to the towns of Bastian and Bland, Virginia. There was, however, no clear indication just which way northbounders should go. The right seemed to go away from I-77 so the left became my choice. This way descended quickly and then turned sharply to the left.Partway down the hill with no blaze in sight, my head filled with doubt. Usually there would be blazes on the guardrail or signposts or the back of roadsigns but there was nothing. There's nothing worse than going all the way to the bottom of a hill just to find it's the wrong way and then facing the climb back up. Boo, hiss. There was that little path leading along the ridge of the left bank of the road. Maybe it goes down the other side. It was only about 50 feet back up the road so it was worth a try. No luck there. The path got to the end of the little ridge and just ended but it showed that the road did a switchback around this thing. It was time to go back down the path and then down the road.At the hairpin turn on the road another little road took off to the right. Low and behold, there was a blaze on a concrete abutment. What a relief but there was still plenty of frustration. Soon this road swung to the left and crossed I-77 on a bridge. On the other side of the bridge there were no blazes on the road as it curved to the right through the woods. To compound the lack of blazes there were little footpaths leading down the embankment and into the forest. Grrr. Finally, at the bottom of the hill there was a parking lot at a trailhead. The odd thing was that it was on the right side which is where the interstate should be. Just try not to think about it. Get off the sunbaked road and into the cool woods. Cross the cool creek and start a good climb. Yeah.In retrospect, all the signs and guardrails on these poorly blazed roads appeared to be pretty new. My guess is that the roadways had recently been improved and that the local trail maintainers hadn't realized their blazes were gone. After all, most local hikers don't hike the road sections. They just park at the trailhead and head into the woods. I'll let the local trail organization know of this little discrepancy so they can fix it. This whole road thing covered about 1.3 miles and 3 roads. Some hikers carry detailed section guide books and/or detailed maps but many of us don't, perhaps, especially solo thru-hikers. There are just too many maps and books to be practical. After all, it's a long trail and, let's face it, in general the trail is impeccably well marked and maintained. The more time I spent in the back country, the less comfortable I find my self with towns and roads. That's pretty cool actually.The climb didn't last long but it felt good. A mile and a half landed me at Helveys Mill Shelter for lunch. For the most part the trail was really pleasant all day today. It just kept skirting the sides of ridges and hills. It was usually a very slight grade and the tread way was soft.After another ten miles I arrived at Jenny Knob Shelter. It was time for dinner and a good nights sleep after a pleasant 23.6 mile day.