Date: 2004-06-14
From: VA 624

To: Lamberts Meadow shelter
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: broken clouds

Slept like a log last night. I'm sure the hot tub had something to do with it. Took a shower and headed to breakfast while Navi slept. What a spread they had and I took full advantage of it! I need it for the hike today. I got a late start because I planned to only hike 11 miles. I really hope the weather holds out so I can get some good pictures at McAfee Knob. As I left or should I say when Navi dropped me off I put on my rainpants because Crazy Legs said the meadows were wet when they had went through, but it sure was different for me. I had to strip off the pants because it got too warm. Well it seemed like it took forever to get to Johns Spring shelter. When I got there I met Spirit and Goose, they are a Canadian couple and such nice people. We also met at Catawba shelter for a short break. As we continued on to McAfee Knob the weather made a turn for the worse, but it did hold off till just after McAfee. I think the good man upstairs heard my request and I was able to take some good pictures. It was just breathtaking to walk out on the edge and look down into the valley. It was like being on top of the world. I just wish Navi could have been here to enjoy this wonderful moment. Before I go on I want to commend the trail club that maintains this section of the trail. These 10 miles to McAff Knob have been the most pleasant on my journey so far. Thank you for all your hard work in making it easier for us hikers. Hikers should spend one day on a maintenance crew to really appreciate what they do. After enjoying some time on McAfee it was time to move on. The approaching clouds were spelling trouble real soon. Once I got to Campbell shelter I had to decide whether to move on another six miles. That decision came when Spirit and Goose came in for a break and they said they were moving on because it was too early to stop. That did it for me and I said to myself,"I can do another six miles." So I put my backpack on and headed out. I got about 200 ft from the shelter when about 5 deer on my right started running. I have seen many deer since hiking in VA. As I move on I could hear thunder in back of me but it was catching up quick. Within 10 min there was lightning all around me, but no rain. I just kept moving because I didn't want to be a target waiting for it to pass. In about 20-25 min later the sky fell out but didn't last very long, just enough to be a pain. The hike up to Tinker Cliffs was gradual and long. When I got there a German Shepherd dog, about 100 lbs, came charging at me. The only thing I could think of was to point my stick right at his eyes. Then I heard his owner yell "Max" and he stopped in his tracks. His owner said he wouldn't do anything but my experience has been you don't trust a charging dog. His owner and a friend were section hiking a 40 mile loop. They said it was Max's first tme out on the trail. Tinker's Cliff was also breathtaking but not as much as McAfee. The 1/2 mile ridge walk was great though. It was getting late and I want to get to the shelter by 8pm. Just as I was getting tired I could sense the end of my hiking day was near when I came upon a huge tree blocking the path. Someone had left a note to take the path around it. When I finally saw the sign to the shelter images of relaxing, eating and sleeping were all popping into my mind. The shelter was getting full with hikers including Max and another dog named Buddah. Buddah is laidback and trail friendly and has been on the trail awhile. Max on the other hand is a backyard dog, I think, and is very high strung and unpredictable. He's a beautiful dog but I don't trust him for a minute. As Nightmare and Clueless headed for their tent they called to Buddah who came from under the shelter and then Max attacked him. Poor Buddah! He is having a bad day dealing with Max and and now thunder and lightning. As we were all getting ready to cook our dinners with our stuff scattered on the picnic table we heard a sound coming through the trees at a fast rate of speed. A wall of rain was descending on us really fast. It was unbelievable how fast everything got wet. I didn't even have time to get my clothes in that I had hung out earlier. "Oh well, that's life on the trail." I'm glad I decided to do the extra miles today. Easy day tomorrow. Fun day today.