Date: 2005-09-24
From: Pearisburg, Va.

To: South of Dismal Creek Falls, VA
Miles today: 22.7

22.7 miles todaySouth of Dismal Creek Falls, Va. Once again, I didn't get to bed until late when I'm in a town. It was 1am before I was done with organizing all my stuff and getting my bounce box ready to forward. I woke up at 7:30 and got my camera memory card ready to mail to Mrs Moosie, got my dad's 80th birthday card ready to go and took a shower. I walked down to the lobby and used the computer, then walked across the street and got a cup of coffee and some chocolate milk. I got to the PO at 8:50 and they didn't open until 9am. I sat out front and drank my coffee, then mailed everything I had when they opened. I checked out of the motel and stopped by Dairy Queen and got 2 orange juices and 4 sausage and egg biscuits. I ate 2 biscuits and packed out 2 out for lunch. I ended up walking back down the hill to the trailhead because no one picked me up and started walking south on the trail at 9:45am. It felt great to be back in the woods. I scared up a small doe that was bedded down only about a minute after I entered the woods. I guess that's one of those deer that likes garden vegetables from peoples back yards. I started right out with a 2000 foot climb up to Angels Rest. It was fairly steep in some parts and felt really good to get the day started. There was a section in the middle of the climb where they have put in some new switchbacks and have done a very nice job on that. Maybe that's why the trail north of town was lacking maintenance so bad...they were busy on this side of town. :-))) Once I got up on the ridge, the wind was blowing at about 10 to 15 mph and felt great. About 2 hours after I got up to the ridge, I looked to my right and saw a doe watching me. I said; "Well, hello there." She actually took a few steps towards me. I kept walking and she came running around on the right of me and got up ahead about 30 yards and stopped and watched me again. I kept walking towards her and then she took off for good. I think she liked me or something. :-))) I got to the other end of the ridge and walked down from Pearis Mountain. I stopped at Doc's Knob Shelter and ate lunch. I had those 2 sausage and egg biscuits and went to get water from the spring, but it was dry. I went to sign the register, but there wasn't any. I have my new smiley face stickers and didn't have a register to put any in. :-((( I walked past where Woodshole Hostel is. One of these years I'm going to stop there and see what it's like. I finally found water after about 16 miles today at a branch of Dismal Creek. I only carried 2 litres out of town with me and I was ok with that, but I filled up with 4 litres and tanked up while I was there at the creek. I hiked on to Wapiti Shelter and sat down and ate 3 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. There was a section hiker already there for the night by the name of Hobab. We talked while I ate my dinner and I warned him that Blaze would probably show up for the night. He said that he'd like the company. I went to sign the register. There was one, but it was falling apart and it was full, so I still didn't get to use any of my new smiley face stickers today. :-((( Maybe tomorrow. I hiked on about another 6.5 miles and found this nice point of a ridge with lots of soft leaves, so I set up my tent a little earlier than I have been. It felt good to get inside the tent and still have some light to see by. I can't believe how well I'm enjoying hiking the way I am this year. I think my body likes walking everyday. It's such a great feeling to kind of float up these hills out here rather than huff and puff all the way up. I'm in the best shape I've ever been in as far as hiking shape.