Date: 2004-05-25
From: Four Pines Hostel, Catawba, Va.

To: Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Day #72"Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasingeverything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another." John Muir Today was a day of many accomplishments. Catching up to Boo Boo, making McAfee Knob, Tinker Cliffs and passing the 700 mile mark. But, I have yet to tell you the events that happened before all those occurred. As you already know from yesterday's journal we stayed at the hostel. The hostel is known as a place to unwind. Even "The Thru-hiker's Handbook" states "this may not be your place of choice if looking for quiet and solitude." I chose to stay at the hostel along with Beatbox, Bear Tracks, K-less, Arms, Rooster, Jester. Since leaving Pearisburg, I have been spending nights around shelters with a group of hikers I call the Wardens of Boredom. These hikers, (the best way to explain this) gives one the opinion that their hikes are just about hiking miles, not stopping to enjoy the hiking experience. For example, many of the hikers staying at Nidday Shelter left early, rushed by Dragon's Tooth, Devil's Seat and Rawlies Rest because they wanted a to be the first to have a bunk at the hostel. When they showed up at the hostel, K-less explained to them in a polite way, "you may want to pitch your tent if you have a problem with noise¢. The night before we were up until 2:00 in the morning." The hostel is setup within a residential property on acreage in a three car garage. The group was having a great evening when one of the Wardens of Boredem came out around 9:00 asking us to keep the noise down. To make this short, we moved - they still complained. We decided to leave around midnight, got our things together and night-hiked for a couple of hours. We walked through rolling pastures surrounded by mountains. The dark silhouette of the mountains against the night sky contained thousands of tiny illuminating flashes, fireflies. I felt like I was performing on center stage and the flashing lights were camera flashes going off to record the event. It reminded me of the stands of last year's super bowl half-time show during Janet Jackson's revealing performance. Around 2:30 Beatbox said he was too tired to go further and set up camp next to a creek. Jester, Bear Tracks and I stayed with Beatbox, the others moved on. Just as we climbed into our sleeping bags the sky opened up and it rained the rest of the morning.Woke up at 7:30 to find our campsite was located in the middle of a muddy cow pasture complete with cow dung. The morning sun combined with the humidity took away the hiker funk and replaced it with the animal stench. Everyone was on the trail as quickly as possible.Boo Boo slowed his pace when he heard we were close behind. Bear Tracks, Beatbox and I finally hooked up with Boo Boo at Catawba Shelter. We shared stories, met up with Rooster, Jester, Arms, K-less and all decided to hike together to McAfee Knob. McAfee Knob is one of the most photographed locations on the AT. The knob is a rock cliff overlooking a valley at 3250 ft. with a ledge projects out from the base. A hiker can stand out on this ledge for outstanding photographs as the anxious rush of fear swells within you. We spent several hours on these sun soaked rocks enjoying the views and company of fellow hikers. Finally, on the move again, we walked the narrow ridge towards Tinker Cliffs and passed the 700 mile mark at Lunch Box Rock. The views at Tinker Rocks were a continuation of the valley from McAfee. After an incredible day of events I made supper and quickly fell asleep at Lamberts Meadows Shelter.