Date: 2019-04-22
From: Rocky Gap

To: Sarver Shelter
Miles today: 9.4

Up early this morning. Don the shuttle driver had a busy day, so our time slot turned out to be 715 and we were back on the trail by 8.  The day started out overcast and cool and by the time we got to Rocky Gap it was clear and cold. I was wearing my rain jacket to beat the chill and the Mayor was layered up like he always is to start the day. The climb out of the gap was a short, steep one on a relatively simple overgrown fire trail with lots of rocks and ruts from years of neglect and erosion. Two miles in landed us at Kelly¢s Knob, an absolutely beautiful rock formation towering high above the sun soaked landscape with views from the southeast to the northwest. I was able to receive a cell signal and tried to make a few calls, none of whom were available, except Cathy! We FaceTimed from the mountain top so she got to see what I was up to this morning. I think she enjoyed it.Coming off the mountain of course meant down. It was not so bad, but it was fast and that can take a toll on the knees. This is what knocked out the Mayor last year and I can feel it beginning to stress mine as well...slow and steady.About three miles of today¢s hike was through rolling pastures. Coming out of the forest, no matter how little foliage there is and into a pasture, raises the expectations because of the contrast in light¢¦what is waiting for me over that hill? This particular pasture was guarded by the oldest oak tree on the southern Appalachian Trail, aged at roughly 300 years old; it¢s huge! But once past this tree we were into the pasture where the sunshine intense.  And while imaginable, the colors were unexpected and therefore, unimaginable. The grass, a bright, nauseating green with varied species of trees offering an accent of darker greens. Specks of pink and white blossoms here and there accented the waves of Golden Rod wild flowers climbing the hillsides. Property lines are geometrically defined by dark, well kept rail fences that continue on until the line they create abruptly turns 90 degrees in either direction and head up or down another hillside. Many of the houses and outbuildings that pepper the countryside appear to be well maintained and are easily identifiable from a distance by the distinct, brightly colored steel roofs that they don.  All of this, held in place by a clear blue lid screwed on so tightly that nothing could possibly escape. The only thing missing was livestock; they were spotted high on a distant hill minding their own business, but proof of their nearby and frequent existence is abundant on the ground and sometimes in the air. One can¢t walk away from such a sight without returning a repeated glance over the shoulder just to see how it may have changed with distance.  And it really hasn¢t.  The impressiveness remains and the aw grows greater as the small individual glimpses began to fit together as if assembling a puzzle and views for miles and miles start to make perfect sense.Once leaving the pastures, we were back in the woods and of course going up, 1300¢ over about 2 miles of rocky switchbacks that were exhausting on this poorly shaded, sun soaked mountain side. But once on top we were rewarded with a mile long walk along a ridge top with splendid views to both the east and the west. The trail weaved its way through several dozen piles of rocks as farmers from long ago might have done when clearing a field for crops.  But this is a rocky ridge and the trees appear to have difficulty establishing a sound root system, how could one expect a productive crop?  For the most part the rocks appeared to be carefully stacked, but one pile in particular was done by hikers or visitors to the ridge. It was a neatly stacked conical pile roughly 8¢ high and perhaps 6¢ in diameter. It was positioned in a clearing at the edge of the ridge facing east, as though it were a posted sentry. At the end of todays ridge is a ¢T¢ in the trail. Our destination for tomorrow is to the left and home for the night was to the right, Savern Hollow Shelter. The shelter is quite nice with a big covered porch and picnic table, but is about1/2 mile off the trail and down several hundred feet from the ridge line. Materials had to air lifted to get them in here, there¢s no other way to do it.  (It¢s going to be a bear to climb out of in the morning!). The water source is a spring another .1 miles downhill.  But right next to the spring is the ruins of an old homestead including a couple of out buildings.  The house appears to be a two story log cabin, totally collapsed with the exception of two stone fireplace/chimneys, one on either side of the doorway.  The hand hued logs of the nearest outbuilding were still standing one three sides.  A 4" gap separated each log and there was no trace of any chinking; it's interesting how different modern log cabins are from those of this time period.About an hour after lights out (sunset), we were awaken by a very loud bird. Normally owls, Bard and Screech, can be heard for miles. But tonight this bird produced a very loud whistle consisting of five tones but only three notes. This was repeated over and over and over again for nearly 1 minute without seemingly taking a breath. After a 20 second break, it started again.  Curious, the Mayor got out of bed and went to the edge of the shelter¢s porch to investigate and it started still again, this time it was very close, as if say directly to the Mayor,¢I dare you to step off that porch. Go ahead, see what happens¢. Well he didn¢t but we'll see if he's still here in the morning. The bird kept up its song for a total of 5 or 6 minutes.The moon seems to have taken the night off, at least the early shift. So that leaves the darkness for the stars and they didn¢t disappoint. We'll have to enjoy them now because in 2-3 weeks the canopy of leaves will block them from view.