Date: 2012-09-22
From: Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter

To: Byrd's Nest No. 3, Shenandoah Nat'l Park
Miles today: 28.0

I awakened last night around midnight and was extremely thirsty. I have learned that all-you-can-eat buffets sap a lot of water as it takes a lot for your body to digest so much food. Of course, I also learned a valuable lesson: Don't be lazy when it comes to hiking to the spring to fill-up BEFORE bed. The spring was over a half-mile away and was flowing at such a trickle that I barely got a third of a liter before giving up on it.Last night, I was a responsible camper and used the bear pole provided at the shelter to hang my food bag. I went to retrieve it this morning, and, for the life of me, I could not get it down. I finally just used the rod to sort of push my bag off of the pole prong. Of course, it came falling to the ground with a thud and I was not nearly swift enough to catch it. I almost laughed when I checked my bag -- the only thing that had been harmed by the fall was a can of sardines that ruptured under the pressure. The sardine juice was all over my bag and smelled to high heaven. How ironic is it that, by using a bear pole, I turned myself into walking bear bait?The hike today went very well. I entered Shenandoah National Park shortly after the shelter and filled-out my registration / permit. Even though Shenandoah has a lot of ups and downs, I made very good time. I had lunch at Elkwallow Wayside where I met a lot of friendly people who were very interested in my hike. One even offered to buy me a burger. I politely declined, which turned out to be a good thing since he had forgotten he didn't have his wallet on him as he was in some sort of cycling event. The really funny thing I noticed at the wayside was that the cheapest drink I could purchase was beer! That's one way to keep your visitors happy and get high reviews for the park! I made good time again in the afternoon. I saw herds of deer (they just looked at me as if to say, "What are you looking at?") and four bears, including a mother and two cubs. That was one of those surprise encounters in which I found myself way too close, especially to the cubs. They made for a tree and the mother stared me down. I just kept moving. The climb up to St. Mary's Rock was the biggest climb of the day, but I felt like I was flying, especially compared to previous trips to the area during which I remembered the climb being tough. That's hiker legs for you. The ridge from St. Mary's to here was very nice with frequent views.I am staying tonight in a structure that was built by Virginia's both famous and infamous Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. I have mixed feelings about his legacy as he did a lot of great things such as being a stickler on driving down the federal budget, getting Virginia on a pay-as-you-go mindset to keep state debt low, and his work in establishing this very park, but he was also the very man who coined the phrase "massive resistance" to integration. The shelter is nice and large with a gradual view to the west. We had a nice sunset and can see the lights from the farms and homes of the Great Valley, which is comforting. I am here tonight with a section hiker who has been great fun to talk to.