Date: 2016-04-01
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Laurel Creek - VA 615 - Mile 583
Miles today: 15.1

Great day today. Rain came down hard during the night but we were comfortable in Chestnut Knob Shelter, a shelter built of concrete probably because of the consistent wind that could overwhelm typical wooden shelters. The rain cleared over night though and we stepped outside to an unexpected pretty nice morning. I was in a better frame of mind than yesterday. Messages received during the last couple of days really helped so thanks again for them.The trail immediately leaving the shelter was a pretty steep decline. My notes from other trailjournals read as preparation for my hike indicated that this trail could be very slippery if wet and that's what was there today. The trail provided a pretty extensive ridge walk for quite a while. Trees prevented unobstructed views, but they almost helped by keeping the valley below appear as an endless series of lakes and streams when in reality they were clouds preventing views of the valley. I hiked alone for a couple hours before Big Critter caught me while I was speaking with Greyhound, a female flip-flop hiker who started in Buena Vista, VA who is hiking with her two uncles, Trek and Chopper. Greyhound's big news was Fresh Ground had told them he was slowing down to pick back up with hikers he had hiked with previously (us). Greyhound and I exchanged other pertinent upcoming info about the trail ahead of each of us and then wished each other well saying we hoped to see each other again in a couple months. Big Critter and I countinued to get acquainted, picking up where we left off the other day. Big Critter has to slow his pace way down when hiking with me so I considered it a compliment to hike with him. We separated on a climb when my pace needed to dip below 2 miles per hour. We each turned in to the next shelter to have lunch at the shelter's picnic table. I recognized the welcoming voice right away as Fresh Gound's. Our reunion was fun and Big Critter, never having hiked with the two of us together was amused as we relived a "Best Of" highlight reel. A few dayhikers arrived and asked a number of questions. Then it happened again. Fresh Ground asked one of the dayhikers to repeat what the dayhiker said just a moment earlier. So this dayhiker asked Fresh Ground if Fresh Ground was Fresh Ground's trail name because he sounded like the guy who served him coffee and food during his prior year's hike. So the laughter grew as Fresh Ground and I told more stories about how I felt hiking with such a notable AT hiker. The notoriety of Fresh Ground is all in jest and provides a great deal of laughter as Fresh Ground is a humble guy who quickly credits others for his successful Leap Frog Cafe that provided trail magic to many hikers during the last several years. Plans for the day changed bcause by the time we were done eating and talking there was almost no way we could hike in daylight to the otherise intended destination some 15 miles away. Instead we hiked about 4 miles where we arranged a pick-up by Bubba's Shuttles to take us to Big Walker Motel. Five of us (Fresh Ground, Blues Brother, Big Critter, Rambo, and me) are sharing a motel room. Some needed to get additional food for the next couple days. All of us enjoyed Dairy Queen and there are a few less horrible smelling hikers tonight. Hiking again with Fresh Ground should be enjoyable in the coming days. With Internet access here, I got news that I feared. Subman and Suds announced today that they are leaving the AT for a while to fully recover. They intend to be away for a good period of time before deciding to resume their hike. Trail Chef is driving to Damascus to assist their trek home. I am confident I wouldn't be here without the kindness and comraderie they provided me. I am so grateful to them and appreciative of our time together. You never know what will happen out here and I hope we have more hiking miles ahead.