Date: 2011-04-26
From: Hwy 220 Cloverdale

To: Cove Mountain (Entry number one)
Miles today: 23.5

Fraser FirSection HikerAppalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine04/26/2011-TuesdayEntry Number One of the daySecond day sectioning in my eighth year of attempting to get from here to there.remember that R.E.M. title "I can't get there from here"? great song. great band.23.50 miles        U.S. Hwy 220 to Cove Mountainmy hike started today at 8:45 am and concluded around 8:45 pm. Virginia is such a magical state. I love being here. The people are so wonderful and the trail here is so diverse. You just never know what may lie ahead.I want to hike long today.I want to do it my way. Is that not what Frank Sinatra said? does that sound so selfish or what? In all of this, I promise that I am not a prideful person, you just have to know who I am and what I am made up of.I will attempt to hike to near the Middle Creek Campground and the Middle Creek Picnic area. We will just see. That would be around a twenty eight mile day over some fairly challenging terrain. It was rather warm last night and I slept without a rain fly and kept the window flaps down on the tent-just the screen to keep the bugs out.So far, the poison ivy has not taken effect, so maybe my little spell of laying flat down in it last night will not cost me too much!I wake up to a man running by me on the trail. He says hello and keeps running north toward I-81.After getting dressed, I hide my pack and gear and walk down to the convenience store for fluids and something additional to eat. I am carrying a lot of food, so I want to eat that food but a little snack to precursor breakfast is not going to hurt too much.As I am snacking at the gas station, I talk to the gentleman who pumps gas into the large reservoir tanks.We make small talk as he fills up the tanks.Next, I go back to my camp site and guess what?? That guy running up and down the trail was Homer! My beloved friend who met me at 9:30 p.m. last night and let me trade out my pack and get my trekking pole!Next, I start my hike to Fullhardt Knob shelter.As I go under I-81, I meet my first of only a few stiles on this stretch of the trail.The open meadows remind me of crossing I-81 for the first time back near the Holston River in February of 2009. Has it been that long?A sign left by another hiker warns of no water at Fullhardt Knob.With my green marker, I leave a thank you note on the piece of paper and keep moving.Next, I make the climb out into an awesome field between I-81 and Va. 652.Views of the Dragons Tooth are commanding. I reflect on the young lady who was lost up there and my debacle over how to get her to listen to me when I wanted her to come down off of that mountain.It was such a blessing to learn that a lost person was found by search and rescue later that evening. It was such a praise to understand that she was not dressed for the weather and was able to get her cell phone to work. That was a time of prayer and of celebration because I was so frustrated at the arrogant but yet scared person who would not take my simple advice on how to come off of the mountain and get down to civilization.The stiles are painful with the amount of weight I am toting today.I cross the same train tracks that I passed over last night; just in a new location.The trail has been quiet so far. The clouds are increasing and it is cooling off rapidly.A quick lunch at fullhardt knob and I am off scrambling for the club borderline at Black Horse Gap.Here comes the rain. Ready or not.We knew it would rain. It was just a matter of when. I love hiking in the rain.I love the sound of the showers approaching and being absorbed by the newly fresh leaves on the hardwoods.It is incredible to see salamanders and other creatures play in the cool water after the rain has stopped and the sun returns again.The rain cools things off and puts things in perspective. The hot weather of yesterday is gone so fast.If you do not like the weather in the mountains, especially this time of year, just stick around for a moment and it might just change.