Date: 2010-06-07
From: Lamberts Meadow shelter

To: Montvale Overlook/95.9
Miles today: 0.0

07 June 2010, Montvale Overlook   We slack packed south back to Daleville from Montvale Overlook/BRP 95.9.    Today we were hiking south back into Daleville. The day started out with a continental breakfast at the motel. When the shuttle driver "Del" came to pick us up for our slack pack, Del informed us of the news he heard on the radio this morning. It seems that they found a thru hiker dead of dehydration at Cornelius Creek Shelter in the Blue Ridge Parkway this past Friday. He was a 60 year old man from Florida. All day people were trying to figure out who it was. They have not released the name of the hiker yet so no one knows who it is but the chances that we have met him were very high. Del took me buy Subway to pick up a sandwich for lunch for my slack pack. As we drove to our starting point Del told us some history of the area and explained where we would be hiking today.   Today has been the best day weather wise on my entire trip. I wish the weather could remain like this every day until the trip was done.   When we got dropped off at the overlook Shaken was there pulling the trash from his pack and putting it the trash can.   We crossed paths with Superman, Cope, before we made it to Wilson Creek Shelter. We did 4.3 miles in 1 1/2 hours. I stopped for a quick snack and privy visit. We read in the registry that the water source was too far from the shelter and very weak. We decided to head south and tanked up on water at Wilson Creek.   We crossed paths with Playboy, Rocky, Popcorn, Tiny Dancer and her crew, Sandman, Dancing Wind before Fullhardt Knob Shelter. When we arrived at Fullhardt Knob Shelter Stick Shift and Professor were there but moved on north while we were eating our lunch. Before we left Sabbath Keeper arrived and talk to us for a bit. Next to the shelter were cement blocks that were the remains of the footings of an old fire tower. It was a very pleasant walk after leaving the shelter and all downhill. We walked through a cow pasture with the cows out. At one point the cows were less 10 feet away. Ben (Hoppers dog) was petrified of them and stayed behind Hopper.   Today was a milestone for me. I have completed 1/3 of the Appalachian Trail.   About four miles from town there were small groups of people that were late leaving; I am assuming they were going to the first shelter north. Two coupled were the German couples.   I called the outfitter towards the end of my hike today to see if they could call Vasque and see if they could replace my defective boots. They said they could and to call them back in about a         1/2 hour. I called about an hour later and was told that they had authorization to replace my boots for me.   We met a hiker name Mark towards the end of our thru hiker today who was carrying large external pack with an empty bleach bottle hanging of it. He reminded me of another hiker we met before called Country Gold. Country Gold also had something large hanging of the back of his pack when I first met him.   After Hopper got out of the shower she asked if I could remove a tick off her back that she could not reach. It was a small red tick with a white dot in the middle. I had never seen that type of tick before. Hopper told me it was lone star tick and could carry spotted rocky mountain fever. After that I had her look at my back. I have been checking myself but never thought about my upper back.