Date: 2003-05-14
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: broken clouds

Chilly last night, cold enough to see my breath. I wore all my clothes except my raingear to bed, and still slept a little cool in my 45-degree bag. Others mentioned the same.I saddled up and started the long climb up Apple Orchard Mountain. No worries, no hurries, I have all day. I can only go as far as Thunder Hill shelter, as Chief is picking me up a mile beyond that shelter tomorrow morning.We hear the choppers fire up and begin cruising, spraying for the gypsy moths. We're sitting ducks. "Don't breathe," coached a sectioner. Ha!Today's long climb is about nine miles. The cool air may have made sleeping chilly, but it makes for fine climbing, and it's sunny. We are going up a 4,200+ mountain from 1,200 feet, so there is quite a bit of uphill real estate to lay claim to.The climb is hard work, but I am feeling surprisingly strong after yesterday's 20-mile day. Whata wonderment. I make good time and stop at Cornelius Creek shelter for water and a snack. Everybody sort of piles up here, eating and resting. On the rest of the climb up, we view helicopters at eye level, cruising the flanks of the mountains.The climb empties out on a bald with a soccer-ball-esque structure. This was some sort of Army radar, but it looked like a little Epcot Center. The views were splendid and sunny, the grass around the fenced installation was mowed.As I walked down the hill, I came upon another bald, equipped with fuel trucks and a wind sock. I got to the shelter about 1:30 pm, the earliest I've stopped in a long time, if ever. It was sweet. Like vacation. Leisure time!I changed to sandals immediately, and got water from the clear little boxed spring out front. It looked like a well, with it's circular rock walls. Then I rinsed out my hair, dumping my water bottle out over my head, and fluff-dried it in the warm sun. I got caught up on my journal, and emptied my foodbag of goodies. Not much left in there. No worries, like I said, Chief is picking me up tomorrow morning, a mile down the hill on the Blue Ridge Parkway. And then four days of eating, rest and Trail Days. Yes!Before the evening is over, who should show up but the Brits, full of friendly insults and good humor for all. This makes them popular Trail figures, and everyone welcomes them.ProudFoot, the son, is getting off the Trail in Waynesboro, and Tanglefeet will continue on alone for awhile. Then Proudfoot, 24, will return to hike more with his dad. They get along so well, cursing each other with a wry good humor that reveals the affection and respect beneath. It is heartening to see.Someone says that there is to be a lunar eclipse tonight, around midnight. Someone else offers to set an alarm so we can watch, and that suggestion goes over like an 80-pound pack at day's end. "It's just like the sky with no moon in it," reasons Prince William.The moon rises early and full, and lights up the woods. I sleep lightly. My legs and feet ache with what feel like electric shocks, and I jerk and twitch. I may have to get my Thermarest back, tho I begrudge the weight of it.I wake up at one point and see the moon disappearing. "Oh," I think, "it's clouding up and there would have been no eclipse to see anyway." I close my sleepy eyes.When I look again a few minutes later, the moon is back, full of light and promise. No eclipse. Some other night, perhaps.