Date: 2012-06-03
From: On trail (literally)

To: Trail to Jewel Hollow Overlook
Miles today: 23.9

06/03/12 (sekmadienis) 23.9 ¢ 930.5 On The Trail ¢ Trail to Jewel Hollow OverlookNuskambejo 34adintuvas.  vito. A¡ kaip mat i¡siritau i¡ miegmai¡io ir skubiai susidejau savo daiktus, nes nenorejau buti ¢pagautas¢ su palapine ant tako. Ai¡ku, taip anksti niekas nevaik¡to, bet atsarga gedos nedaro, o netrukus i¡ u34 kalnu ir saule pasirode.Ties Pocosin Cabin pasukau ¡alutiniu takeliu iki ¡altinio, ir netrukus pamaciau jauna vyri¡ki sedinti ant kedutes, gerianti kava ir besigerinti sauletekiu. Prisipyliau ¡altinyje vandens ir ¡iek tiek dvejodamas nutariau ji pakalbinti. Galvojau pasisveikinsiu, persimesiu keliais 34od34iais, pa34iuresiu kas tai yra ta Pocosin Cabin ir keliausiu toliau. Tas trumpas sustojimas tesesi visa valanda. Buvau pavai¡intas puikia kava. Markas, jo brolis su 34mona ir vaikiuku Endriu praleido cia visa savaitgali poilsiaudami. Ta Pokosin Cabina cia galima i¡sinuomoti ir ramiai praleisti laika.Marka a¡ vel sutikau veliau ateinanti man i¡ priekio ne¡ina me¡kere. Baisiai neiprastas vaizdas ¢ tu tempi kuprine ir staiga tau i¡ priekio - 34mogus su me¡kere. Jis irgi nustebo vel mane pamates ir parode anksciau pagauto upetakio nuotrauka savo fotoaparate.Prie¡ pat Big Meadows susiduriau su pulku jaunu 34moniu, kurie tuo metu stovejo tiesiai ant tako ir klausesi ka parko reind34ere jiems pasakojo. Nebuvo kitos galimybes, kaip tik sustoti, paklausyti paciam ir palaukti kol pasitaikys proga tarp ju praeiti. O po to ir man teko pabuti ¢profesoriumi¢ ir papasakoti apie savo kelione. Maciau kaip dege i¡ smalsumo akys ir a¡ kokias de¡imt minuciu dar stovejau ir atsakinejau i nesibaigiancius ju klausimus.Big Meadows Wayside restorane pailsejau ir pavalgiau, tik ¡i karta nebuvau su34avetas blackberry milkshake, nes jis buvo labai jau i¡bales (matyt taupo gervuogiu uogiene) ir prie mano patiekalo nebuvo prideta raugintu agurku (taupo), nors valgiara¡tyje tai priklause. Pasijutau kaip tarybiniu laiku valgykloje, kur viskas buvo ¢taupoma¢. Na, bet agurku a¡ papra¡iau atne¡ti papildomai.Skyland Resort vel save pamaloninau kava ir pyragaiciais. Ir su Rima pasi¡nekejau, nors silpnas WiFi ry¡ys da34nai trukinejo. Laukiniams gyvunams Shenandoah parkas ¢ tikras rojus. Cia ju niekas nemed34ioja ir stirnos cia ganosi lyg namines karves.Po to seke toks malonus, lyg pasivaik¡ciojimui skirtas takas. Tai staiga puikus vaizdas i vakarejanta Shenandoah sleni atsiverdavo, tai atsitiktinumas duodavo proga susitikti su 34monemis, kurie gerumo vedini, pavai¡indavo mane pica ir limonadu. Ech, gyvenimas yra puikus!Saule nusileido, temo ir a¡ pradejau intensyviai ie¡koti vietos kur pasistatyti palapine. Iki Byrds Nest #3 ¡elterio dar buvo eiti apie pora myliu, kai staiga radau tokia vieta, kuri buvo verta milijono. Radau visai ma34a aik¡tele ant kriau¡io, nuo kurio matesi vaizdas i Luray miesta, o lengvas bryzas buvo nuputes visus moskitus ir kitus kraujo i¡to¡kusius niekadejus. Pasistaciau palapine ir dar ilgai pro palapines kra¡ta 34iurejau i giliai slenyje paskendusi ir nakties 34ibintu ap¡viesta miesta. Dar nesu turejes tokios karali¡kos nakvynes vietos savo gyvenime. Taip, taip...---|---Alarm chirped at 4.30 AM, and I hatched out from my sleeping bag, quickly folded all belongings because I did not want to be "caught" with a tent on the trail. Obviously, no one walk so early, but to be safe is better than sorry, and soon sun came out from behind the mountains.At Pocosin Cabin, I took the side trail to the spring, and soon I saw a young man sitting on a chair, drinking coffee and facing the sunrise. I filled up my water bottles and with little of hesitation decided to interview him. I thought, I am going to say good morning, talk to him for a while, take a look what is it the Pocosin Cabin and will go further. The brief stop lasted an hour. And I was treated with exceptional coffee. Mark, his brother with his wife and kiddie Andrew stayed here for the whole weekend relaxing and enjoying. You can rent Pocosin Cabin and have quiet time and beautiful morning sunrise to watch.Later I¢ve met Mark again coming in front of me. It was very unusual image ¢ you are dragging a backpack and suddenly in front of you - a man with a fishing rod. He was surprised too when he saw me again. Then he showed me previously caught trout picture captured on his camera.Just before the Big Meadows I encountered a bunch of young people who at that time stood directly on the trail around park ranger and listened to what she told them. There was no other option but to stop, listen and wait until I have had occasion to pass between them. And then I become an instant "trail professor" and tell them about my AT thru-hike. I have seen the eyes were burning out of curiosity, and I stood about ten minutes answering in their endless questions.At Big Meadows Wayside restaurant, I rested and ate, only this time I was not impressed with the blackberry milkshake as it was already very pale (apparently they saves blackberry jam) and to my dish were not added pickled cucumbers (saving again). Although, this was due to the menu. I felt as I was in the Soviet era canteen, where everything was on "saving". Well, but I asked to bring to me the pickles an extra.At Skyland Resort again I indulges myself with coffee and pastries. A weak Wi-Fi connection was often snapped, but I managed to talk to Rima. For wildlife, Shenandoah Park is a true paradise. Here is no hunting and deers graze here like domestic cows.Then, trail becomes pleasant to walk. Suddenly a vast view opened at Shenandoah Valley in the West. Or by coincidence, I¢ve met with people who guided by goodness treat me with pizza and soda. Oh, life is great!Sun has gone down, and I desperately started to look a place to set up tent. Byrds Nest # 3 shelter was still a couple of miles to go, when I suddenly found the place that was worth a million. I found quite a small area on the knob from which view to the city of Luray was spectacular. In addition, the breeze drove all the mosquitoes and other bloodthirsty shenanigans out. Set up my tent on the edge and with admiration watched a city lost in the deep valley and lit in the night-lights. I have not had such a royal place to spend the night in my life. Oh, yes...