Date: 2007-04-28
From: Matts Creek Shelter

To: Punch Bowl Shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: broken clouds

Day #4   Apr 28th6am   "Thumper" was up early- waking me & Jigsaw up...we eat breakfast (pop Tart sandwich & Cowboy coffee)..pack our backpacks, say goodbye to the SoBo-ers & out of the shelter by 8:15am...a few minutes earlier than normal.We have about 13 miles in front of us for todays hike & 2 big climbs this morning....Let's hike!we hike out of the shelter toward James River for the first few miles...then we cross over the JAMES RIVER FOOTE BRIDGE (678 ft. elevation) the longest foot bridge on the A.T....quite amazing! Spectacular views as we cross. (we take many photos, of course!)then onto the road/US 501..this is the parking lot area where Merri "Spunky" Hinton's truck was broken into last year about this time....now....let the climbing begin.we cross Hercules Rd & then over several smaller wooden foot bridges & climb Lower Rocky Row Run (760 ft elevation) then over VA 812 ( a forest service road) & hike to Johns Hollow Shelter...to take a mid-day break & re-water.theres NO WATER from here to our destination-the next shelter..over 8 miles away.i'm carrying 2 one litre bottles (gots to keep hydrated!)WILDLIFE REPORT: 1 black snake, many lizards, chipmunks, grouse, hawks, & 1 squirrel...no rattelsnakes or bears,... yet!GEAR Report: My new backpack, Granite Gear latitude Vapor 3800 ci (2lbs 10oz) is working well...i was a bit concerned doing last minute packing...my old REI Morningstar 75 was 4950 ci...i struggled to get it all packed...but i did!...& its working well!...i stepped on the trail with a 27 lb pack including 6 days of food & water....so, i've dropped 5lbs from last years 32lbs...more later on my OTHER new trail gear.back to the hike.......we climb out of the shelter & its straight up! we climb up Fullers Rocks (2,472 ft elevation) & then even more to Big Rocky Row (2,992 ft elevation)..beautiful views here..take many photos...Jigsaw has left me in the dust..he's a much faster hiker than i am..(hike your own hike!)After hitting the peak we hike by Saddle Gap Trail & then Salt Log Gap.2pm i stop & call "D-bird" (Donna, my lovely wife) who's in Georgia with friends for the weekend...she's having a good time & so am i...it starts to sprinkle a bit...i put the pack cover on...the (TracFone) cell coverage has been fairly reliable thus far...Jigsaw has had some signal problems...i hike on...i catch up with Jigsaw as he is taking a break on top of Bluff Mtn. (3,372 ft elevation)...on top of the peak theres a monument to a 4-year-old boy, Ottie Cline Powell, that got lost while gathering firewood back in the 1890s.They didnt find his body til the next Spring....Sad.We had a short rest here, enjoying the beautiful views of the mountains, the valley below with the little town of Glasgow, VA & a river just beyond it.We met a couple day-hikers out for the day here.We hike on to PunchBowl Mtn...not complaining...but, wasnt much...then downhill to the shelter. We arrived just before 5pm.We get water for cooking & our bottles, write in our journals...we're both beat.Due to a math error on my part...we hiked over 13 miles today instead of 12...Not bad for day 4...let's eat...i'm gonna sleep good tonite!maybe rain again tonight.i am tarrrrred!                              13.2 miles