Date: 2003-05-13
From: US220/Daleville

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: scattered clouds

After a night's sleep in hotel bed, where I don't usually sleep well, and didn't, it was time to be back on the trail. Hotdog and I took advantage of the continental breakfast that the Best Western offered, then were on the trail headed north around 9am.For the first 3 miles, the trail followed and crossed major roads. I-81, US11, then a Virginia road. It was actually a nice walk for most of the day, even though I could hear cars racing on the major roads. I was trying to take it easy and not get in a rush today, since I was planning on going under 12 miles, but the miles fell away fairly quickly. I felt peaceful while hiking today. I don't know why. Maybe the terrain was pretty easy, and easy for me to relax. I noticed the rhododendrons blooming, for only the second time this trip. The first time I saw them blooming was on the 8th, the day I headed into Roanoke. The blooms are awesome! I've never seen them bloom before this trip, and they are beautiful. According to Camo, a southbound section hiker here at the shelter, I'll be seeing many more in the next few days. It should be beautiful.We took a break at Fullhardt Knob Shelter around 11am. That shelter has a cistern system for water supply, the first one of it's kind that I've seen. It collects rainwater off the shelter roof and stores it. It's a good thing there's been plenty of rain lately. Hopefully those who come after me will have the same luck, and a good water supply.Hotdog and I had planned on stopping for lunch at a road, but when we got there, there weren't any good sitting rocks or logs. We knew a creek was less than a mile away, and headed downhill to see how it looked. Before we got there, we heard voices, and thought that someone else was enjoying lunch there, so it should be a good spot. There was a group of about 8 teenage boys, and their two group leaders, just packing up. They said the creek did make a good lunch place. I sat on a rock right next to the creek, and had lunch while watching the water cascade off the rocks, forming little swirling pools, and eventually tumbling farther downstream. I also watched the butterflies fluttering around the creek. It was pretty neat how they'd cast a large shadow moving across the ground, and I'd look around in the air to locate them.From the lunch spot at Curry Creek, it was less than 3 miles to the destination, Wilson Creek Shelter. There were a couple of small ascents and descents, but nothing too bad at all.When I got to the shelter, Camo was here already. He's finishing up a southbound section hike tomorrow, when he'll meet his wife, get a hotel room, clean up, then head to Trail Days. He and his wife thruhiked the AT in 2000, and now he's section-hiking it. He's been great to talk to, and gave me lots of information for the next few days north of here. He's made a lot of his gear, and didn't mind showing it to us. That's what he gets to do in the winters, since he's retired: tinker with gear. He said he's carrying about 17# of gear. Wow! I can only dream about that!I was having second thoughts about going to Trail Days. Not sure why. Then I thought about all the people I know that will be there: Regan/f-stop, Bumpkin, who are behind, and hopefully Shoe and Fly and Smoothie, who are all one day ahead of us. I'll also get to meet many new people, and it's always fun to talk trail with new and different people! So, after thinking about it, I will go to Trail Days. It'll do me good to rest my leg then too. I just like being out here, especially after a day like today, where I wasn't rushed, and could enjoy the sights along the trail. That's why I'm out here anyway...for the experience, not just the distance.