Date: 2003-04-17
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

This entry is actually being written from Boston (explanation in next entry) but I wanted to catch up on writing about the trail...Well, after the snow in Erwin we thought that spring was finally arrived. Apparently, "Spring" on the AT actually means "intermittent severe snowstorms." I got caught for the first time in "slush," which is a rain/snow mixture falling at rapid speed from the sky, my first day out of Damascus. That was probably the closest I have been to hypothermic; at three miles from the shelter, I stopped to gulp down some water and an energy bar and found that my hands were frozen in pole-holding position. I ended up tearing the wrapper off the bar with my teeth and running much of the rest of the way to try and stay warm. That night the shelter was pretty full; Journeyman, Wild Bill, Lucky Day, Pileup, and a newbie, Saprunner. Saprunner was violently shivering in the middle of the night so I chivalrously snuggled closer to lend out some of my recovered body-heat. The next day, we all decided to hike as if there wasn't 8" of snow (and 18" drifts) on the trail. The hike up Mt. Rogers was pretty intense, especially the exposed parts. I did get to see some of the highland ponies; Lucky Day had told me that "they aren't exactly elusive."   Three came right up to me and let me pat their noses. I think they were a little nonplussed that I had no food for them; when one started to nibble on my pack, I said "goodbye."I was planning to stop at 12 miles, but Thomas Knob Shelter was deserted and very cold. I forged ahead across Grayson Highlands, following the footsteps of others which only occasionally led me in circles. As Hairless Joe said that night in the Wise Shelter, "If the Virginia hiking club needs some white paint, I will be happy to donate it to them." The trail in snow was almost impossible to follow; the previous day, Redheaded Stranger had wandered for four hours among the Rhodies (Rhodedendrons) before giving up and going back. Luckily, we all made it to Wise. A couple Wise-r souls (Tennessee and Wild Bill) actually got off the mountain; I would have if the weather had continued longer. As it was, I woke in the middle of the night to pee and the moon was as bright as a searchlight; all the wind had blown the clouds off. All the hiking days since have been warm and flawlessly sunny. As Dean wrote in the Davis Shelter register, "today almost makes up for yesterday when the AT tried to kill me."Highlights since the snow: the beautiful creek trail coming into Bland, the gorgeous view of "God's Thumbprint" (the valley) and the walk up Chestnut Ridge to Chestnut Knob Shelter, two-hour siestas, and walking through pastures. A local taught me what morel mushrooms look like, and I would like to start adding them and ramps to my meals. It has also been a blast hiking on the same schedule as Journeyman; he has a granddaughter my age! Hopefully someday I will catch up to him and Flick and Chiquita and Tennessee.Gear update: I am switching packs to a Gregory G-pack (courtesy of Mt. Roger's Outfitters in Damascus) and cutting a lot of extra weight, including my 4-oz. climbing carabiner. I am going to add a few items to my pack, including a small prayerbook (being on the trail makes me want one) and better reading material.Signing off,Poptart, who maybe someday will be a Haiku.