Date: 2005-05-01
From: Footbridge at Lick Creek

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: scattered clouds

A great day hiking with many varied experiences. The rain stopped in the wee hours of the morning but my tent and bear bag were soaked outside. Everything was still dripping and I was ready to hike by 7:45 with my heavier pack due to wet contents. I was psyched for a challenging morning - hiking up Chestnut Ridge and across the top to Chestnut Knob Shelter. It was a 2100 foot elevation gain. I hiked 2 miles to where I quietly passed August and Wood still sleeping in their tents. I crossed the remote road and entered the woods and then began the long climb. The woods were beautiful in the morning light. It was a gradual climb in the open forest with more of a bare late winter/early spring look the further up the mountain I progressed. I could see the path taking me around to the left and toward the end of the ridge. Sure enough, about halfway up I crested the shoulder of Chestnut Ridge which is open, broad and grassy. The winds were wild and cold but the sunshine countered it and I was warm and comfortable. That much energy from the wind made me feel exhilarated and propelled me along as I felt caught up in its sound and sheer power. I could see for miles off either side of the ridge to valleys and distant ridges layered in front of each other until the farthest ones faded out of sight. The terrain along the crest alternated between long open meadows bordered with scrub vegetation, interspersed with wooded sections with a true forest-like feel as I passed through, but the living up here was rough on some of the twisted and contorted trees. I felt like I was completely alone in the whole world and all this was created just for me. I passed the large spring-fed pond which was surprising to see somehow, way up at the otherwise wild and untamed crest of the ridge. After a long walk across the crest of several miles of gentle climbing I got a glimpse of the Chestnut Knob Shelter way ahead on the distant knob, well before I arrived. Then right in the path there stood a deer - I got a picture before it bounded off into the underbrush. The shelter sits on an open high knob and the winds were cold and fierce, even more than before, but the sun was warm so I relaxed in the shelter of the shelter to block the wind. I cooked lunch and took a break there. I laid all my gear out on the sunny hillside, weighed down with rocks so it wouldn't blow away, though even then sometimes I had to chase after some items that even the rocks couldn't hold. Everything was dry by the time I was ready to pack up. Reading the shelter register, I found out that both 6Stringer and Popeye had spent the night here, and each had commented on the cold windy conditions overnight. I guess the next time the trail elevation gets this high is in New Hampshire. From Chestnut Knob Shelter you get the first glimpse of Burkes Garden which is completely surrounded by mountains. It is a bowl-shaped depression, shaped like a crater almost. Sometimes it is referred to as God's Thumbprint. It is about five miles long and four miles across, full of farms and you can see the farm buildings, fields, small woodlots and fence lines all the way to the other side. The open land was draped in early spring green. The roads on the valley floor stretch to the horizon. There is only one road into the valley from the outside, a gravel country road that climbs the south ridge where the trail crosses. It is almost impossible to describe the beauty of this place. According to the trail guidebook, the family who built the Biltmore House in Ashville, NC had originally tried around 1880 to acquire land in this valley for the Biltmore Estate to be located there. I guess the farmers in Burkes Garden became aware of their plans and everyone refused to sell any land to this family. They were unwilling to allow the changes to the character of Burkes Garden that such an estate would likely cause. In looking at the valley today, it appears they were very successful in preserving the beauty and rural character of this place. However, the map and elevation charts showed an easy hike, almost completely level on the south ridge. I was expecting an easy afternoon, hiking the 7+ miles with great views. Well, it was anything but level. After a little over a mile of pleasant hiking down to Walker Gap, there was a never-ending repetition of ups and downs all afternoon. The ridge was rocky and boulder-strewn; the sun was hot. The afternoon hike was much tougher than the morning and it seemed to take forever to traverse the ridge. The valley is so broad that you could hike for an hour and mark little progress against a landmark on the valley floor. Many times you could see the valley filtered through tree branches, but it was not good for pictures, though I got several at rocky overlooks without obstruction. I was completely worn out. I had planned to stop at Davis Farm Campsite, but decided to go an additional three miles to Jenkins Shelter. That will make tomorrow's hike to Bland Va. a little shorter, plus you had to walk down the mountainside 1/2 mile to get water for Davis Farm Campsite, and then climb back up. Those extra three miles were hard and I was out of water so I was very dry. My feet took alot of punishment today on the rocky terrain. The eventual descent from the ridgetop down to the shelter area was across what looked like massive rock slides, with millions of tangled rocks making a unique mosaic as you looked at them above and below the trail, slanted down across their line. The entire mountainside was a riot of rocks that appeared to have been deposited to create a special visual effect. Jenkins Shelter was a welcome sight as it came into view. August and Wood stopped here at the shelter for supper break and plan to hike on five miles. I am here with Hellboy (looks exactly like one of my nephews), 6Stringer (like the guitar) and Pace, so this is a good evening with some company. Seth came in later, just after dark. Today being Sunday I thought about Marlene all day, hoping and praying that the last day of their weekend Ladies Retreat was going well. I thought about our church services and prayed for her and each of the kids. It was a good time with the Lord. I miss Marlene and have not had cell phone service hardly at all so far. Tomorrow's hike is about 12 miles, into Bland, Virginia. I will stay in a motel and resupply at the local grocery store. It should be a good day. Today was day three and I did fine though the hike was hard. Everyone is getting into sleeping bags now, so I will too. We will talk quietly until we drop off to sleep one by one. That's how these quiet evenings in the shelters end. Goodnight Sweetheart.