Date: 2007-06-19
From: Pinnacles Picnic Ground

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: scattered clouds

It was good that we had all hung out food last night because as Mama Hen was leaving camp this AM she just about ran into a bear that was passing right past our camp! After an early start, I got a great photo of a deer that walked right up to me on the trail, finally stopping less than 10 feet from me. She tried to decide if I was a threat or just another tourist who might provide a handout. Instead, I eased my camera out of my hip pouch and took here picture. After a few minutes of staring at each other, she wandered off the trail and watched me as I eased slowly past her and on down the trail. I stopped for a quick second breakfast at Byrds Nest 3 day use shelter then continued on to Marys Rock.Marys Rock was only about a quarter mile off the trail on a steep side trail but I learned later that a surprising number of thru hikers had passed it by because of the steep rocky uphill side trail. They missed a great view along the sharp ridgeline to the north and down to the Thornton Gap visitors center far below. I sat on the large rock cliff overlooking the gap for about half an hour just enjoying the view. It was a very warm morning and I had the feeling that rain and afternoon thundershowers were in the air.Down at the Thornton Gap Visitor Center, I found the restaurant and the visitor's center closed due to an asbestos risk. I was very dissapointed not to be able to take advantage of another trail side meal opportunity. I reluctantly filled all my water capacity because the next stretch would be a dry one. Unfortunately the water from the spigot was foul tasting and very unappealing. I would have to cover it up with sport drink mix to be able to drink it.The remainder of the morning was spent walking along relatively gentle grades and smooth trail. I caught up with Tony Tiger at Byrds Nest 4 day use shelter, then continued walking with him for a while. We had a nice view from Jeremy's Run Overlook but did not pause long on the exposed ledges because of some menacing looking clouds building nearby. The next four miles to Elkwallow Wayside were surprisingly rough and rocky and our progress was slowed substantially. At one point I slipped and turned my ankle badly on a wet pile of rocks while crossing a small creek. After tightening my boot laces and popping some advil Tony and I continued on towards our expected reward of blackberry milkshakes at Elkwallow Wayside.When we arrived at Elkwallow Wayside in mid afternoon we found that the nearby storm had knocked out the power and they were closed because they could not run their cash registers. There were about 15 very dissappointed and wet thru-hikers hunkered down in a small covered walkway of a nearby outbuilding waiting and hoping that the power would soon come back on and they would re-open the grill. Finally after about an hour and a half the power came back on and we all ordered burgers, shakes and a wide variety of other high calory delights that would tide us over until dinner. Mama Hen and Seuss walked in not long after I did, but other than them and Tony I had not met most of the other hikers there.I talked for a while with a go-fast, go-light guy who was waiting very impatiently for the grill to open. He told me he was a student at Yale University and had only a little over 3 months to hike the trail between classes. He was clearly not having much fun and was feeling very pressured to make his average 30 miles each day. This delay waiting for the grill and store to open was costing him trail time and he was becoming very agitated. In addition to looking forward to a hot meal (he wasn't carrying a stove or cooking meals) he was counting on resupplying for the next few days to Front Royal. I admired his determination, as well as his 18 lb pack, but figured that since he was a student at Yale he must have been smarter than most of us put together that were hunkered down under the walkway trying to stay out of the rain and he should have known that a 3-month thru-hike on the AT would be an extremely rushed trip that bordered on a death march at times. He should have known there would be days when it wouldn't be much fun.The trip over Hogback and past Little Hogback was foggy and we had no views. I stayed that night at Gravel Springs Hut with Tony Tiger and another thru-hiker I had never met. For the first time in a long time I stayed in the shelter because there was plenty of room and I did not want to have pack and carry a wet tent the next day.