Date: 2011-05-11
From: The Place

To: Whitetop Mtn Rd campsite
Miles today: 21.1

Why do I chose some of the hardest days to do big miles! 21.1 miles with an end elevation gain of 3100 feet, that doesn't include the downs and back ups. Felt good though and tomorrow. I will be entering Grayson Highlands and get to take me time and really enjoy it, can't wait to see the wild horses. So today I got up at normal time and headed down to the Dairy King to get breakfast. Bisquits and gravy two eggs sausage and hashbrowns. After that I hit the trail at 8 o'clock. Leaving town the trail follows the Virginia creeper trail for a bit before heading up the first 1000 ft climb. Back down the other side after lossing 800 I happened upon some perfect trailmagic. A cooler with ice cold drpeppers and nutty buddys. Favorite drink and favorite variety of Little Debbie products, perfect kick start for the next 1100 foot climb. I breezed up this climb keeping close to a three mile an hour pace. At the top was my first big break at Saunders shelter which is .2 miles off the trail and took forever to get to and the water was half that again past it. Some after relaxing a bit I headed out and went down 800 ft and back up 500 to the next shelter. Got some water and ate a bunch till about 4. Wanted to do a few more miles before stopping but I had two options. Campsites with water where 1 or 6 miles away. After getting to the first in about 15 minutes I decided to go all out and go to the 6. The kicker about the 6 is I had to climb Whitetop Mountain. Just under 2000 foot elevation gain in a 3 mile section. Was tough and slow but well worth the views and I saw a deer and a rabbit. Throughout the day I passed probably forty hikers going southbound. Most were section hikers hiking into traildays and most of those were previous thru hikers. Some where even Nobos who where dropped off up north and hiking back. The second shelter was completely full with probably 10-15 tents setup and looked like more were going to show from those I passed. I am now here in my tarp with only another couple near by Blackfoot and Smiley. They also use a tarp pretty much exactly like mine. They were right behind me all day and we meet at the shelters and at the site here now. Early in the day with all the rain from last night and the humidity there were a lot of frogs on the trail and got a few micro pictures of them. Also because of the humidity I was completely drenched in sweat all day.So last night after writing a storm came through, huge lightning storm with some rain and wind. Eyes closed and in the tent and it would be bright as day when it would flash. Pretty much rained most of the night until about 6 when it stopped and I jumped up and packed quickly to get to breakfast and avoid any more rain for a bit. As I got in the tent tonight it started sprinkling again and the thunder has been echoing off in the distance for probably an hour before. Sounds like most of it is farther north and hopefully it will miss me. Looked at the 10 day forecast yesterday and the first 9 are rain.So as I mentioned tomorrow I enter Grayson Highland state park. This section other than Katadin is the top spot I wanted to see and one of the main reasons I wouldn't skip ahead. The park has wild ponies that roam around and will come up to you and lick the salt off you. They will also come to the shelters and hangout around there. I also wanted to do the extra miles today so I wouldn't have as far to go to get to the shelter and could spend extra time in the area. Instead of 17 I only have to do about 12 and don't have to do the huge climb as well. Early on I also go up Mt. Rogers(don't summit unless I take a half mile side trail) the highest peak in Virginia. At the end of the day I will be three miles short of 500 miles. Well its late already so time to get some sleep.