Date: 2006-05-14
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: light rain

Bama and Little Wing left the usual crowd at the shelter (same folks as the night before) and headed out. Oh, Oly also showed up later and his leg seems better, but he's still taking it easy. Bama's luck with no downpour hiking held. But after about eight miles, Bama heard thunder. She and Little Wing sped up managed to get down the trail to Bland ahead of any serious rain. Near VA 615 at Laurel Creek at the nearby camp sites, there was Trail Magic! Cold fruit juices left in a cooler, a bag to deposit trash (Bama said she appreciated this as much as the juice), and an invitation to come to breakfast the next morning at the local church. It's impressive how many ministries there are catering to hikers - maybe they believe thru-hikers are wandering souls or soul-less, or maybe they're just being Christian, or just nice people - whatever. It's really appreciated by all.They arrived at Hwy US 21/52 and knew that they yet had 2.5 miles to hike to the Big Walker Motel (It's near Big Walker Mountain). The girls were a little hesitant to hitch hike as state laws vary and they weren't sure if it was illegal here or not. After only a little while - More Trail Magic! A sweet, elderly couple stopped and asked if they needed a ride. Bama and Little Wing got into Elmer and Louise Fuller's car and off they went.Elmer liked to get out and drive around on Sundays. Sounds like good ol' country past times of long ago. Louise has been suffering from cancer - for which she's being treated - and the outing was probably good for her. Well, here are these two middle-aged, city slicker, gonzo women out hiking the AT and in moments they had Louise laughing and giggling about their trail tales. They arrived at Bland, VA and Bama said it really was . . . bland. A small, but nice, Mom & Pop motel, a Dairy Queen, a Subway and a Dollar General. For you big city types, a Dollar General is to rural folk what a shopping center or mall is to you. For rooms, call Big Walker Motel at 276-688-3331 (Hwy 52 & I-77, Bland, VA 24315). (An Associated Press story on Bland's not-so-bland news of late follows.)The folks at the motel were very nice and gave Bama the phone message I had left her yesterday. They had no laundry, so that meant clothes and undies washed in the tub and hung in the bathroom. The girls talked to relatives and friends on the phone and caught up. Bama got Mother's Day calls from Robin and Chadwick. Little Wing said that Flat Rocks was back on the trail and was a couple of days north of Damascus behind them. They also ran into Old Granddad and Old Drum at the motel. Observation: Most of the people doing the AT thru-hike are either 20-somethings or 50-70 somethings. The folks in their 30s and 40s are somewhat rare - except on weekends when you see them section-hiking. So there are a lot of kids hiking with those their parents' age - interesting. And it works out. There is no age-ism on the trail - but a lot of mutual respect.Old Drum had a great trail tale. He is a relatively slow but very steady and long hiker, going on until sometimes after 7:00 pm. As he was coming out of Knot Maul Branch up the 2,000 ft. climb up Chestnut Ridge = where the girls had just passed before = he said he heard some whimpering, like a puppy. Having seen some dogs earlier, he thought that what it was. But looking up a tree, he saw three black bear cubs all hanging on for dear life and crying for their momma! That's all Old Drum had to see. He shifted into low gear and practically sprinted down the trail, skipping across a boulder field and hot-footing it as far away from momma as possible. This cracked Bama up.Tomorrow, 12.1 miles on to Jenny Knob Shelter. The motel manager's husband is going to shuttle the girls the 2.5 miles back to the trail from the motel about 9:00 am. With any luck, they will see more mountain laurel and rhododendron which is just coming into bloom. Wlldflowers have been everywhere, especially in the meadows they've crossed.BillBland County offers citizens free wireless Internet accessBy the Associated PressApril 30, 2006BLAND, Va. -- Bland County is hot.That's hot as in "hot spot." Bland is the first locality in southwest Virginia--and one of only three in the state--to offer wireless Internet access free to its citizens. The only other two are the city of Fairfax and parts of Arlington County (Washington, D.C. area). Bill