Date: 2008-03-26
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter

To: Harvey's Knob
Miles today: 20.7

Wednesday, March 26, 2008Cornelius Creek Shelter to Harvey¢s Knob Overlook, 20.7 miles, hiking southLast night Homer, Therese and I had supper at the Mill Country Store in Fincastle, a cheery place with vinyl chairs and formica tables from the 1950¢s, one red, one green and one a very happy yellow. I had a hot dog with ketchup on a toasted bun and it tasted super delicious in that 50's setting.On the shuttle ride, Homer tells me about a backpacker he shuttled who was getting old. Homer thought maybe he¢d bitten off more than he could chew but the man wanted to go for it. Not long after Homer dropped him off the man called and said, I guess my backpacking days are over.Homer said to him, that¢s too bad, but now you can day-hike.Homer, Therese and my Mom, champions of the Don¢t cry over spilt milk philosophy.I ponder getting too old to backpack. I ponder old hikers of tomorrow having another option: remote-commanding mobile packs to land wherever they want.Homer may think I¢ve bitten off more than I can chew today. If I have, as Therese would say, I¢ll ¢deal with it.¢Cloudy, temps high 40¢s. 7:30AM. At the start I have trouble finding the AT. I think it¢s off the horse trail, but I walk up and down without coming to it, though I pass the US boundary signs. Finally, after some back and forth, I take an unblazed trail to the shelter, then a blue-blaze trail from the shelter to the white-blazed AT. Start about 8:20.8:40 hello again to Dozer. Watch out for a tenter (orange tent) who has an unrestrained over-exuberant loose dog, he says.Stop at a peaceful spot to sit on a log and eat half my sandwich, half my apple and take a drink. A little rustle of wind is the only sound.Up and down, just what I like!Here¢s a spot where I get confused. At a white blaze, footway veers to the left, but there¢s no double blaze. Blazes to the left have been painted out. I follow the footway a ways and finally come to a white blaze. Maintainers must be in the process of re-marking this intersection.12:40 summit of Fork Mtn.2:10 Buchanan Trail, almost the 10-mile mark.Temp has risen today into the 70¢s. The warmth and the slippery dry leaves slow my pace. Finish all my trail drink, but I still have lettuce and half an apple, which are 90% water. : - ))Bryant Ridge Shelter Register: 3/22 Crazy Diamond and Giant dub Bryant Ridge the Taj Mahal of shelters.Dark brown butterfly with white edges on its wings.Well, HELLO! To Stride and Vagus! Last night they night-hiked to Wilson Creek Shelter! Moon didn¢t rise until midnight. We chat for about 10 minutes. They tell me Skittles took a detour today to Peaks of Otter and he is talking about aqua-blazing into Bears Den. Torchie, I sure hope those feet heal up fast so you can rejoin them.I¢m tired. Sit at Bearwallow Creek and stretch out, and take off my socks, and air my feet, and eat the last half of my sandwich and the last half of my apple. Perks me right up.6PM Mills Gap.Past massive cut stone wall, waterways built into it. Looks just as straight and true and sound as the day it was built. CCC project?8:05, I¢ve never been so happy to see the Element. I¢m real thirsty. Drink 34 liter of water first, slowly. Then eat an apple.Drive to 501, where I¢ll spend tonight in the car. It¢s about 40 miles. Deer galore on the BRP, I can¢t drive faster than 35-40. I must see 70-80 deer.On the cell phone I speak to Lois about coming to Dutch Haus, leaving my car, getting a shuttle back to 501 and backpacking from there north to Dutch Haus.Supper in the car at 501, kefir, water, cashews, salsa and corn chips. That makes me feel good.