Date: 2006-04-01
From: Daleville, Va

To: Fulhardt Knob Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: broken clouds

1 Apr 2006 - Destination: Fulhardt Knob Shelter (5 Miles)Started from Daleville April Fools Day. So, I suppose I am a fool in addition to being insane, because you have to be somewhat insane to even consider doing a thru hike. A couple of friends decided to accompany me that first day to Fulhardt Knob Shelter and the kickoff was appreciated. We started the day by having an "all you can eat" breakfast at the Golden Corral. I really pigged out, with three plates of scrambled eggs, breakfast steak, orange juice, chocolate milk, ham and toast. Then I had a short radio interview with the folks who provided me with a Globalstar phone for the trip. During the interview we covered why I was doing this, and had some discussion of the equipment I was using. We then drove to where VA 652 intersects the AT and parked one of the cars there with my pack in it. Then we all piled into the remaining vehicle and drove to the parking lot in Daleville on 220 North past the Travel Centers of America truck stop and Interstate 81. The interstate here, is a multiple lane endless river of diesel tractor trailers with an occasional automobile. The truck stop, which features The Country Pride 24 hour restaurant induces an amazing density of 18 wheelers. The entrance to the trail is several hundred feet north of the lot, on the other side of 220. The sound of the trucks is almost oppressive. This initial arrangement, however, allowed me to slack-pack the first couple of miles with my friends.We went past the railroad tracks and followed a light, sort of stagnent, creek filled with algae on our right. There was a strong, distinct pollenish smell and lots of purple flowers and dandelions. We then went over a small wooden bridge, and noted the presence of discarded plastic wrap on a bush right above the water, and also saw a couple of lovely, fully blooming daffodills on the approach to the bridge. We crossed route 11 and the sign said 1.1 miles to Va 652, where the car was parked, and 3.7 miles to the Fulhardt Knob shelter. A little further on we ascended part of a hill just before VA 652. The AT directional stake on the hill was broken off just as you needed to know that you had to turn down, while the "trail", itself, really didn't show much usage. There were some very lovely views here, hills all around, a couple of white farmhouses, 5-6 black cows on the field we will have to go through on the way down to 652. The breeze was very comfortable. The top of the knob is 15-20 feet behind us and behind that looms the top of Big Tinker Mountain. There is a sort of darkish sky with some pillars of light piercing the distant, light bluish grey haze. The air smells good.We reached the car about 10:03, having passed through the pasture with 12 very placid black cows who looked at us, and did nothing else. This was old time rural Virginia - a small cluster of residences embedded in rolling pastures with barns, silos, well houses, and what even looked like an old fashioned 'shack out back'. Once we got to Va 652, we brought the car over to the crossing point, where there was a little parking indent. After we got to the car, one of my friends decided to try the pack, and carried it a couple of hundred yards over a style, then gave it back to me. About 1 mile before the shelter I collapsed and took a small nap. One of my friends stayed with me while the other walked on to see how far the shelter was, and on return, slightly exaggerated the distance remaining. After we got to the final turnoff to the shelter they left, (around 15:19) and I proceeded up the 0.1 miles to the shelter. My physical condition must be horrible. This very easy 5 mile ramble on simple terrain had been totally exhausting. I have had to stop every 10-20 steps (pack on or off) in order to catch my breath. There was a blue pack already here, resting against the tree in front of the shelter, so I assumed someone was here. My first actions were to locate the water source and then the privy which I proceeded to use with relief, given the amount of food I had consumed earlier. I got a smile (and some tp) from the "mouse proof tp holder" - a black mailbox mounted inside the privy. I then (around 15:34) investigated the wheeled blue luggage case that had been abandoned and which I had earlier taken to be a pack. It was full of trash, and surrounded by trash.During the hike up we ran into Mr. Sexton (who wants to do the trail) and his daughter and passed a whole collection of people going the other way, including a chubby 23ish young lady who did the entire trail last year and a couple where the man is planning on doing it next year.After taking a ten to fifteen minute nap and eating a peanut butter sandwich, I bag balmed my feet. That made them feel much better, although I still have some pain in the right heel where it has been bothering me for the last 5-6 months. I'm not too worried about it, as it usually only hurts when the foot has not been used for a while, and after a few minutes of use the pain stops. It is just a minor annoyance.This shelter is the standard basic design with a fireplace and an uncovered picnic table. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only shelter left on the AT which has a rainwater roof cistern for it's water source, and thus it can be located at a peak, and not in a valley where most shelters supplying surface waters are. Stories left behind say that this shelter was a favorite hangout of Peggy Childers otherwise known as "Crazy Margaret". See The Roanoke Times, 30 March 1998. This picture of her at the shelter is from that article. Unfortunately, the cistern was dry and there was no water at the shelter. The data book claimed there was a "spring" 0.4 miles down the hill. I left my stuff at the shelter, took the nalgene wide mouth bottle and two empty 2 liter bottles and set out looking for it. I'ts a lot easier to walk without the backpack. I went about 1000+ steps straight down the hill and could not find any water or any blue slashes. Bill, a short, wiry, local gentleman with white hair wearing shorts and a belly pack, on a day hike, who had passed us earlier when we struggling up to the shelter was coming back and he did not know of any water in the area. He gave me about 1.5 cups of water that he had because he "was leaving the trail very soon and would not need it." Trail Magic. Very much appreciated, and I now had some water for tomorrow. While I struggled back up the road, he moved much faster and when I got back to the trail and the 0.1 mile sign to the shelter he was waiting for me, and told me that he had looked down the trail a bit more and did not find anything. Above and beyond the call of duty! Thus my first overnight hike in 45 years started out with me having very little water for the second day. Lovely beginning!!! Vince, aka "Red Dog", a section hiker, got to the shelter about 17:30, ate, and left about 18:00 for the creeks about four miles away. He had already done 22 miles this day. He indicated that it would all be downhill to the creeks for me tomorrow. From the shelter you can see the lights of homes and other buildings possibly from Troutville, Daleville, or Roanoke. These lights easily compete with the stars against the dark background of the night. The city glow in the night sky was easily apparent. It is kind of quiet, but you can hear the distant sounds of trains and planes, and an occasional ambulance siren with a constant background sound of rushing 18 wheelers.The lack of water leaves a very dry mouth (as I mostly breathe through my mouth), and it is very irritating, but I have to save what little I have for tomorrow's hike. It is very late here and I will be getting an early start in the morning. I did not sleep well, being used to a water bed. The night was up/down/fidget/in-out of mummy bag, zip & unzip, more fidgets and, I think, occasional naps.20:49 - 1 peanut butter sandwich and the infection on right thumb seems to be healing ok. 21:30 - I am lying here, listening to the windThinking of the things that might have been