Date: 2014-05-12
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: few clouds

We left Wilson Creek Shelter around 7 to try and beat the heat as we had a couple of really big climbs and this would be an over 20 mile day. Last night I woke up and heard foot steps (the 4 legged kind) coming up the side of the hill where the only thing located is the privy. The wind was blowing in that direction and whatever it was carefully circled the edge of all of the tents and the shelter moving from one side to the other. I tried to figure out what it was but it was just a bit too far away to discern what it might be. Needless to say my main concern was that it was a bear, a hungry bear and he was sniffing down wind to see what might be available. I continued to sit up right in my tent for about 30 minutes until I thought it was close enough to shine my head lamp on it. I then carefully unzipped my tent door and peered out to where I last heard it and hit my light. It was only a lone doe munching on some nice green grass that was near the shelter, but it did add some excitement to my night. As I said before there were several people camped at the shelter as we are caught in some kind of bubble (large group that moves from one place to another together) and besides beating the heat we had hoped to move out of the bubble if possible. Today was kind of transition point as we made contact with the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) that runs 90 mile in south Virginia and has several overlooks for people to stop and use. We appreciated these breaks and views but not the hospitality of the person driving the tractor blowing the debris off the sides of the roads. Despite seeing Gray Ghost and I and knowing that we would pass close by he continued to blow debris, sticks and leaves at us covering us as we were a bit sticky. What a jerk! Anyways, I let it go and enjoyed the scenery surrounding us with an orange newt on the trail, the Rhodedenrons blossoming and more nice views from the overlooks. At one overlook we had stopped to take a break because it had a picnic table and a trash can - its the simple things in life that are the best as we seldom get to sit at a table and eat and its nice to lighten our loads by getting rid of our trash. We were further blessed by a couple who were trying to meet up with their nephew who was hiking and when they saw us they offered us a cold bottle of water which is like champagne to someone who has been drinking warm creek water. As the temperature continued to move up into the high 80's along with the humidity we began to wonder if our goal today was a little too optimistic when we came out to a road where Jennings Creek flowed under it making a perfect swimming hole!!!! Jo Hawk, Chops, Naked Ninja and Tom Sawyer were already there and it didn't take long for Gray Ghost and I to get down to our shorts. Man that felt sooooooooo gooooood! Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, Tom Sawyer had called the local camp ground 1.2 miles away all up hill to see if they would come down and pick us up and they said YES. Five minutes later, the owner Susan picked up 6 of us and brought us back there and cooked us up Cheese burgers and fries and we also had chips, soda, milkshakes and ice cream. All things high in calories and fat - just what hikers needed. When all was done she then took us back to the trail. What a sweetheart and trail angel. With our bellies full and our bodies cooled off we were ready to tackle the last big hill of the day to get to the shelter. While it was a long day time and mileage wise it was very satisfying and I went straight to bed without even doing my journal for the day.