Date: 2007-11-14
From: Near Sulfer Spring Trail

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: broken clouds

mi. 19sleep hammockdest. Bryant Ridge Shelter day 125 I think I forgot to mention it yesterday but I think I saw the most pointless thing the trail did to date. This is worse than south of Duncannon, PA when the trail goes off an abandoned paved road, up a rock slide for half a mile or so, and than back to the same abandoned paved road. Just before the James River the trail crosses a little stream. There is a wooden footbridge built on the trail to get across it. On the north side of the stream along the bank is a trail to a parking area. The AT follows the south side of the stream to the road. From the bridge you can see about 40 yards away the bridge over the stream for the road. The bridge is not very old. Basically the bridge was built and a new length of trail put on just so the trail didn't cross on the roadbridge. The trail ends up following the road a little to the footbridge across the James river anyways. To me that just seems like a big waste of time and money, not to mention the impact of building a new tr!ail. But then again they forgot to ask me when they make these decisions. Anyways, enough ranting for one day. Today was another good day of hiking. The pack was feeling nice and light with a small foodbag. I really need to stop with the 4 day resupply's and only do 2 or 3 nights. That will probibly end in bigger miles with less weight on my back. I think I am eating at least 3 lbs of food a day. That doesn't sound like a lot, but adds up over 4 days, plus water, plus beverages. Once again it holds true that where ever you stop you find a better place just past it. Within a mile there was a great site with a spring real close. I had enough water last night, but I didn't drink up since I didn't know how long it would be today. Then it was over the first bump of the day in High Cock Knob. Originally we were going to try and camp on High Cock Knob. There were some campsites on High Cock Knob. The big issue would be the wind. High Cock Knob is not a bald but most of the leaves are gone. It was a little windy up there. I am actually a little disappointed in High Cock Knob. It only had ok views since the leaves fell, didn't have a knob that I saw (a knob is a rock overhang sticking out of a cliff), and didn't look like well anyways. After that a good little climb up a couple thousand feet in a couple miles to the next little bump. Today I also went over Apple Orchard mountain. A nice little open spot. I was thinking that if it was sunny I would stop for awhile. But it just got done trying to rain. The mountain was the site of an old air force rador station. Now all of that is gone. What is there is a giant soccer ball in a dopler weather rador station. The giant ball has hex shaped sections that look close to a soccer ball. I am amazed how the ups are feeling. I really am feeling the trail legs take over. I heard the 4 month mark was when your body really hit it. Everything from my hiking, sleeping, to my metabolism is really changed. My body feels like it is using what I give it in terms of sleep or food by the time it gets the next. Food wise it is eating all the time. Today it finally rained. It was been overcast for a few days now. It didn't a lot, just enough for me to stop and put on my pack cover and rain jacket. More anoying that helping with the water problems. I also really hit the wall today. For the first time in a long time. The candy resupply for lunch and breakfest finally caught up. I had to stop with 5 miles left to go and eat something. Good thing I was carrying an extra dinner. After eating it was easy sailing to the next shelter. Yeah I'm getting spoiled staying at them, but it's nice. The dinner was probibly a good 1000 calories. That got me thinking. On the next resupply I am going to plan on less lunch snackes and in its place a cooked meal. I am thinking that will really give me the boost though the rest of the day. Tonight I am happy to say I am once again hanging in the shelter. This shelter is one of the big ones. The guide says it sleeps 20. I give it a rainy day limit of 30+. It has a covered porch with picnic table. A lower level and a loft up top. I think that if you were not concerned with people coming or going you could hang 6 hammocks in there. The privy is also one of the cool ones. You got to like it when they have fun with it. Trail clubs need to take lessons from the Dartmonth Outdoor Club, they had some original ones. It was up on the side of the hill over looking the trail. It resembled more of a guard tower. The top half was open and it had an over sized roof. You couldn't see out while siting, but standing up you could see the trail. No mistaking what is going on here. Throw in a good flowing stream with a couple good pools and you get a great shelter to stay at. I was amazed this evening. Torque pointed it out first. For the first time in forever we heard bugs at night. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is. Higher up and where we have been had some good frosts killing all the bugs. That makes it really quiet at night. It was great hearing them again. This little valley must have not seem a hard frost yet. It was also warm enough to cook dinner and sit around talking in shorts and a long sleeve shirt. A great change. Gear Update.I called Gregory about my pack today. It turns out my problem is a known issue with the pack. Apparently they have that happening a lot. This company is really good for thru hikers. At first she told me to bring it in or mail it. But then I said while I am on the side of a mountain hiking southbound on the AT and can't go without my pack for a day. Then she said they would mail me a loner pack until I got mine back. I told her about my hipbelt problems. It doesn't stay tight for very long. I asked whether it could be because I had it pulled within a couple inches of the ends. She asked me if I was really a large and not a medium. I had to laugh. I have a 21 inch torso length. Nothing medium about it. She said I should try one. Again way too short. I asked if they could put a medium one on there for me. But nope its sewn into the pack. A huge design flaw here. First a lot of packs have removable hipbelts for this reason. Second it isn't make with a tall sk!inny thru hiker in mind. Most thru hikers are nothing but skinny. Even though we are a small percentage of their business, you would think they would take that into account. What makes this all the more funny is Torque had a issue with his gregory pack and has had a loner since Duncannon. So basically the pack they send me is the one I am going to finish with.