Date: 2003-06-29
From: Pinefield Hut, SNP

To: Rock Spring Hut
Miles today: 32.1
Weather: light rain

Yesterday was a huge day for us, over 20 miles, which included several significant hills. We were up at first light and left the shelter around 7.30 am. A couple of hours into the day's work, we met a familiar face I'd been thinking about for some time. "Sheepstuff". Going south. I knew she had taken a break at the beginning of June to organise her 60th birthday party at Harper's Ferry. Knowing we would be in D.C. she had invited "Thistle", Heather and me to join her family there, but we hadn't been able to go. She was also taking time out to participate in a number of charitable events she is involved in. Through her church, the Salvation Army and other organisations, she seems to be involved in feeding half of Pennsylvania. She has still found time, with the help of her family and friends, to slack pack nearly all of Virginia re-starting from Harper's Ferry. There are many wierd and wonderful ways to hike the AT. In "Sheepstuff"'s case, she is doing a northbound thru hike by walking south most of the way. But she is well, and has overcome the string of foot and knee problems that affected her around Hot Springs. She admitted though that she had been in tears once or twice in the Shenandoahs during the really bad weather a week ago.Apart from "Sheepstuff" and the regular sighting of red, white-tailed deer, the day was a slog until, late on, something passed over my head with a powerful swish. I looked up to see a large owl landing on a tree limb about fifteen yards away. He perched with his back to me. As I approached, suddenly I became worth examining, and his head rotated 180 degrees to give me a good looking at. Black rings made his eyes seem absolutely huge. He was a large, Barred owl, about 18 inches high, a beautiful bird. We spent a lot of time looking at each other before I told him that I had places to go, and needed to be getting along. He seemed to understand, but put on an "I couldn't care less" expression. We were all very tired last night and lay in a bit longer today. The terrain this morning was great, including a unique long section that was almost dead straight, level, and even heading north! This took us to Big Meadows, one of the main tourist spots on Skyline Drive. For once, I was at the head of our group, and going like a train in perfect temperatures. Unfortunately, this train arrived early, failed to stop at the station, and missed the turn to the Big Meadows Wayside Grill and my appointment with the biggest cheeseburger on the menu. I got there eventually.It was strange coming back again. Last time I was here was three years ago as a regular tourist with the rest of the family. And with a car! We bought a large book here about the Appalachian Trail for Verity for her birthday on that occasion. And look what happened! Now I'm here in a different role with a different identity. No means of transport, we are the unclean in the midst of a flow of very well-heeled looking vacationers. But we must have some quality that catches their interest. A number of well-meaning people were keen to know if we were "real hikers", when we started and how far we would go.Every so often, people would stop and make comments to partners or friends about our back-packs sitting in a line outside the building. In confined spaces, like the small grocery store, people gave us a wide berth, (reflecting the sense of awe that we created, I think ).After spending a pleasant afternoon back in the real world, we re-supplied and set off quite late, about 6.30, for the next shelter which was only about 3.5 miles away.