Date: 2004-07-10
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night two other hikers joined me. Trashman ¢ a retired SEAL of 20 years, who collects the trash as he hikes ¢ and School Master ¢ an active math teacher of 7th grade students. They just met each other at the beginning of their hike, and have teamed up to hike south. They are great guys and we had a wonderful conversation ¢ the trail, the environment, the war, politics, the future, it was just great, the three of us lying in our sleeping bags and talking as the sun set and the darkness gradually enclosed us.   We were all up early this morning- I could not find my Pretez headlight cover ¢ and we were quickly on the trail. School Master was having problems with a pulled muscle in his leg, and Trashman was going to hike to his vehicle, which he had parked at the trailhead at Bland, and come get him at the road junction.   The hike started with a slow and steady descent to VA 608, then back up Brushy Mountain ¢ YET AGAIN ¢ AGAIN!! - to the ridge. The ridge walk was much more difficult and rocky today with almost no good vistas over the valley. I saw a second snake ¢ unlike the first black one, this one was tan brown with black markings. I also saw a turtle [box?] high up on the ridge with no water in sight anywhere. It looked like he was eating a piece off of a mushroom, but he was totally still all of the time that I watched him.   And then ¢ I saw a BEAR! It all happened so quickly. I heard a sound off to my left, and when I looked I saw the backside rump of a black bear disappearing rapidly into the trees. It seemed to be the size of a realy large dog. It was gone in a few seconds, with much noise and crashing thru the foliage. It was much more surprised and startled than I was.   The trail gradually descended to Kimberling Creek, which at this stage was a placid, wide, slow moving stream ¢ and crossed the creek on a realy neat suspension bridge. Met a day hiker here ¢ but again he was the usual silent sullen VA type. Pretty soon I was at the side trail to Dismal Creek Falls. The sign said 0.2 miles, but someone had added ¢Much Further¢ after it. That, and the fact that the trail descended sharply, and that this was a 14+-mile day, deterred me, and I continued to follow the white blazes.   I made good time on an up and down, but regular graded trail, and urged on by the roll of approaching thunder, finally made it here to the shelter. I had just managed to get water, when the heavens opened with an archetypical summer afternoon thunderstorm. A real gully washer! In the middle of the rainstorm ¢ while I was still changing out of my sweaty hiking gear ¢ a young couple on a day hike took shelter here. They were realy nice and talkative. They told me that this was the shelter where the two young women were murdered a few years ago. I had thought that the murders had happened further north in PA. They also gave me a blueberry muffin and a ham biscuit ¢ delicious. This more than made up for the sullen attitudes of so many of the other day hikers. Not all Hikers in VA are silent and withdrawn.   The afternoon thunderstorm has now passed. Had beef stew for dinner. No cell signal here. Big climb in the morning, and then on to Docs Knob.   Thought for today ¢            If the solution is education, how come the teachers are so badly paid?