Date: 2013-06-21
From: stealth camp at mile 656.3

To: camping at spring past War Spur Shelter @ 663.7
Miles today: 7.4

When I woke up at dawn the day had not yet started. I had a terrible headache. My stomach was queazy with nausea and I basically felt like I'd been run over by a steamroller. I had no idea why I was sick or where it may have originated. Why did I feel so lousy? Was it the spicy chili mac the night before that didn't agree with me? Was it the mayonnaise filled Burger King Whopper I ate just prior to hiking for the first time in a month in the Virginia summer heat? Did I catch another virus like the NORO virus I contracted before I left the trail? Whatever it was, it wasn't pleasant. I took some Vitamin I (trail speak for Ibuprofen) and ate a bowl of powdered milk and Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate cereal, one of my favorite meals on the trail, and felt a little better. I wasn't out of the woods yet, literally, and still had to hike, The hike today wasn't too bad, though the first mile or two were pretty rocky, so you had to watch your feet constantly to finagle your way through the ever oncoming rock maze. It also helped that the topography was mostly small gradient changes to downhill. It's a shame we have to concentrate so much on the trail. The area is full of flowering trees and large ferns. It's really pretty in some areas.We hiked about eight miles, passing War Spur Shelter to the camping area near the footbridge before the large hill. On the way to the campsite, we stopped at the Wind Rock view overlooking the Virginia Mountains that butt up against the long mountain ridges of West Virginia. The view was spectacular. We sat on an outcropping of large flat rocks, leaning toward us like an easy chair, on a cliff just above treetop height. As we had lunch. A couple of young, clean cut guys in their mid twenties stopped by to see the view and asked us a lot of questions about hiking the AT. As we were answering their more than inquisitive questions, several other hikers dropped by to have lunch or just take a break. We met Juno from Pittsburgh, Mess from Boston and Snuffels from Jersey and a young lady whose name I didn't get, and her should-not-be shirtless friend. Today is not only the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, but also hike naked day when hikers were supposed to hike nude. When the young lady started taking off her shoes and socks, and started removing jewelry I had a Knutt moment and said "Keep going, after all it's hike naked day". In trooper form she told us that the crowd she was with at the shelter, which comprised of her and five guys, dared her to hike naked today. She said she would if everyone else did and all the guys just looked at each other. That's just when the aforementioned shirtless fellow walked up. I believe it was me, but one of us asked him if this was his idea for hiking naked. He replied that it was not, that he hiked shirtless all the time. Just then another fellow with a long black beard and Mohawk haircut wearing only short shorts and tennis shoes (and backpack) came by the trail where we were.. We asked if he was with their group and replied he was not. It's funny I'd never seen anyone hiking shirtless and right after this conversation I see it twice in a moment. Mountain Man, Nomad and I didn't partake in the celebration, probably because it was just me and the couple known as Mountain Man and Nomad. They've more than likely seen each other and I can't imagine why they would want to see me (though I did lose almost thirty pounds). I can't say I'm unhappy about that, but just like the girl, if everyone else did it, I guess I would too, as long as it was safely away from the public or any situation that would be embarrassing...like hiking nude through the forest! Guess I dodged a bullet today. I saw two snakes today. The first was just off the trail where a foot and a half long garter snake slithered along the weeds. The second was on the side of the foot bridge. I wasn't sure what kind of snake it was, but don't think it was poisonous. I believe it was a rat snake or something, but have no internet to look it up. Anyway it was brown with some faint circular markings and I was so excited seeing it I forgot to pull out the camera in my pocket. I believe the two foot serpent was about ready to shed its skin because its eyes were all milky and it didn't appear to see us there. It was enough to remind us that there were probably plenty of snakes in the area, as the campsite was next to a flowing river stream. It's nice listening to the babbling brook despite the possible presence of our slithering serpent friends. We cooked supper and talked about hiking. By the way, I learned of a hiker named Waffles who I met at Fontana Dam, a young man of about 18, overdosed on Morphine patches, where he allegedly had several stuck on his arms. I hate hearing about things like that. He seemed to be a good kid and now he's dead. It's a real tragedy that should not have happened.I would like to apologize to anyone who has tried to reach me since I came back to the trail. There is hardly any cellphone service in the area. I will respond once I get a decent signal. In fact, you won't know that until then because I can't send this journal entry in anyway. Take care.