Date: 2008-04-29
From: HighTop Hut (VA)

To: Bearfence Mtn Hut (VA)
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: broken clouds

Tue Apr 29 Day#46:45am The wind is howling! i'd guess 25 to 30mph with gusts even higher...its drizzlin' rain & spitting snow...i roll over in my warm sleeping bag.I slept terribly...tossing & turning.I check my altimeter/watch it says 33 degrees here @ 3349ft elevation (@ the hut)9:30am a thru-hiker shows up..."SouthSide"(RI) to take a break & repacks his pack while nibbling an energy bar...(He says theres abt 7 hikers with him...they all were sleeping in a bit this morning)We've got 12+miles scheduled for today. We're averaging abt 2 mph.So roughly 6 hours of hiking today to the next hut & we'll probably be tenting if all those thru-hikers show up...(they'll prob pass us mid morning)10am The Sun is trying to peek thru the clouds...the fog is slowing lifting...but the wind is still howling (making it feel colder than the actual temperature). Its gonna be a brisk hike day today!I drink some "cowboy coffee" to warm my "innards" while i down a couple of energy bars.Lets Hike!12noon We spot our very first BEAR!"Jigsaw" had hiked ahead...i round a corner (coming uphill, of course) & he was pointing up into the treetops...i get my camera ready...The bear was a small one..."Jigsaw" said he's probably abt 100lbs & maybe a year or so old. (maybe last years cub?)The bear was in top of a tree...& by the time i spotted him...he was just checking us out....& then he slowly started down the tree....yikes..what do we do now?i take a few photos & a video clip (hope they turn out)...he makes it down to the bottom of that tree...& then promptly walks toward us...& then up another fallen tree....& lays his head down...i guess its NAP TIME...we hke on...1pm We stop for lunch just before South River picnic grounds..after we hike over Skyline Drive again & i stopfor water (i also emptied my trash here)"Jigsaw" hiked on...As i'm leaving the campgrounds the group of hikers "SouthSide" referred to...was actually 5 hikers...& they headed to the campground for water...they passed me a short time later.I pass by Potomac ATC cabin (Pocossin cabin) then passed by a spring & over Skyline Drive (again!) & a few miles later into Lewis Mtn Camgrounds & a mile later our home for the night, Bearfence Mtn Hut."Jigsaw" is already here, but, the thru hikers arent!Did they move on? (they actually stopped @ the campground store & raided the palce buying almost every item the store clerk had!)5pm The group of 5 hru-hikers arrive a few minutes behind me."Toddy-Bear"(KY), "Stovie"(or "Unkle Pickle"),(OH),"Yeti"(MD),"Bad Hummus" (TN),& "Shepherd"(IN)collectively they call themselves "Team Deutschmark" (i dont know why!)We're all here in the shelter for the night...crowded...but, FUN!The thru-hikers are a hoot...they all have OFF-the-WALL sese of humors...which keeps us CRASCKED UP til late in the night.We all cook..I have Oriental Rice & Chicken & mashed PotatoesI take a few photos...try to call "D-bird" from here, but, NO SERVICE.The thru-hikers seem like very nice guys, they'll be leaving out EARLY in the morning they have a 20=mile day tomorrow."Jigsaw" & i plan a 11 mile day.I'm tired...write in the journal, slip into the warm sleeping bag & its gonna be another cooool night. bundle up!                        12.4 miles today!