Date: 2008-05-21
From: Tenting near Bailey Gap Shelter, VA

To: 1 mile south of the Keffer Oak, VA
Miles today: 17.3

COFFEE.....WHERE'S MY COFFEE? OH NO, WHAT HAVE I DONE? :-)I woke up at 6am and just laid there drifting in and out of sleep, listening to light rain hitting the tent every so often.I finally came around and decided to have a couple Poptarts and some nuts for breakfast.I found something called Spark at Wal-Mart. It's a red grapefruit flavored drink and it has caffeine!I knew it would take a few days to get rid of my dependence on caffeine....and I wanted a soft landing. :-)I mixed up one packet in about 16 ounces of water and drank that. I was surprised because it tasted pretty good. The only thing I don't like about it is the aspartame, but I won't need it long.It was still raining lightly off and on, so I got out my mp3 player and listened to music for a while, and then I remembered that I have the 2nd third part of the book I'm reading. I got that out and read a few chapters of that.It was kind of nice just laying around and being lazy this morning.I could see my breath, so I checked and saw it was in the low 40's.I walked up to Bailey Gap Shelter when I got all packed up to sign the register and use a smiley face sticker.Bus Driver, Sunkissed, Sunbeam, Kyonite, mike and GT1 were all still there.Sunbeam was crawling back into her sleeping bag as I was leaving....it was 9:30am.It worked out good waiting to walk this morning. It was mostly sunny, a little breeze and in the upper 40's.I was walking through a very rocky section of Trail and I came up to A Lo Hawk who had his stuff spread out drying.I walked on because I was going to eat at Wind Rocks.I came to a spring and topped of my water bottle and drank some.I was looking through a recent register and saw where my friend, Amoeba, had hiked through here a couple months ago. She wrote that she lost a Croc up at Wind Rock.I looked on my way up.....just in case, but never saw one.I stopped to eat lunch. It was windy, so I put my jacket on.I had Vienna sausages, Fritos, nuts, diced peaches, raisins and a Rice Krispy Treat for lunch.I was just getting ready to leave when A Lo Hawk came walking up.The leaves were just starting to come out on the trees at this 4,100 foot elevation.As I walked down the mountain, the foliage in the trees kept getting thicker. One of the nice things about this time of year is that the new leaves are a beautiful spring green.I kept walking and for some reason, not making many miles. Bet it's the lack of coffee this morning! :-)I stopped at War Spur Shelter and ate some Fritos and nuts for a mid-afternoon snack.Bus Driver, A Lo Hawk, Kyonite and Sunkissed all came in while I was resting.I walked on and started a 1,800 foot climb.I was walking along and looked at my map to see I was getting close to Rocky Gap.I knew there had been trail magic there before and was thinking just how nice a Coke would taste.I came around a corner and saw a cooler. I got a smile on my face. :-)I stopped and looked inside and all the sodas were gone. The only thing left was one Guinness.I thought about it and decided to take it for dinner. I signed the register there and thanked Super Dave, the guy that put all that stuff there.I finished climbing that mountain. I checked to see if I had data service yet on my cell phone....and I did! I sent in yesterday's journal entry and got a text back that Mrs Gorp posted it.I walked on at today's slow pace and got to Laurel Creek Shelter. Cash was the only one there when I got there.I ate dinner....half a Guinness, Thai chili tuna, tuna salad with Fritos and crackers, cheese, nuts and a Rice Krispy Treat.While I was eating, Mike and GT1 showed up. Mike was eyeing my Guinness, so I asked him if he wanted half.He said no, but his eyes said YES, so I gave it to him. He was one happy boy! :-)A Lo Hawk, Bus Driver, Aboman, Kyonite and Sunkissed all showed up while I was eating. I walked on....still at a slow pace. I started hearing a wood thrush and enjoyed walking down a forest trail late in the day, listening to my favorite bird song on the AT.I got to Va. 42 just as a truck stopped. Mike and GT1 got out.They hitched a ride to the store and got a ride with a '99 thru hiker who took them the 8 miles, waited on them to buy some stuff, then brought them 8 miles back to the Trail.I walked up and Mike gave me a Klondike bar. He said it was for giving him the beer earlier.I stood there and talked to them while I enjoyed dessert. :-)I walked on about another 1/3 mile to some woods and found a flat spot for the night.I found out that D-man left Catawba yesterday and is walking south, so I'm looking forward to seeing him again. He signs my guestbook quite a bit. I met him several years ago in PA on the Trail.Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)