Date: 2017-04-12
From: The Scales, VA

To: 526.2 campsite, VA
Miles today: 20.5

Day 36: The Scales, VA to mile 526.2 campsite, VA - 20.5 miles:I woke last night to the sound of rain plopping against my rain-fly. Fortunately my gear and tent remained dry in the process. The light wind of the early morning also dried off my rain-fly and tent, preventing me from having to carry wet gear for the day. With plans not to begin the trail til 8am, Freight Train and I began slowly moving, packing, eating, and stretching soon after 6:30am. With fog creeping in and masking the distant ridges our elevated position overlooked, slowly at first and then faster, it looked like a bad day ahead. However, with the weather forecast promising sunny skies and highs around 70 degrees again, we knew it was only time.Pushing out of the Scales right at 8am, we climbed up and over a small ridge blanketed in fog before descended four miles to the Fox Creek below. Immediately after reaching the creek the trail climbed a mile and a half, up and over a small mountain. Once reaching the summit we realized we had covered ground faster than expected, and mentally tried to slow ourselves from that point on. A couple miles later we reached Comers Creek, a series of small cascades flowing briskly beneath a wooden bridge. We joined two women who were doing a small section, taking a break to sunbathe in the sun-drenched rocky banks of the small creek. I dunked my head into the refreshing water, and sat on a rock facing the sunFreight Train and I chatted with one of the women, Tangle, and her Puggle dog she happened to call Puggle several times. I don't know, maybe his name was Puggle. Freight Train and I both had water from the creek which I later found out the guide book suggests not doing. I guess we'll find out soon enough if that was a bad decision. Seeing as though I haven't filtered any of my water since beginning the trail, I'm not super worried. As we relaxed we drank water from the potentially germ-infested water, Puggle chomped at the air as a Monarch butterfly fluttered by, and Freight Train and I chatted with Tangle. Eventually Freight Train chimed in that we should hit the trail or he'd fall asleep. Back at it we went.At 2:30pm, even after trying to go at a comfortable pace, we had reached Trimpi Shelter. We sat in the empty shelter discussing the guidebook, both agreeing it was too early to shut it down despite hitting our goal. We decided to continue another three and a half miles to a campsite about a third of the way up a ridge we have to climb in the morning. Continuing on from the shelter, the trail passed along easy terrain including an open pasture, now drenched in the heat of the afternoon sun, offering views of ridges rising behind, the south fork of the Holston River, flowing swiftly and clear, and a super flat one-mile stretch that was like walking along the top of a dam wrapped around the side of a forest-covered ridge.Soon after I thought I smelled fire smoke, but wasn't confident. Moments later we crested a rise in the trail and saw two gentlemen, out for a few days of hiking, sitting by a fire in the middle of the campsite we were aiming for. Shutting it down after 20.5 miles, it was only 4:30pm, leaving Freight Train and I a little lost at how we did so much without really feeling as though we did. After introducing ourselves to the two gentlemen, I was able to experience how small the world can be.One of the men, having previously thru-hiked in 1998 and now living in Denver, was from Indy at the time of his hike. The other man, out getting a feel for the trail to see if he'd ever want to entertain the idea of a thru-hike, has been a firefighter in Indy for the past 17 years. He's also cousins with Indianapolis Colts tight end, Jack Doyle, also a former Hilltopper alum who I met once during a homecoming game. The four of us literally sat on the pine needle-covered ground around the fire for two and a half hours rotating between chatting about trail life, or staring silently into the flames the way only a fire makes people do. It was another great day of hiking, and another perfect evening enjoying the opportunity I've had over the past month.I have no signal tonight to post, and instead will at some point tomorrow. It's currently 7:45pm and everyone is in their tents, having called it an early evening at 7pm. The three others are in their tents on a small rise just above me. One of them, I can tell, is already well into sleep due to the snoring resonating from the inside of his yellow tent. I, on the other hand, am bedded down in a little bowl between two small logs, having decided to cowboy camp and enjoy a beautiful evening which calls for clear skies. There will still be close to 30-45 minutes of daylight once I've concluded this journal, in which I'll quietly lay in my sleeping bag atop a bed of leaves, watching the tops of the pine trees softly sway in the gentle breeze above. The light blue will gradually fade from the sky, only to be replaced by the darkness of night, and I'll have a front row seat.With only ~18 miles remaining until I'm finished, Freight Train and I will most likely discuss options on how to divvy up the next two days, ending for sure on Friday. If my final miles are anything like the previous few days, I'll be happy. I couldn't have asked for easier miles, more awesome scenery, or better company to finish down the homestretch with.