Date: 2003-07-07
From: Punch Bowl Shelter

To: James River Foot Bridge
Miles today: 10.9

start Punch Bowl Shelterdestination James River Foot BridgeI got up and fixed a cup of hot tea and sat outside on the picnic table listening to the sounds of nature waking up. Mudbut got up and we ate breakfast together, followed by a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles to celebrate. Well, really not to celebrate, but to eat the box of cereal up and use the milk. Denise, who runs the campground with her husband has agreed to take us up to Punch Bowl Crossing and let us out at the trail. This will enable us to hike down instead of making a 3,000 ft. climb up the mountain. The dark overhead clouds threaten to spill rain on us, but the wind was blowing just hard enough to send the clouds clamoring over the mountain with their load of water. I don't know why, but today seemed to really drag on and on. Yesterday went so good, and fast while today just seemed to never end, just like the miles. The good thing was there were loads and loads of blueberries along the trail. We both picked and ate to our hearts content. The bugs never would relent though and more or less kept us moving with their incessant buzzing and biting. I came to the Ottie Cline Powell Memorial. It was on this spot in April, 1891 that litle 6 year old Ottie's body was found. He had wandered away from the school house the previous November. There were little toys and an airplane key ring, along with some stones on his memorial. It was over 100 years ago that he disappeared. He is still impacting people today. I wonder, who it was that put the marker here. Are there any of his relatives living that still come up here to visit the site? I can only hope that 100 years after I am gone, someone will remember who I was. We did manage to find a great overlook for lunch. There was enough of a breeze blowing to keep most of the bugs at bay. That and the shade almost tempted me to lay down and take a nap, but again, thoughts of the pool back at the campground motivated me to keep walking. We got to the James River and found a nice shady spot to wait for a ride. Of course we had to keep sticking our thumbs out, and I broke my record of 13 cars passing, but we finally got a ride. I knew when I saw the truck with a canoe on top, that we had us a ride. Doug Thomas from Raleigh, Va. had been out on the river paddling today and was heading home. He used to do hiking until the water used her charms to lead him away from the trail. He dropped us at the campground. We immediatly showered and I got into the pool. Poor Mudbut couldn't go in because she did not have a suitable outfit to swim in, and T shirts are not allowed in the pool. The water was perfect. Cool and soothing to my hot, tired body. I really miss my pool at home. I spent many an hour floating around in it after a long hard day working in the yard. We sat out at the picnic table and ate our cheeseburgers. Some of the best burgers I have ever had. Dessert for me was another bowl, well, maybe two bowls of Cocoa Pebbles. It was close to 10:00 pm before our clothes were through washing and drying. Oh, the smell of freshly washed clothes and a sweet clean body. We walked down to our cabin and sat out on the steps for a while watching the lightning until rain forced us inside. The nights outside are getting hotter, so I will enjoy an air conditioned room one more night! total miles 10.9