Date: 2015-06-01
From: Catawba

To: Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

Billy, Mikey, and Pam took me out to a local spot for breakfast. I had some authentic Virginia ham, which is very salty. It was really good. Maybe it will help with my excessive sweating! Pam and Mikey are going to hike as far as McAfee's Knob with me today. We made sandwiches- quite a treat! On the way back to Catawba, the Suburban overheated. We had to pull off the road. We popped the hood, and a state trouper saw us and pulled over. He was very helpful and waited with us till the car cooled a bit, then he poured the gallon of coolant in the car. He advised us to go to the parking area a mile ahead, then hike while the car cooled off. I can honestly say that that is the first encounter I have ever had with a state trouper that did not end with me getting a ticket.The three of us set off. Maybe they thought I would rocket up that hill, since I have hiked over 700 miles, but Mikey was the line leader, Pam was in the middle, and I hiked at my usual pace. Slow. The trail was not steep, it was well graded, but rocky in some areas. It was so much fun to hike with my friends. They have lived 30 minutes from McAfee's Knob for over 20 years but have never seen it. While we were hiking up, the clouds started rolling in and thunder started to rumble in the distance, getting closer and closer. We finally reached the knob, and I have to say, it was breathtaking. The views went on forever and the sky was pretty clear in that direction. We took lots of pictures and thrilled at the steep drop. This is the most photographed sight on the AT, and I can understand why. Pam and Mikey had to get going- they didn't have any rain gear and the rain was getting very close. We said our goodbyes for now, but they will meet me for dinner in Troutville in 2 days.They went south and I continued north. The skies were looking angry. I met a young lady named Anna, taking a break and saying it was hard, who was on her day one of a shakedown hike. She goes to Maine next week to begin a SOBO thru hike. In about 6 miles, I reached Tinker Cliffs. I had to weave in and out of large building sized boulders to follow the trail, and somehow I followed the wrong trail. I was supposed to walk on top of the cliffs but ended up on a trail that went below and in front of them. It was pretty treacherous in places, and the trail went next to some large overhangs and cave like crevices. I saw beer cans and trash, and my gut told me that I was not on the right path pretty quickly. As usual, I ignored my gut and followed the bogus trail even though I could not find a white blaze. I walked for about 30 minutes and finally turned back when the trail stopped. At this point, the rain started. About halfway back, and on a steep dangerous part of the trail with a steep drop off the edge, the lightning started. I wanted to take cover under the overhangs, but it made sense that bears would be in those cave like areas, also getting out of the rain. I thought that if a bear approached, I would not be able to hold my poles in the air as we are instructed, because then I would be a lightning rod. I also did not know how long this would last, and it was already nearly 7pm. I didn't want to get stuck in the dark back there. I was beginning to feel concerned. I finally found the right trail and got on it. The trail went on top of the rocky cliffs. The wind was howling, the rain was blowing in sideways, and lightning was striking close by in all directions. I realized that standing on that large rock, I was not just a lightning rod- I was THE lightning rod. I ran into the woods next to the cliffs trying to find some cover. Anna, the girl I had met earlier, was also in the woods doing the same thing. We ran parallel to the cliffs for half a mile, then found the trail where it snaked back into the woods. The trail was a flowing creek by this time- not a good place to be with lightning. We continued running down the trail and finally came to a spot with a large rock overhang. We stopped there, out of the rain, and caught our breath. While we were standing there, Anna told me she planned to take a Greyhound Bus to get to Maine next week. Well hell, I thought. THAT is way scarier than this. I decided to make a break for the shelter, about another 3/4 of a mile down the trail. I jogged the whole way and showed up dripping wet. Two German guys and Just Dave were there, nice and dry. Just Dave had seen two baby bears and a mama bear while hiking in to this shelter, and was a little nervous about how Mama was not afraid of him and even had an attitude. Then I read in the shelter journal that rattle snakes lived under this shelter. Awesome! I cooked a Knorrs side dish. Anna hiked in and stayed at the shelter too. Sweet dreams!