Date: 2015-10-31
From: Daleville 

To: Hwy 311, Four Pines Hostel 
Miles today: 19.8

It amazes me how a day can start out in a bad way and I feel miserable and out of sorts and then I come to some of the most amazing scenery on my journey and am moved in such a way to feel total contentment, joy and pure bliss. Today was such a day. The miserable feeling came about two miles into my hike, and the joy and wonder occurred at Tinker Cliffs. Despite less than four hours of sleep I felt refreshed and excited to get on the trail. I had a quick breakfast at HoJo's and was following white blazes an hour later with my headlamp on. I was told last night it was supposed to drop to 30 degrees, but I was dry and bundled up and felt a skip in my step. I marveled at the easy terrain and the ease of following the well marked trail in the dark. Soon after my dreamy episode of night hiking confidence the trail seemed to end and I couldn't find any more blazes. I went back to the last white blaze I saw three times and still couldn't find where the trail continued. Finally I got out my cell phone and consulted my Guthook App. In the process I tucked my hiking poles under my arm and walked around with my cell in my hand looking for the trail. All of a sudden I realized I only had one pole. This was a disaster for me as I am so reliant on my poles. I looked everywhere and couldn't find them or the trail, so I stayed in one spot until there was daylight. As soon as I could see I found the trail but not my pole. It was frustrating because since I was slackpacking 20 miles I couldn't afford to spend any more time looking. I had already lost any advantage I had in leaving early and now ran the risk of hiking in the dark at the end of the day.Needless to day, I was bummed and frustrated with myself. I felt like I had lost a limb and felt unbalanced and discombobulated. Very soon I came to an open area with power lines and views extending down to the town of Daveville. I watched in awe as the sun rose above the mountains while I took pictures with my cell phone and mourned the loss of my camera that I sent home yesterday to be repaired.  The views and outlooks were all spectacular, and I still stopped to see them all. However my mind was occupied with how I would replace my pole ASAP . My Leki's have become an extension of my body and have saved me from many injuries. Ten miles into my hike I came upon Tinker Cliffs which were huge ledges and boulders for almost half a mile with the finest views in Virginia. I could see McAfee Knob and the Catawba Valley below in it's finest Fall colors. With the exception of The Whites this is the most stunning far reaching extensive views I have seen thus far. I felt like I had just been given a glimpse of Heaven. This made up for my lost hiking pole and as usually happens while walking in the woods my worries became insignificant and just melted away.By the time I got to the long anticipated McAfee Knob it was late afternoon and very crowded with college students. It was spectacular but anticlimactic and felt more like Disney World. Someone took my photo for me, but a couple was sitting in the most picturesque spot that you see in all the pictures, and they were not interested in moving. My vision of having my picture taken while being in an awesome yoga pose in this spot did not happen. The three and a half miles to Hwy 311 was easy and crowded with day hikers who had been at McAfee Knob.  It was almost 7pm and dark when I arrived at the parking lot and called Four Pines Hostel. Eddie picked me up promptly. Unfortunately he had not gotten the message that I was coming and didn't pick up my backpack at HoJo's so we had to drive into into Daleville. The roundtrip drive took an hour, and I was so tired. Eddie offered to stop at Outdoor Trails so I could buy new poles but they closed at 6pm today. Four Pines Hostel is a converted garage at the home of Joe and Donna and many chickens, cats and dogs.  They had just smoked a wild turkey and treated me and the other hikers to dinner when I arrived. I am ready for sleep! Happy Halloween!