Date: 2006-06-03
From: Bland, Va.

To: Trent's Grocery, Va
Miles today: 18.6

I feel well rested after a nice zero yesterday and am ready to hit the trail again. :-))) I woke up at 6:30am and made some Starbuck's. I heat up the water in the motel coffee pot, but I pour it through the same Mugmate filter I use on the trail.That way I get good coffee and not an off brand motel coffee.Some things are just important enough to go to an extra effort. :-)) I walked down to the lobby and had an English muffin with cream cheese, 2 hard boiled eggs and a grapefruit. I still hadn't heard from Hokey Pokey about my ride today, so I called again and realized I was calling his office phone and not his home phone. I called his home phone, left a message and he called right back.He said he'd take me at 11am. I loaded up my stuff into the truck and watched the Weather Channel until it was time to leave. :-))) I got to Hokey Pokey's at 11 and we headed towards Bland where I had gotten off the trail 2 days ago. We stopped in Wytheville and ate at a steakhouse, then headed up to the trailhead at Bland. Taco and Sarah had just gotten there and were looking for a ride into Bland, so I got out and started walking north and Hokey Pokey took them to town. Thanks lots Hokey Pokey for taking the time to get me back to the trail.It's friends like you that keeps me coming back to walk the AT. :-))) I started walking at 2pm...a little later than I had wanted, but at least I have a full belly from eating a big lunch. :-))) I walked by the side trail to Helveys Mill Shelter without stopping. It feels good to be carrying my pack again after slack packing for 5 days.It also feels good to be back in the woods again. It's a perfect day too. Low 70's, low humidity, full sunshine and a nice breeze. Six miles into my walk, a tall, skinny doe came walking over the ridge heading south on the AT, but when she saw me, she took off running. A short while later, I was able to get within 10 yards of a doe because of the strong breeze before she saw me and took off. Ten miles into me walk, I scared up two large turkeys in some heavier underbrush. They took off flying and was flapping and crashing through the underbrush before they finally cleared it and was able to fly off. That makes lots of noise in a quiet forest. :-)) When I got near the summit of Brushy Mountain, a female grouse was following about 5 yards away from me and acting like she was wounded. I knew she was protecting some youngins, so I walked back to get a look and one small grouse flew away. I stopped by Jenny Knob Shelter. I needed water, but a couple that were walking south said that the water was a long way down a hill and it was running slowly.I talked to them for about half an hour, then walked on expecting to find water by a stream I knew was coming up in a mile or so. There had been no water in about 12 trail miles so far today. When I got to the stream, there were only a few stagnant puddles of water, so I just kept walking. I figured I had just enough water to drink some tonight, but not enough to make coffee in the morning. :-(((I really wanted to sleep in the woods tonight, but I kept walking and thinking that I wouldn't be able to brew any coffee tomorrow...I kept walking thinking I would come to some water soon. I haven't seen any rhododendrons today and I saw only a few mountain laurels and some azaleas that were starting to get past prime bloom. There were lots of fire pinks though.I saw lots of small, green berries that will soon turn into nice, tasty blueberries. :-))) I was walking along and saw the first fox squirrel that I've ever seen on the AT. He was about 2 1/2 times larger than a grey squirrel. I watched him scamper off, then I kept walking. I saw another deer run off after she spotted me about a mile before I got to Rt 606. In another half mile, a deer blew at me, then took off running. I've seen more wildlife today than any other day on the trail this year except for the day I walked over Hump Mountain in Tn. I got to Rt 606 and didn't want to take the water that was in a stream beside the road, so I walked .4 miles down the road to Trent's Grocery Store.I went in and saw Doc Gnarly sitting inside.I got a coke and a gallon of water and decided to see what the area looked like that hikers can tent at near here. They charge you six dollars to tent and it was a nice enough spot, so I stayed here tonight. Doc Gnarly, Ramblin' Man, Tree Frog, Show Me and Jaguar were all there tenting too. Jaguar had hiked with Hippie in the Smokies and already knew all about me. Ha, the poor guy had to walk with Hippie for a while. :-))) It was a good day for a walk. I set up my tent and ate a few things for dinner, then when I got ready to start writing my journal, I fell asleep. Thanks again Hokey Pokey for getting me back to the trail today. :-)))