Date: 2004-06-12
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Helvey's Mill Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: light rain

Privy at Jenkins ShelterStart: Jenkins Shelter @ 0848Finish: Helvey¢s Mill Shelter @ 1608Miles: 13.8Weather: Hot! Humid! Whopping Thunderstorms in eveningBreakfast: Chocolate Poptarts, Mountain House Granola Lunch: 64oz FPG, Turkey Meat, Snickers, Bagel w/ Pepperoni & CheeseDinner: Lipton Sides Cheese & Broccoli, Butternoodles, Fudgeround, frostingTrail Conditions: Easy hiking! A lot of stream crossings. Good climb to shelterAnimals: Turkey, Butterfly, Moth, Dog, BirdsPeople: Bluejay, Utah, Lamby, Dayhikers, Jeff (gave me a ride), Brittany Thompson?? (gave me a ride). Woke up again to rain as well as the irritating rantings of wet Girl Scouts. Morale was low for us lone two thru-hikers, needless to say. I packed up my damp gear and reluctantly put on my damp sweaty clothes. They friggin' reek. Utah, still bitter about the fuel incident was advised by a Scout Leader that if he was over 18 he could in fact join and be a ¢Juliet¢. He just walked away. And I thought the Boy Scouts were bad.I hit the trail and immediately began sweating buckets. My pack, shorts, and shirt smell like spoiled vinegar even thought I rinse my stuff out every night. I caught up with Utah who was about 15 minutes ahead. We walked about 8 miles together to US 21. We hiked in total silence, but had settled into a fast and comfortable hiking rhythm. When all was said and done, we had covered 11.5 miles in 3-1/2 hours. There were virtually no cars at the road crossing so we began walking the 2-1/2 miles into Bland. About halfway there a truck, that had passed us going the other direction and turned around for us, pulled over. We hopped in back and got dropped off at the grocery store. Bridge over Little Wolf Creek I loaded up on grub for a three day push to Pearisburg. Utah got his fuel and headed off to the Dairy Queen. I sat in front of the grocery store resting and eating lunch. I stunk. Everything in my pack was sprawled out on the sidewalk in front of me. If Bland weren¢t a hiker town I would have been taken as a transient. After I got repacked I tried to find the DQ but to no avail, so I stopped at the Citgo station and took an enormous dump. It was a 3 flusher and the dude stocking honey buns outside the door eyed me oddly as I left. Some lady offered me a ride for 5 bucks, so I said no and kept walking. About 10 minutes later a dude (Jeff) who was coming home from work and drinking a 40oz beer offered me a ride. I got in the back and got out in one piece at the trailhead. Thanks, Jeff.I strolled into the shelter about 30 minutes before a massive thunderstorm parked itself over the mountain. It was the most powerful I have ever seen. You could hear the lighting crackle as it amassed its energy before it¢s powerful zap. The thunder was so bold it shook the entire shelter. All the while I was sitting dry, as Utah was hiking up the mountain in the middle of the storms fury¢¦.all thanks to the Girl Scouts who screwed his fuel up, causing him to go to Bland, walk three miles out of town (as he couldn¢t get a hitch), and delay his arrival at the shelter. Friggin Scouts.Looks like it will be another wet night. Nothing new out here on the trail. This weather sucks!One Year Reflection