Date: 2005-09-11
From: Shenandoah National Park, VA

To: Baldface Mountain, VA
Miles today: 30.7

30.7 miles todayBaldface MountainShenandoah National Park, Va. I slept lousy last night. I should know better than to stay in a shelter. You sleep on hard wood!! I decided to start my coffee at 4:30 since I wasn't sleeping anyway. I had 2 fried apple pies for breakfast along with my coffee. My stomach wasn't satisfied with that, but I didn't have anything else that I wanted to eat for breakfast. I made a decision last night to stop early. I knew if I did that it would be almost impossible to make it to Skyland for breakfast today. Last night I was ok with that, but this morning I wanted breakfast, so I packed up and left at 6:15am while it was still dark out. I had about 11 miles to do and the restaurant closed at 10:30. It wasn't a real easy 11 miles either because I had Marys Rock, The Pinnacles and Stony Man Mountains to climb. I could see just enough without my headlamp, so I put that away. About 5 minutes after I got started, I heard the sounds of a bear in the woods. I was a little more cautious than usual because I still couldn't see very well, but I did see the butt of a bear leaving and then I spotted a cub. The cub was only about 30 feet from me. I kept going without lollygaggin' like I usually do because I wasn't sure if there was another cub around and I didn't want to piss off momma. I walked on down to Thornton Gap and when I came out of the woods, it was a little brighter out. I could see the sun coming up as I walked through the open area. My first climb was up Marys Rock and that was about 1200 feet. From there I kept going and got to the summit of The Pinnacle. My stomach was still complaining that it didn't get enough to eat, so I kept going in high gear. I came back down from The Pinnacle about 700 feet before I climbed 800 feet up to Stony Man Mountain. That's the highest elevation in Shenandoah National Park at 3837 feet. I walked down about half a mile and walked into the restaurant at Skyland at 10am...I made it!! Yes, I had more coffee. :-))) I ordered a real breakfast and was as happy as could be. I didn't leave Skyland until 11am. It was an easier 8.5 miles to my next meal at Big Meadows. :-))) Yep, I decided to do the 3 meal day through Shenandoah. I got to Big Meadows at 1:30pm. I went right in and ordered a turkey pot pie, salad and a lemonade. When I was done with lunch, I ordered a hot fudge sundae...they looked good when the people next to me ordered them, so I had to try one. I wasn't in any hurry because my book said that the camp store at Lewis Mountain Campground was open until 8pm. I asked just to make sure and they said that it closes at 5:30 now. I looked at my watch and it was 2:20 and I was still in Big Meadows. I looked at my book and saw that it was about 8.5 miles away. I filled my water bottle and took off. I got on the trail at 2:30 and was moving along pretty good. It was the nicest day for walking that I've had in a long time. There was a nice breeze and it was probably in the low 70s at this elevation. I kept up my pace and walked into the campground at 5:05pm. I bought a soda and a chocolate milk and went out to see what I had left to eat for dinner in my pack. I sat out front of the store and ate the rest of the garlic salami and some cheese and Wheat Thins. I went back in the store just before they closed and bought a quart of grape juice and a small carrot cake. I drank the juice, but I'm packing the carrot cake out for breakfast. I recognized the guy that runs the store from '02. He gave me a ride back to get something I forgot where I slept the night before. He even remembered me and he remembered that my shoes were about shot back then. I guess I made quite an impression for him to remember me that long. They closed up and I stayed sitting out front until I was done with dinner. I went and filled a couple water bottles and walked another few miles to get to the summit of this mountain. I saw on the map profile that there was a few flat spots, so I was hoping there would be a nice tent site. I found a good flat spot with lots of leaves and set up my tent. Today was an unusual day for hiking. I spent most of the day just a little behind where I needed to be to do the 3 meal day. If only I hadn't stopped so early yesterday.... The Shenandoah deer count for John Galt is up to 18 now. It's still not as high as I thought it would be, but John Galt should be happy to have an official count anyway. :-)))