Date: 2004-05-18
From: Rod Hollow Shelter, VA

To: Day 59: Blackburn Trail Center, VA
Miles today: 18.1

Thus, despite my alarm going off at 3:45 a.m., I didn¢t get up on AT Day 59 until 4:18 p.m., as if the extra 30 minutes made any difference ¢¦ The warm and humid weather, interspersed by light rain and occasional thunderstorms continued again today. As I left Rod Hollow, I was well aware that I was about to take on the infamous ¢Roller Coaster,¢ a 13.5-mile section with 10 ascents and descents of 400 ¢ 1000 feet elevation change. What I didn¢t count on was the rockiness of the descents and the slickness of the numerous mud and rocky stream crossings. The difficulty of the terrain was clearly evidenced by the fact that it took me over four hours to cover the 6.9 miles to the Sam Moore Shelter where I stopped for a snack and water break. Three miles later I reached the blue blazed trail to the ATC-run Bears Den Hostel. However, given the poor pace I was maintaining I chose to by-pass the famed hostel and instead eat my bagel and peanut butter lunch at the trail junction. I did, however, take the time to get a nice picture of the Shenandoah Valley from the Bears Den Rocks. Unfortunately, I did not also think to stop off for some water ¢ big mistake. After leaving the Bears Den Hostel the AT continues its challenging roller coaster for another 3-4 miles. For reasons that are still not clear to me, even though a few of the gaps in the roller coaster are punctuated by stream crossings, I rather stupidly chose to not take on any water until I noticed that my supplies were completely exhausted and by then there weren¢t any more stream crossings.My original plan had been to hike all the way to the David Lesser Memorial Shelter, but when I got to the blue blazed trail leading 0.3 miles to the PATC-run Blackburn Trail Center, I had no choice but to seek water. As it turns out, this facility has a lovely main building ¢ a modern house for the caretakers (husband, wife and a two year old child), a rustic hostel/shelter with bunks, a wood-burning stove, a solar shower, a privy and other amenities. Since I was desperate for water, I was especially attracted by the promise that this facility also had a potable running water source and when I asked to use it the caretaker asked if I would also like an ice-cold soda ¢ you can well image my parched and enthusiastic response.All this would not have been enough to keep me from moving on, but when I heard that the caretakers were also prepared to serve us a free AYCE spaghetti dinner, plus the fact that it was obvious we were about to be hit by another thunderstorm, I chose to spend the night in the hostel/shelter with the Wrens (a husband-wife through hiking pair from MA) and Rainbow Bright (a soon-to-enter medical school female through hiking friend of the Wrens). The dinner and fellowship was great ¢ we were even served home made (AT trail angel) Amish cake for dessert, but by 9:00 p.m. I was getting tired and had to excuse myself despite the fact the others talked on for another hour or so. Returning the hostel/shelter I quickly filled out my hiking diary and went to bed, but despite the pleasant surroundings, the rambunctious thunderstorms that carried on most of the night, prevented me from getting as much sleep, as I needed.