Date: 2014-04-27
From: Atkins, VA

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: clear sky

We did it! We have completed 25% of the trail and also managed to keep thru-hikers up past 8 pm!We started the day out with breakfast at the Barn Restaurant in Atkins - great food for great prices, stop here for breakfast or the Hiker Burger!Left the Barn with Trip and began the day's hike - it was a nice hot sunny day with some big climbing to do.After walking across open fields we returned to the woods to start the climbs. Sometimes the trail makers forgot about switchbacks going northbound, sometimes the climbing was easy because of switchbacks. We made it through the first climb and then we ran into Robert and Svenja resting in the shade by a stream - they were taking it easy because Svenja's foot and shins were giving her some problems. Hopefully she feels better with some rest!We also ran into Hey Everybody while we were getting water at the stream - he had run out of water since there was not a water source at the Davis Path Campsite last night. After the second big climb we stopped for lunch at an old fence crossing. While eating lunch we met Pack Rat from Tennessee - an odd character who likes to run on the trail but has a 45 pound pack! With lunch on our bellies, we hiked through several areas of easements (the trail passes through private property for several miles) and found some trail magic tied to a fence! It was only soda (Dr. Thunder) and Oatmeal Cream pies, but it was a great snack for the hiking (Thanks Lumbermack and Lab Rat!)After a quick water stop, we started the last climb up to Knot Maul Branch Shelter - steep at times but overall not too bad. We reached the shelter and were the first ones in camp, so we set up the hammocks and began gathering water. While looking for water, I ran into Blazer and Forrest G coming southbound up the trail. Blazer (can find the trail in dire situations, gets lost otherwise) is a bartender from Cincinnati with her boyfriend Forrest G (had ankle problems initially, walked like Forrest Gump in his braces), who is a chef in Cincinnati. They are doing a flip flop SOBO trail (Shenandoah to Springer, Katahdin to Shenandoah)!Throughout the evening, we had several groups of hikers come into camp and some moved on. Trip arrived a little later and set up his tent, while Heartwood stopped at the shelter and then moved a little further up the trail to camp. Purple Blaze arrived at the camp - she got her name from all the purple gear she has! After some eggscellent detective work, we discovered that she placed the Easter eggs along the trail into Damascus - we cracked the case and caught her red (and yellow...and blue...and pink...and green...and orange)-handed!Pack Rat showed up in camp and rested a long while before doing his night hike and Hey Everybody arrived and set up his hammock in camp - another fellow hammocker! Eastwood showed up late in the evening and set up his tent.We got a nice fire going, and great conversations were had around the fire. Everyone was so talkative and enjoying the moment that no thru-hiker went to bed before 9:30 - way past hiker midnight of 8 pm! It was a great evening and we learned some great spots to see on the trail ahead from Blazer and Forrest G while telling them of things to see on the way to Springer.We went to bed near the Knot Maul Branch Shelter - the sign says Knot Maul, and someone cleverly wrote "Darth" above it.This is my apprentice, Darth (Knot) Maul!