Date: 2004-05-10
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Okay, I broke my record, I did nineteen miles today. I'm not sure I want to do another one. At least not like the last ten miles of this one. I got up before six to be on the trail by seven. With the breaks I like to take, I calculated eleven hours to completion.The first nine miles were awesome. It started with a little roll, then a flat area, then a steep climb that lead to Chestnut Knob. I also knew today would be a warm day, so I pre-hydrated with a liter of water. I also had a heads up from some southbounder section hikers about the water situation up past Chestnut Knob. Chestnut Knob was absolutely spectacular. Grass blowing in the wind, the sun blazing down. The view panoramic. I had gauged my water to reach the pond listed in the Handbook. As I reached near where the pond should have been near, I ran into another section hiker and his dog. I asked if there was a pond ahead and he said yes, but it was scummy. I asked about the boxed spring and he said he didn't know there was one. I trusted the handbook and found the spring. Squished around in the pond to cool my feet. Almost two miles to the top of the knob and ten miles to Jenkins. I guzzled another liter and filled up two liters of water. Off to the top. The Chestnut Knob shelter is an enclosed building, sitting at the top. The picnic table is inside the building. Laura y Pablo had passed me while I was getting water, so they were sitting at the top looking out over the valley. We had lunch admiring the view. The sun made me sleepy, so I decided I better get back on the trail. As I started down, I ran into Rooster, who had decided to slackpack with Krispy. Apparently, things weren't as easy to do logistically, so this stretch, the slackpacking was in the southward direction. He let me know everyone else was behind him. I ended up taking time to talk to each person as we approached. I let Sanguine know I was disappointed with her Krispy suggested I try the hostel they stayed at for the night before. Jester is still unsure about going to Trail Days.BearTracks told me it was all downhill from where we were. This I knew to be a lie. The elevation profile showed it to be "level." } figure it was a bumpy level, and boy howdy was that a poor guess. I was glad I had stopped and talked to the section hiker. He told me it was rocky. And he was very correct. This next six miles was a ridge walk on Garden Mountain. It should have been named Rock Garden Mountain. Every step for the next six miles, my foot was on a rock. But the flowers were something to behold. I saw another Lady's Slipper. I saw a small bunch of Jack in the Pulpits. Wild sarsaparilla. Smooth Solomon's seal. Lilly of the Valley. Wood anemone. The ever present violets. Wild geraniums and wild oats. It was painful and beautiful. Finally got to the road marking the last four miles. I had to take an unplanned break. I was pooped. And then the wind shifted and I could hear thunder. I picked up my pace as best I could being tired, which wasn't very fast by this time. The descent stared. It was hard not to hurry. I had promised myself not to descend faster then I would ascend a slope, to protect my knees. I'm glad I stayed calm. The rain as I was walking never got harder then a sprinkle. Because of my agreement with myself about looking for a shelter, I knew I couldn't start looking for Jenkins until 630. It was 615. I looked up for a blaze when there in front of me was the sign for the shelter turn off. Boy was I happy to see it. There is a good sized group. A number of new faces. A few I know from before. We all had a blast throwing bear bags after dinner. And as we all settle into our bedtime routines of reading and journaling, the rain has started for real. I love the sound of rain, but this shelter has an asphalt roof. So I listen to it dripping off the trees. I am tuckered out. Short drop in to Bland tomorrow.      Namaste'