Date: 2009-05-07
From: Fullhardt Knob Shelter

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I: Corrections/Additions since cell coverage has been essentially non-existent the last week, I'll use today's entry to try to catch up, and hope i keed the dates straight. I haven't read what has been posted previously, so consider this entry the real story.II WOD: AYCE   all you can eat restaurant, a hikers nirvannaIII Report Last Fri (4/24) we were at Maupin Field Shelter. As far as the Farmers Almanac goes, this would be an average day. Since Lumpy and I are photographers, we decided to take a highly recommended blue blaze trail, the Mau-Har Trail. It was a very scenic 1 1/5 mile along a crrek, leading to a pretty campaite and yellow blaze trail to a small waterfall. And the fact that it cut off about 6 miles of the AT, as well as a 1200 foot climb had nothing to do with the decision. I think this section was one of the prettiest on the trail so far. It was a very cool and enjoyable hike. We then got to te James River, where it was in the mid-90s. We took a break to let the heat subside a bit, and then started up the Priest Mtn, a 3000 ft climb over 3 1/2 miles in some pretty warm weather.We hiked up and tent camped at Cripple Creek.Sat, we finished the Priest Mtn climb. I'm not too familiar with the Catholic hierarchy; but, I think this mtn ought to be at least a bishop or cardinal. We had a resupply planned by the Greenough's later in the pm. We left our packs at the designated location, as the VA "road" appeared to be 4-wheel, high clearance vehicle only, and hiked up the the alternate resupply point. According to our inifo, this location was to have a campground, store, laundry and showeres. i took my water bladder, which had maybe a pint of water. The "campground" turned out to be a parking lot with a privy. I had visions of cheeseburgers and my favorite adult BEvERage, only to be crushed. Lumpy and i must have been vert sad looking, as a Trail Angels of the Day, the Haley's from Lynchburg, VA, offered us sandwiched, soda and cookies; which we devoured. Many heartfelt thanks to the Haley's. Life doesn't get much better than this. Well actually, it does, as the Greenough's arrived at the appointerd time. We pigged out on sandwiches, chips, salsa and BEvERage ago, and got out resupplies. We then hiked back to our packs to set upour tent for the nite. The boys found a small cairn in the middle of the AT, with a message for a hiker. The Greenough's then left, and later that evening, a 70 year hiker came through and found the message for him.Sun.   We hiked and camped Greasy Spring Road. Just before finding this place, we saw a very prominent cairn, marking a spring just off the trail. during the day, we saw some interesting formations where it appeared that trees were growing out of rocks. Should have some nice photos in the future. We also saw a modern fighter (F-22 maybe?) soaring over us at probably 500 ft clearance, and a helicopter flying about 1000 ft below us.Mon - Hiked to Brown Mtn shelter. At Cow Camp Shelter, I went to get some water. The shelter was 0.6 miles off AT, and 500 foot down. during this trek, i came across a recent grasshopper hatch. I couldn't see the little creatures very well; but, i could hear them hop out of the way and land on the dry leaves. After stopping and looking real hard, these guys looked like grains of brown rice. Bald Knob was a pretty hike. The ATC club has mowed the ridge and crest for about a mile. THe last 1.8 miles was like entering a new plant area, very green with ferns. It was also a site of freed slave sharecroppers and homestead. At the shelter, I was shocked to meet a fellow hiker. his trail name was "Lunatic" - go figure. He had lucked out to meet Flash and Hot Flash for some trail magic. This couple hiked the AT in 2087 and then travelled to various AT crossings offering water and treats for the hikers. Lunatic shared a blueberry lemon creme pound cake with us. Thanks to the Flashes.Tues Hiked to Punchbowl Shelter. I was pretty sick with diarhhea most of the day. got more than my fair share of practice in digging catholes. We passed several suspension bridges, which were quite impressive. AGain, photos to follow.Wed   hiked to Punchbowl Shelter. Pretty skanky water here, standing pond with very little spring input. This did have the best privy so far. however, it was quite a way off, and with my condition, remined me of the childhood story: "100 Yards to the Outhouse" by Willie Makeit. That night around 1100 pm, a hiker checked in. Never met him; but, learned he's a Brit named Crispy.Thur - Hiked to John's Hollow Shelter. Most of the hike was in the clouds. Heard from NOBO of a leagally blind, missing hiker. We thought we may have seen him and I hiked to the James River road to provide info, only to find no one or have any other comm capability. Fri - took a zero at johns hollow. Volunteer SAR dog team came by shelter and I reported our info, only the see picture of lost hiker who was not the one we saw earlier. Later, an ATC "Ridgerunner" and 3 (armed) park rangers came by. Grizzly stopped by to say hello. He reported that we were known on the trail as the "two old men with large backpacks"!!! The ridgerunner gave us a news report as he left that Chrysler went bankrupt and that swine flu was nearing pandemic status. Just what we needed, real world info. however, if there is a pandemic, I would think the At is a pretty safe place to be. also, we saw wasps the size of hummingbirds. And, there was a whipporwill that came to te shelter table and sounded off at 0530. and this little bird was not shy at all, it was a soprano profoundo. i haven't hunted birds in a long time; but if whipporwills were legal prey, they I would be sorely tempted to reconsider.Sat - we were met by the Greenough's for another resupply. Can't say enough about all their support. previous posts reported Lumpy going off trail. I was carring a 3-person tent, which was slight over 5 lbs. Looking at the map, i could shelter hop most of the way into town, with the exception of 1st night. Lumpy, a trained meteorologist from the great cow schoolat college station, offered a forecast that it wouldn't rain, and that the forecast was worth what it was paid - a big fat zero. I left about 1:30 in the pm and started climbing. I could see the skies were threatening and about 600 pm it started rtaini8ng. I had a 5x7 tent ground cloth, found a log at the Maple Springs campsite to make a shelter and prepared for a long night. Very glad I was an Eagle Scout nearly 50 years agoSun - hiked to Thunder Hill Shelter, thru rain all day, got there early and started hanging my gear out to try to dry. I was started when a voice asked if I was interested in some trail magic. I never heard this guy approach and it was like the Bill Cosby record where God is talking to Noah. After recovering from the surprise, learned the man's name is John Hasty and he regularly visits the shelters offering trail magic. I hiked to his truck to help carry supplies and he cooked up suasage, eggs and pancakes to go with OJ - truly uplifting experinece for me. LAter Red Hat and O.M. river joined us, John cooked for them and even erected a tarp to keep the rain off his cooking. i sorted my clothes out into damp, wet and wetter. Ended up dressing in damp and bagging the rest.Mon- hiked to Bryant Ridge Shelter, the Taj Mahal of shelters. This was a 3 story loft, lists capacity as 20 hikers; but, probably could easily handle 2 or 3 times that many. The hike was mostly in clouda and rain. I heard this noise which sounded like a flightline. turned out to be FAA radardome site. Also, came across very interesing rock formation, a two story corridor with a 2-ton rock wedged into the top (photos to follow) The Sun came out briefly and I was able to dry my clothes from wet to damp.Tue - hiked to Bobblets Gap Shelter. Rain all day. Saw a burnt orange newt, with tiny iridescent orange circles, ringed in black on its back. Also a box tuurtle and a very ugly frog. i stopped at a Blue ridge Parkway table for a meal break and when i re-entered the AT, i saw a grouse hen on the ground. It was pouring hard and the bird just watched me closely, let me get within about 5 feet of herWed - plan was to hike to Bobblets Gap Shelter, and then into Daleville on THurs, with Lumpy to join on Fri. Again, rain all day. I was hiking at a good clip and made a food and privy stop at Wilson Creek shelter. Since I am hiking without Lumpy, i do not have a good measure for my hiking speed. Also, the signs for this part of the AT do not appear to be very accurate. The next interval showed 3 streams in my map; I think I crossed 5 or 6. At the last stream, a NOBO reported that it was 0.5 mile to a FS road and another 2 miles to the shelter. It was still early and i was excited about trying to make it to town that night. The next 0.5 mile was one of the toughest; i think it was 0.5 mile vertical. Then the sign at the FS road says its 2.8 miles to the shelter. I checked my map, it confirmed 2.8 miles to shelter, with a spring at 2.4 miles. My plan was to hike to spring, fill up with water, take a good break at the shelter, and then make a decision whether to try to make Daleville for the night. The last uphill climb was realative easy one, appearing mostly to be a fireroad. It started raining hard again. I think I saw the Sun only about 3 hours since Saturday. soon came across a marker and i was getting ready to load up on water. It was about 4:00 pm and i was shocked to see that it was the shelter marker. somehow I missed the spring in all the rain. Now, I had a liter of Gatorade in my nalgene and a couple of squirts in my water bladder. It was early, I wasn't going to hike a 1/2 mile back for water, it was 5 miles downhill into town, aand still raining. Game on for making town. i stowed all personal iitems in the pack: maps, camera, phone; and recalled all food snacks for immediated access. Let the dogs run!! I made town by 6:15, still raining. THe trail runs right thru town and a HoJo is within yards of the trail. i checked in, opened up my biology lab experiment of clothes, took a long hot shower, put on my driest clothes and walked across the street for Mexican Restaurant. Was I in luck, Cinco de Mayo especial, Mexican beers for $1.99 and they had my favorite,Negra Modelo.Thurs - today will be zero day, wash clothes, pick up mail package and maybe do so gear changes. And Lumpy should return tomorrow.Life is good