Date: 2016-04-18
From: Quarry Gap Shelter

To: A bit past Steel Metal Roof Road
Miles today: 29.0
Weather: clear sky

I was still full from lunch when I got done yesterday so I had fruit and peanut butter crackers then fell asleep but staving when I got up this morning so I ate, then packed up and got going. I had the shelter to myself so I slept great, that doesn't happen much and it was a very nice shelter, and also very clean.It was a beautiful morning and I walked through some dense forest, pine trees, pine needles on the trail and pine cones. I had to stop a couple of time to breath it in. Too bad you can't bottle it. Mostly ridge and fast trail to the Birch Run Shelter. I stopped there for breakfast and as soon as I put my pack down 2 dogs come out of the shelter barking and one tries to bite me. Of course here come the owner...sorry he says. I'm surprised he didn't use the typical line I've heard...he or she is friendly. I don't blame the dog, it's doing its job...I blame the dumbass owner for losing control. If you're going to get hurt in the bush, it's going to be by another person, a domestic animal, or by yourself going outside your comfort zone, not anything that lives here. So I gave this guy my best First Sergeant glare and moved down trail a bit and had breakfast at a campsite next to the creek.Back when I left Pearisburg there was a long climb out and at the top was the best looking Privy I've seen on the trail so far and a shelter. In the shelter in the corner was a couple of small Bibles and some crosses with string for your neck. Well, I grabbed one of each. The Bible I read from time to time, it fills up my religious gas tank when I read a couple verses. The next town I got to I bought a small key ring and hung the cross on the front of my pack. My cross has "Faith" burned into it.This morning I got all my breakfast stuff out and was cooking my coffee and this woman gets out of her tent and comes over and sits down and we starting talking and she tells me her name and then her trail name which is Checker. We're jibber jabbering about stuff and she looks at my pack and asks where I got that, and I said what? she says the cross. I tell her where and she tells me that she put the 2 Bibles and crosses in that shelter and other too, what a small world. We had some pleasant conversation and she offers to help me in Boiling Springs but I don't need it. I got going after that and had completely forgot about the gentleman and his beast...Thanks again Checker for the transport offer and it was nice meeting you.I crossed the halfway point a short time later...Yeah Baby!!! It's all down hill from here. Stopped for lunch at Tom's Run and also soaked my feet. They were swollen from all the normal food I've been eating. After lunch I came down through some private property with some nice Cabins. Crossed a road and entered the Pine Grove Furnace State Park. There was a sign for fresh fruit smoothies at the general store and my mouth started to water immediately so I headed there, closed. Then I headed to the AT Museum, closed. Then I headed to the park snack bar, closed. Real Deal told me yesterday to keep on keeping on so I did. Hiked by the lake and out the back of the park and back up on the ridge. Hiked ridge just about the rest of the day, crossed Steel Metal Roof Road and camped a bit later. Was a great day on the trail.