Date: 2015-05-31
From: The Priest Shelter, VA

To: 849.3 campsite, VA
Miles today: 22.3

Officially 2 months complete as of yesterday. The start of my third month would be a challenging one for sure. Burnsides and I slowly got ready this morning, knowing the beast that awaited us. We parted ways with a group of men we shared the campsite with who made me feel the safest I've felt so far, one being a pastor, the other a soldier. Hard to go wrong there. We climbed the remaining half mile to the top of The Priest before spending the next hour and a half descending ~3,000ft, past Cripple Creek, to the Tye River flowing below. We stopped here under a suspension bridge just long enough to fill up on water and down a quick snack. We then began making our way up the ~3,000ft climb up Three Ridges Mountain.In the first mile of the climb with me leading, I was hiking with my eyes towards the ground watching my step when I heard a loud rattling noise. After a moment of hesitation, I looked to the side of the trail no more than 2 strides ahead of me and a large rattle snake sat basking in the sun. How I didn't see it from a mile away is beyond me. I did what any real lumberjack mountain man would do and yelled while running back down the trail towards Burnsides. After my heart returned to normal, we decided on a game plan to get around the snake sitting in the middle of the trail staring us down as the sound of its vibrating rattle filled the air. I began bouncing rocks near it to try and scare it away. No good. I stared it down to try to scare into submission. Fail. We ended up climbing a hillside and walking 10-15ft around it, our tails tucked between our legs in defeat. Our eyes were peeled for the remainder of the day, but this would be our only encounter despite other hikers reporting rattlesnakes along the mountain.Reaching Harper's Creek Shelter, the halfway point of the climb, we loaded up on water once again before continuing on. Up past Chimney Rock, we would climb as sweat poured off of our bodies and drenched our clothes, until finally reaching the summit. We realized tat it only took us 2 hours to complete the ~6 mile, ~3,000ft climb. When you're feeling it, you're feeling it. We remained on the summit for around half an hour eating lunch, fighting off hundreds of gnats, and sitting in any sunlight we could fins in order to help dry off our clothes. Eventually, thought we had to get moving for half of the day's miles remained ahead of us.The remaining hike would take us through gentler ups and downs along the high ridge, through places with names like Hanging Rock Overlook, Maupin Field Shelter, Reeds Gap, Three Ridges Overlook, and Rock Point Overlook. We eventually rounded a corner in the final ~4 miles of our hike and were treated to a place called Cedar Cliffs - hands down one of the best views I've experienced on the trail so far. Long, flat rocks jutting out from the ridge lined the trails for ~50 yards, offering breathtaking views to the west in the process. Flat farmland and farmhouses covered the valley almost as far as they eyes can see until, just on the horizon, another ridge looms high. After so many views of mountains, it's sometimes very refreshing to stand above flat land in order to appreciate the challenging landscape we're moving through on a daily basis.Just over another mile and we reached Dripping Rock, nothing more than a small spring on the side of the road, but an oasis to us for it'd be our last water supply of the day. We both downed our share of water before filling up our bottles and carrying it to our current campsite, voidvof water for at least 2 miles in either direction. Sitting at 3,483ft, our campsite is located ~30 yards from an outcropping of flat rocks with views of mountains to the south and a large valley to the west. Burnsides and I limped into camp, set up our tents, hung our clothes to dryna little and returned to the rocks to sit and enjoy the cool wind which helped keep gnats and flies at bay.After dinner, mainly just a snack since both of our food supplies are on E, we retreated to our tents to get horizontal after our sixth consecutive 20+ mile day. Wind currently rustles through the trees above, occasionally gusting quite high, and thunder can be heard at a distance as scattered storms creep by in the vicinity. Fortunately no rain for us yet, but we're set up for it just in case.Tomorrow brings Humpback Mountain, our highest point of the day at ~3,700ft, which we'll top in the first 2 miles. The remaining ~10 miles into Waynesboro, VA will be spent coasting relatively downhill. We plan to hopefully reach the road that'll take us into town around midday in order to get into town and utilize our time relaxing and completing chores. Tuesday will be a much-needed zero day as we prepare our bodies for the next push. I haven't seen or hears from Moosehead and Safari in ~3 days, but plans were to meet in Waynesboro so I'm sure I'll see them soon enough. Time to get some rest as the sound of rustling leaves rock me to sleep.Here's to 2 months down, avoiding a poisonous snake bite, and the feeling one gets knowing tomorrow is town day.