Date: 2003-05-06
From: campsite north of Wind Rock 

To: Sarver Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was one of those days that seemed to last forever. That's not a bad thing, or a good thing. It's just a thing. The rain quit sometime during the night, which made packing up this morning much easier than yesterday. Everything was still wet, but it wasn't currently raining, and I took that as a good thing.I had breakfast in bed again but wanted to get out of that wet tent, hoping things would be magically dry. Ha! My pack must've weighed an extra 10 pounds!! Alright, maybe 5 pounds, but it certainly makes things heavier. I put my damp sleeping bag in a garbage bag, then in my pack. Other things went into a garbage bag too. I'm not sure if I wanted to keep those things dry, or keep those wet things from getting other things wet. I'm not even sure it was necessary, but I felt better doing it.On the way to the first shelter (War Spur Shelter), I met a southbound hiker, Wanderer. I talked to him for a while, and he was full of good trail information for the area north. Good guy. I appreciate the information, and enjoyed talking to him. I stopped to use the privy, and have a snack, then it was time to go again. Right out of the shelter, there was an interesting stream crossing. The streams around here are quite full and have been flowing quite well. The "bridge" over this stream consisted of three logs, one slightly lower than the other two, which were on the outside. A lot of these log bridges are made with logs close together and the tops flattened. Not so with this one. I didn't have much trouble, but it was certainly interesting balancing with a foot on each raised log.After the shelter, there was a decent climb. Toward the end of the climb, the trail steepened. I kept plugging along, but was getting tired and frustrated. I rounded a curve, and saw another hiker stopped ahead. He saw me and said "Would you like a peppermint candy while I have them out?" "Sure!" I stopped and talked with him for about 10 minutes. As it turns out he's from Goodland, FL, about 20 miles from where I live, and works at a hospital where my mom used to work. He's up here for a 5-week trip, and is in no hurry to get from place to place. It's refreshing to meet new people, especially ones not concerned with miles/day. Unfortunately, I am pushing on this section to make a maildrop. The miles haven't been too hard, but I know I need to average 16miles/day to make it. Hopefully I try to avoid situations like that, as much as possible. On the ridge, there was a viewpoint, Kelly Knob, with good views. I had to jump from one huge boulder to another to get o! ut to the edge, but it was worth it!At the next shelter (Laurel Creek), despite it being only 1pm, it seemed like the end of the day. Maybe it was the cloudy skies, but it seemed like I should be considering staying there. But no, that was only 10 miles for the day, and I was shooting for the next shelter six miles farther. After a break, Hotdog and I left. We came to a rushing stream, and lost the trail. We searched around, and finally figured out it crosses the stream. There was no noticable path to cross. The rocks were covered by water. Carefully we found a way across, by sliding down one huge rock, balancing a wobbly rock, pushing up with poles and stepping across to another rock. Whew! Made it. That was interesting, and unexpected. Most water crossings have a fairly dry, obvious route. Withing a half mile, we had to cross the same stream. While not quite as difficult, it was a puzzle to get across too. Made that one too.At one point I startled 6 deer and they took off, bounding through the woods. I turned and told Hotdog I'd seen them, and seconds later he said "Cows." There were about a dozen cattle walking on the AT, coming in from pasture. We hiked a bit farther, and a few stragglers were coming, one a young male who was bellowing as he approached. We gave him the right of way, and continued on. The trail went from pasture to pasture on beautiful farmland. We had to climb stile after stile. At one point, the pasture we were hiking through contained a donkey. Interesting I thought.Finally we were back in the woods. We came to Keffer Oak, the second largest on the AT, with a girth of 18-plus feet. The thing was huge! And awesome-looking, with large branches reaching out. It was a cool tree.Around 5:30, we reached the side trail to this shelter, Sarver Hollow Shelter, our home for the night. The side trail was steep downhill!! The muscle on the front of my lower leg did not like that at all! I kept thinking "I'm gonna hate this climb in the morning!" But the shelter is beautiful! It is new, and has a high roof and large overhang, with a deck in the front. It even smells new, as I can smell the wood. Hotdog and I spread out our wet gear to dry a bit, and a southbound section hiker arrived and did the same. The place looked like a yard sale!It's good to be in a dry place, even though it's not raining.   At least I know I can get ready in the morning without worrying about rain. I'm hoping for some sun tomorrow too. It tried a few times today, but wasn't successful. Everything is becoming greener, and with the recent rain, and the sunshine I'm hopeful for, that green trend will spread to the tops of the mountains too. The views have been incredible, and I can only imagine how much better they will be with more color! Soon, I'll find out!