Date: 2014-05-30
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up before 6:00, I was hoping for a sunrise over the lake but the weather didn't cooperate. I left before 7:00, I wanted to get as close to Virginia as the weather and my feet will get me. I'm ready to hike in a different state even if it is 550 trail miles. I picked up my hiking poles to get a drink from my camelback and when I went to use them again I got my left foot tangled up in the hiking pole. I almost took a bad fall downhill because I was hiking at the time. It would have been a rough start to my morning. I saw 3 orange salamanders this morning and one lazy snake. He wouldn't move out of the way so I went to flip him off the trail and put to much into it and slung him into a tree. I'm pretty sure that he will move next time. I had to hike 3.8 miles to water, the source at the shelter was too far for me to fill up in the morning. I stopped at the first shelter that I came to so I could dry out some clothes. I hate wet feet, and I also wanted some dry clothes in my backpack in case it rained again this afternoon. The sun didn't stay out so I moved on. I was just thinking how some days are uneventful when I came upon Babs Bunny enjoying some Trail Magic. The Nelson Chapel Baptist Church had cold pop, snack cakes and even first aid items if you needed them. All that they asked is that you sign your name and tell what state you are from. Last year they had people from 45 states and 13 countries sign their book. Amazing! Then I crossed a road and walked about a mile up several pastures going through gates and up a gravel path. In the last pasture there were some cows standing by a white blaze. I think they were grazing not hiking. The day had suddenly changed. I went 8 miles in about 3 hours thanks to some trail magic.I stopped at the next shelter for some water and a short break. Just as I was leaving a man was walking out of the woods. with a gps in his hand. He had retired from the Bureau of Land Management in Utah and was looking for two rare species of plants. Even when the scenery isn't the best you can count on meeting some interesting people out here. I hiked the last 8.3 miles in 3 hours. Either the trail is getting easier or I am finally getting the hang of this. I had just walked my longest day so far, 22.7 miles. I am staying in the shelter, everyone else is tenting including a boy scout troop from Bristol, Tennessee. They are getting some training before they go to New Mexico for scout camp. About 8:00 it started raining and I was glad that I was in the shelter. Two of the scout leaders came up to the shelter and visited with me and asked a lot of questions about my through hike. I told them my story about the mouse eating food out of a hikers beard at night. They had a nice laugh and then they shared a story with me. One of the leaders works in the Emergency Room in Johnson City, Tennessee. One night a lady was sitting in her living room watching TV and eating Cheetos. She fell asleep and when she woke up a mouse was licking the cheese off of her lips. When she screamed the mouse bit down on her lip and she had to go for medical treatment.