Date: 2014-05-26
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: few clouds

It was hard to get moving the next morning. The day after a long mileage day always is. Squirrel and I rose about 6:45 a.m., chores done and on the trail together by 8:00 a.m. Squirrel's next mail drop was slated for Buena Vista on May 29th but my next mail drop was at the KOA in Monroe, VA (Glasgow, VA area). I hoped to be there by May 28th. So we agreed to part ways for a few days, go into two different towns and meet at Hog Camp Gap Campsite on May 30th.As we were doing our final morning pack-up, from further down the fire road, three hikers (whose trail names escape me) made their way past our camp and back up to the AT. Turns out they'd too had opted for the fire road instead of all the Boy Scouts at the shelter but they'd chosen to go much deeper down the fire road than we. And here we thought we were stealth camping all alone.We said our good-byes to Squirrel and Zima as she moved out ahead at a much quicker pace down the trail. "See you in 2 days!" It was to be a comfortable 13.5 mile journey today. There was literally nothing of interest in that stretch for the first 9.7 miles of it. Just walking. There were small creeks, footbridges, but nothing of memorable interest. Sheesh Virginia is just plain a lot of footwork. So we kept our sights on the Jennings Creek Swimming hole. Oh, it would be fun for the dogs to swim for a bit, jump and fetch sticks in the water. Though we moved right along, we didn't arrive there until 4 p.m. And who was here!!! Yep, Squirrel and Zima!!! They'd spent a full 4 hours here playing.I stripped the boys packs off and in they went. I iced my feet in the cold river too but we lingered for just an hour. We still had almost 4 miles to go, only 3-1/2 hours of daylight to do it in, and we had to do a 1000' climb both up and down Fork Mountain to get to Bryant Ridge Shelter. Heading back out on the trail refreshed from the swim and foot soak, Squirrel and Zima once again pushed on ahead. A 1000' climb this late in the day for only my 8th day on the trail was going to be slow going and it was. Shortly after we headed back out, I lost my bandana. I like to carry a bandana either on my hiking pole, in my pocket or soaking wet around my neck. No matter, I always have it. Rats. To go back or not to look for it meant going back downhill. So I thought I'd try a trick. I dropped my pack and sent Bandit and Jackson back down the trail with the "Get It" command. This is a command I use during our practice hikes to have them retrieve a hat or glove I've dropped on the trail but it's usually in sight. They both lit off back down the trail and unbelievably a few moments later actually returned with the bandana!!!! Good Boys!!!!The Bryant Ridge Shelter is a beautiful 2 story shelter with lots of room and a nice layout. It is located up on a ridge along side a nice running creek for a great water source. There are nice tent spaces around it as well. But Squirrel and I decided that we'd try staying in the shelter with the three dogs, something that I typically prefer to avoid. We asked all the other hikers and they actually thought it was cool so we went with it. I wasn't so worried about Mouse Hunter as I was about Jack-Jack. He'd never done this before. So after a beautiful dinner at a picnic table right inside the shelter, we hit the rack. I leashed each dog to a wrist and they both did beautifully all night with no one causing any trouble. It is noteworthy though that I do get less sleep being leashed to two dogs though! LOLTonight I was to be reminded why electronics and hiking don't mix. When I returned to the shelter from the creek with my water, I was unable to get my Steripen to function properly and to acknowledge that my water was purified. It just kept going to a flashing red light that had nothing to do with the battery source or improper button pushes. I was now out in the middle of nowhere without the ability to get safe water. Thankfully, Squirrel loaned us her squeeze filter and we got enough water to see us until mid-day tomorrow. Plan was just to drink unprocessed water after that. Not much choice actually.One final note on this entry.... this year I had decided to try that freeze dried ice cream, remember. Well, tonight with all the great company at the picnic table, I broke out the ice cream and we all tried a piece. Most of the thru-hikers liked it, I thought it tasted like cardboard. Yuck! So I gave the other ice cream to the three hikers who'd stayed at the fire lane with us the night before. They were thrilled.