Date: 2006-11-19
From: Manassass Gap, Va

To: Near Compton Gap Trail - Shenandoah National Park,
Miles today: 12.4

Today started off slowly. I was so busy last night talking to Queen Diva and Marsha, that I never got around to writing my journal for the day. I did that first thing this morning when I woke up. The journal entry for yesterday was so long that by the time I got it done, Queen Diva came down and invited us up for breakfast. I stuck my laundry in, then headed upstairs. Queen Diva and Marsha were busy talking, so I just sat off in the corner by myself until Queen Diva mentioned that the Starbuck's was ready. :-))) She made breakfast burritos and they were the best I ever had. (I've only had McDonald's before. Ha!!) Queen Diva made me three and even used more of the ol' Chief's sausage he brought up last week. We sat around talking for about an hour, then I went downstairs and got my laundry out and packed up to walk. After we had some pictures taken and said our goodbyes, I gave Queen Diva my final hug for this year. :-((( Queen Diva, thank you so much for helping in a BIG way to make this year's walk a nice one. I'm going to miss you...and your cooking. :-))) Marsha and I headed out for Manassass Gap where I walked from yesterday. On the way out there, I suddenly remembered that I had left my cold pan fried chicken in Queen Diva's refrigerator. We would have turned around and gone back after it, but Queen Diva was leaving right after us for church. That pan fried chicken was for my dinner tonight. :-((( Marsha saved the day by giving me some cheese, cookies and a small cheese cake she had made. She dropped me off at the trail head at Manassass Gap and after I gave her a hug and thanked her for coming down a day early and helping me out, I headed south on the Trail. She is a true trail angel. :-))) I made a 700 foot climb, then a 500 foot descent to Rt 638. A young buck with about 6 inch spikes jump across the Trail about 10 yards in front of me. He just ran about 15 yards and started eating. He didn't seem worried about me at all. Two minutes later, a doe that was about 20 yards away ran off. I walked by Jim and Molly Denton Shelter without stopping. It had rained very lightly for about half an hour. I finished climbing about 800 feet up to High Knob, then descended to Chester Gap and crossed Rt 522. I made a 500 foot climb, then a 400 foot descent before starting the 1300 foot climb up towards Compton Gap. I stopped by the spring below the shelter and got water, then headed up to Tom Floyd Wayside. I stopped there to sign the register and saw that I was the first person to sign it in over 8 days. I walked on and in about 10 minutes, I found a nice log to sit on and eat dinner. I had the cheese cake first and it was delicious, then I ate half the cheese and then about a dozen cookies and washed it all down with a Pepsi. :-))) It was very peaceful. The wind wasn't too strong, it was 40 degrees and there were no leaves on the trees, so the views were nice. I finished eating, then walked on to the kiosk where I signed the permit for entry into Shenandoah National Park. It was too rocky around that area to set up my tent, so I walked on another third of a mile and found one spot where my body fit in between the rocks and set it up. I had turned right off the Trail about 100 feet to stealth tent and I saw a doe watching me from the left side of the Trail. It took me a few extra minutes to set up the tent because there was nothing but rocks to put the tent stakes in. I ended up slanting them, so they caught the top layer of soil and that worked nicely. My fingers are getting cold while I'm laying here in my tent and typing this...should be a beautiful night. Thanks again Queen Diva and Marsha for helping me out so much. :-))) All totals for The Leaf Catching Game have to be in by midnight tomorrow...good luck. ;-)))