Date: 2008-11-04
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Blackburn Trail Center
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I finished the roller coaster and also left Virginia. I have now done the parts of the AT through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.I was up rather late last night putting in mileage on my journal since I had internet access. And that was after showering, doing my laundry and having dinner with Red Wing, Hopeful and Lydia. Having electricity and people on regular time put me on regular time and also to bed late. Nice, though.Consequently I got up rather late. Knowing I did not have so far to go today did not make me speedy either. I fixed myself pancakes for breakfast since someone had left pancake mix and syurp in the community food for the hostel. I fixed and ate 2 batches of pancakes, 12 pnacakes, all by myself. And it wasn't even hard to do. Oink, Oink.A family of 3 boys and their mom stayed here last night and we chatted as we had breakfast. I finally got off and hiking at 9:00. Good thing it was a short day.I took pictures from Bears Den Rock but the view wasn't so good as the day was very overcast, hazy and cloudy. Oh well.I immediately met Native and Beast, SOBO thru-hikers. They don't plan to finish down at Springer Mountain in Georgia until January 1. Brrr. They are crazier than me. They said there were more SOBO thru-hikers this year than ever before and they know they are not the last ones.A bit later I met Chef with dog Cheyenne and Noname, both SOBO thru-hikers. Chef is a cancer survivor who got on the trail immediately after completing chemo therapy. He was very underweight and very slow to start but now has gained 18 pounds and is doing 20+ miles a day. Inspiring.I passed the sign welcoming me to West Virginia and said good-by to Virginia. Virginia is psychologically hard for NOBO hikers to get through as it is so big, over 600 AT miles.I had lunch at Crescent Rock. It had a pretty view of colorful trees. It actually also had a view of the Shenandoah Valley but the overcast day pretty much obscured that part of the view. It was still a nice lunch spot.One last descent and ascent and the roller coaster was finished. I met a young long section hiker from Connecticut aiming for the Smokies. He looked a little lonely and a bit overwhelmed. I encouraged him and told him there were hikers not to far ahead. I hope he catches up with someone or someone catches up with him.The forest, except for a few spots, was not as glorious as yesterday but still pretty. It was just a little farther along, leaves not so brilliant and darkening to browns. The reds were more burgandy but burgandy is a nice color too.I saw 3 deer and numerous squirrels today. I heard hunter's guns a few times during the day. I hope the deer hide and I hope hunters can tell the difference between game and hikers. A runner and his dog passed me not far from the turnoff to Blackburn Trail Center. BTC is another big old beautiful house that is a private residence and yet also a free hostel for hikers. The hostel part is a bunkhouse or you can also sleep on the very nice covered and screened in porch that goes around 3 sides of the house. I chose the porch for the view and the daylight.No one is in residence here tonight. Through October I think they also give free meals to hikers. But I had no trouble fixing my own dinner. The porch also has 4 picnic tables, numerous chairs and a swinging bench.While I was eating a guy came by to pick up something he had left here. We chatted a bit. And the runner came back through too. They were both nice but they made me a little nervous to be here alone so I latched all the doors to the porch. Silly, perhaps, but it made me feel better.AS I ate my dinner I noticed a light in the distance that seemed unusually tall. And then I read in the guidebook that you can sometimes see the Washington Monument in Washington DC from here. So I drank my cocoa listening to an owl and watching the Washington Monument light in the distance. Amazing!It is now 6:30 and it started to rain. I am glad I am already in my bag and before long I will be asleep.