Date: 2003-05-30
From: Best Western, US 220, Daleville, Va

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: light rain

The hotel alarm went off at 5:30 this morning. Spit Fire and Sparky wanted to get an early jump on their 18.2 mile hike. I however wasn't leaving until after the outfitters opened at 10am.We took advantage of the hotel's continental breakfast at 6:30. During our conversation it came up that the temps were going to drop again and since Spit Fire had returned to the trail several days before minus all of her winter gear, she decided to go to the outfitter with me at 10 and get a fleece and emergency blanket to go with her summer sleeping bag.Sparky headed out at 7, still planning on going the 18.5 miles to Bobblett Gap Shelter.Back in the hotel room, I organized the 5 days worth of food I had gotten the night before, packed up my pack and sent some last minute pocketmail messages.At 8:30 we walked the quarter mile to the shopping center. Actually, we walked a quarter mile in the wrong direction, walked back past the hotel and then walked a quarter mile in the right direction! Sometimes I wonder how I've gotten from Georgia to Virginia under my own power.Anyway, we went to the UPS Store to send my bounce box to Buena Vista, stopped at the coffee shop for a break and to wait for the outfitters to open. While at the coffee shop we saw Last Minute, Charity, Romeo and Fire Angel. Charity is hitching up Va. 81 today to her Grandparent's house, to recuperate from an ankle injury.While we were waiting for the outfitters to open, the Golite sales rep. came up and asked if I would give the fellow in the store a message for him. I agreed to and he gave me a medium sized ultralite stuff sack. Great trail magic, 1st thing in the morning!We finished our errands, returned to the hotel to collect our packs, and headed out to the trail at 11am.I felt so light hearted today; the sun was shining, the temps were in the 70s, and the birds were singing.The trail was fantastic today. I hiked with Spit Fire for most of the day, stopping for lunch at the Fullhardt Knob Shelter. Dragonfly joined us for a short time when he came in for water.We started back out at 2:15 and parted about a half hour later. I hiked for the rest of the afternoon with a smile on my face. At one point I was looking at my elevation map while I was walking up a hill and looked up just in time to keep from stepping on a snake. I stopped about 4-5 feet from it and admired it's color. It was different from all of the black snakes that I've seen out here. I bent over and was looking at his head, saying to myself, "That looks like the head of a poisonous snake", as my eyes traveled down his body to the tail that had a rattle on the end of it! Whoa............I back peddled about 20 feet, wrote a note, RATTLESNAKE RIGHT ON TRAIL AT 20 FEET AHEAD AT 4:PM, secured it with a rock and returned to within 10 feet of him to try to encourage him to move from the trail so that I could continue on my way. First, I asked nicely. He didn't move. Then I rolled a half a dozen rocks at him. That didn't work. The hill rose up sharply to the left and dropped down quickly to the right. I was afraid if I passed above him and slipped, I'd end up in his face, and if I passed below him, I would meet up with his friends that were still in the bushes.I decided to get a really long stick and lift him from the trail, putting him down on the downhill side of the hill. Let's just say it didn't work.I ended up going down and around, keeping him in my sight at all times, hoping that I didn't step on any of his buddies waiting for his turn to cross the trail. He never did rattle at me but he did lift his tail to let me know who was in charge. Ok, you win.A half mile down the trail a wild turkey exploded out of the woods to the left of me and nearly scared me to death. I think that I was still a little spooked from the snake incident, and concerned that things sometimes happen in 3s.I arrived at the shelter around 5 to join Spit Fire and Dragonfly. We made a nice fire, ate dinner and settled in for the night. Soon after we were joined by Lion King and a pack of Boy Scouts, so our peaceful, quiet night is gone as the boys struggle to put up their tents and get settled in for the night. We're expecting thunder showers tonight and off and on all day tomorrow. I was dry and warm today and that's what matters. I'll deal with tomorrow's weather when it comes.