Date: 2008-05-27
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Jennings Creek
Miles today: 16.9

I think I¢m ready to change over to a summer sleeping bag. Last night I slept with just by bag liner; no need for my sleeping bag because it was way too hot. We are trying to turn over a new leaf and get up and out earlier. This is going to be essential when it¢s the crazy heat of summer. We were up at 6:30am and on the Trail by 7:45am. We traveled the woods along the Blue Ridge Parkway and every so often they would pop us out onto the road and give us a nice overlook of the surrounding mountains and towns. The sun was blocked most of the day by a thick layer of clouds, but it was still hot, hot, hot. It was hazy out and muggy and we sweat like it was our job. We stopped for lunch at a road crossing, VA34/Bearwallow Gap. We saw a grassy hill up the road a short distance so we thought that would be a great place to relax and eat. It was actually located in the middle of an intersection, but we ate there anyway. There was barely any traffic. We had hiked 10.5 miles before lunch and that was a good feeling. I do like getting up early and putting the miles in. It feels way more productive. We sit and eat lunch and as we¢re getting ready to pack up a car pulls off the road. A woman rolls down the window and asks if we want a cold drink and snack. Of course we say yes, it doesn¢t even matter that we are full from lunch. She introduces herself as Catfish¢s mom! We explain that we had just been hiking together the past couple days. She has friends, Merton and Margaret with her and the three of them are the sweetest Trail Angels we have met yet! They give us cold sodas, cookies, candy and little debbies. I think our packs each gained a pound in junk food-they just kept pushing more on us, and we just kept taking it! We chat for a bit, and then we part ways, they on the road, us back to the Trail. There are a couple mild climbs today, nothing too terrible at all. My ankle has felt fine for the past three days so hopefully whatever was ailing me has run its course. We see a deer along the Trail, and earlier I saw a huge toad, but still no bear! We stop at Cove Mountain Shelter to sign the register and give our feet a break. Then we start the descent. My feet hurt so badly going downhill ¢ I hate it. But guess who is waiting at the bottom? Catfish¢s mom again! This time Catfish is with them (he had slack-packed a section today). Again, we get loaded up on junk food and it¢s so exciting to have such good fortune twice in one day! We offset all the junk food with a banana this time. We hang around chatting for a bit but the pull of Jennings Creek is too strong¢¦We head down to the swimming hole which is right off the Trail, drop our packs and jump in. Well, Brad jumps in, I more wade in. The temperature is perfect, it¢s not bitter cold, it¢s refreshing but you can actually stay in, swim, and enjoy it. Our first swim on the AT!!! There are lots of little fish, hundreds of tiny tadpoles, and lots of big, bull-frog tadpoles. Someone says that bull-frog tadpoles remain such for two years and these must be in their second year because they were starting to develop legs you could actually see. It was pretty cool, they were huge! There were also crawdads and I caught one. I swam for a good half hour then layed on the rock drying out in the sunshine. There were great camping spots so Brad set the tent up here. We eat dinner and enjoy a soda with it (care of Catfish¢s mom). There is a monster fire pit here and we have a nice fire and hang around. We are joined by Sunkist, Kyanite, Busdriver, Brown Bag, Zach and Duncan. I am so pooped, more so than normal; must be all the swimming. It was a great day and I am quite happy as I fall asleep.