Date: 2005-07-23
From: Marble Spring

To: VA Rt. 501/130 - Glasgow, VA
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: scattered clouds

It was wonderfully cool when I woke up this morning with a most delightful breeze cruising through the area where I had set up my tent. It was the site of the former Marble Spring shelter, but all that remained were a couple of fire pits and a super nice spring only 300 feet down hill. No picnic table and no privy, but a pretty camping site in a "sag" between two summits (also known as a "saddle" to some) and open enough not to be too spooky. At least until the sun goes down and the night noises start. If you've never heard a screech owl up close, you've missed a real treat. I also heard an animal of some sort let out a scream very nearby, and images of bobcats came to mind. I lay there in my mesh tent awaiting the sensory dreprivation of sleep to overtake me, calmly listening to the sounds of acorns falling to the ground every minute or two, and occasionally, the sounds of footsteps in the dry leaves. "A deer", I think, hopefully, perhaps making its regular nocturnal visit to the wonderful, bubbling spring just below the sag. Or perhaps a bear, like the one who surprised me as much as he surprised himself on Wednesday. I knew I had one of my hiking poles inside my tent as a last ditch defence, but I decided to see if I could disuade whatever it was by shining my head lamp around in the direction of the sounds. As another precaution, I dug out the whistle I keep in the belt pocket of my pack - asssuming that loud and unusual noises might be helpfull in convincing the visitor(s) that the temporary occupant of this particular sag was not to be triffled with....As I peered cautiously out of my tent, following the beam of my headlamp, I was relieved not to be confronted by anything staring back. I turned out my light and layed back down. There were no more footsteps for awhile, long enough, at least for me to fall, mercifully, sound asleep. Knowing I had a short hike into town today, I could have slept in, but was too keen to get back to some of the comforts of civilization - like AC and iced diet pepsi - to do that!The hike was great, almost all downhill, with a lot of almost level stretches that allowed me to do almost three of the 7.7 miles in the first hour.I reached the foot bridge across the James River by about 10:30, and immediately was able to "Yoggy" a ride into Glasgow with two very nice young men who were just finishing a kayak excursion on the river. Fifteen minutes later I'd checked into the Mom and Pop Motel, dropped my pack, and returned to the motel restaurant for the last of their AYCE breakfast buffet. And I mean I single-handedly pretty much finished off the bacon, biscuits and sauage gravy, eggs and french toast. With both of the two free refills on my giant-size diet Pepsi! (Burp....)THEN I got my shower, and followed up with all of the usual town chores - made easier by the fact that the laundry was two buildings away, and the Express Supermarket was right across the street. Life is good!I've also arranged for the local trail shuttler to collect me at 6AM tomorrow morning. I'm facing some major elevation gains tomorrow, and it's going to be another beastly hot day, so the earlier I can start, the better. I can't wait.... Still, I count my blessings that I am even out here, and this is about taking the good with the bad.Todays hike is dedicated to all those nice folks out there willing to offer strangers a ride into town. Even ones who don't smell very good. After 5 days of heat and sweat in the same shirt and pants, that would be me!Stay tuned, Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com