Date: 2008-07-15
From: Matt's Creek Shelter

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: overcast clouds

When I woke up, the first thing I saw was a hiker sleeping on the picnic table. It was one of the brothers ¢ they had been night hiking.I said bye to Greg. I was going into town and he was going on to Punchbowl Shelter. I skipped the coffee because I would be getting some in town. I only a 2 mile walk to the highway. Just before the highway was the James River Foot Bridge, the longest foot-use only bridge on the AT. It is 625 feet long.I only waited 15 minutes before someone gave me a ride. He refused to take any money, saying he was going in that direction anyway.I was so looking forward to resupplying in Glasgow. I¢ve been telling the other hikers about the life size dinosaurs scattered all about the town. Well, guess what? They are all extinct now, except for the one located next to the Grocery Express. It has a mannequin riding on it. The people in town call her Raquel Welch.When I came into town, I went first to the restaurant to get some coffee and breakfast. I saw Jen and Andrew, so I joined them at the counter. Then Windy joined us. I started off with a BLT and then ordered only one pancake because they were so big and fluffy. I couldn¢t finish it. These guys spent the night in town and arranged for a shuttle to take them back to the trailhead. I let the guy, Ken, know that I will need a shuttle, too. He said that he¢d be back at the restaurant at lunchtime. That was fine. It would give me time to do my errands.After visiting the library to use the internet, making phone calls, and resupplying for my food bag, I went back to the restaurant and ordered another BLT. The shuttle driver, Ken, lives in Florida but comes up to VA every year during hiking season to shuttle hikers. He is a nice guy.I was back on the trail at 12:30. It was a hard hike, going up for over 2,000 feet in elevation for the next 5 miles. I noticed bees flying close to the ground in several places on the trail. I just walked through them. The new flower of the day is a tall fragrant white cluster baby bottle brush.When I got to Bluff Mountain, I came to Little Ottie Cline Powell¢s memorial. I was surprised to see it completely bare. Four years ago it was covered with all kinds of tokens¢¦ toys, coins, a Hard Core patch, motel soap, etc.One November day in 1890, a teacher in a one room schoolhouse sent the boys out during recess to gather firewood. Little Ottie Cline Powell did not return. As soon as it was discovered that he was missing, search parties began to look for him. In the days that followed, up to 1,500 men from near and far joined in the search for the lost little boy. The following April, hunters came across his body on a mountain top seven miles from the school house. Little Ottie was 4 years, 11 months old. The memorial plaque begins, ¢This is the exact spot little Ottie Cline Powell¢s body was found April 5, 1891¢.It was dusk when I finally reached Punchbowl Shelter. Greg was so surprised to see me. He couldn¢t believe I made it. It was late and I didn¢t want any dinner. So Greg asked for my cup and he poured some Australian Brandy to revive my spirit. Perfect. As I sat in the shelter, sipping my brandy, I noticed that were no frog noises. Four years ago, it sounded like hundreds of frogs playing rubber band guitars. Later that night only a few frogs were playing that tune. What happened to the frogs?The other guy in the shelter was Matthew. He looked like Windy to me.