Date: 2016-05-22
From: Kelly's Knob

To: Sarver Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

A low mileage day, darn it. When I woke up it was still raining and cold up on Kelly's Knob. I used the time to update Trail Journals, and stay warm and dry in my sleeping bag. It finally quit around 8 am, so I got up and started packing up. I planned on eating breakfast down at the shelter 1.2 miles away, so I didn't bother with eating. I had good cell signal up here so I called home and got caught up, then headed down the mountain. The trail was slick and steep so I made my way down carefully.Shotgun passed me on the way down and I met her at the Laurel Creek shelter. She was hiking with Happy Feet and Flash and they showed up a couple minutes later. I had some breakfast and they were talking about hitching into Newport to resupply. I hadn't planned on it as I didn't need to resupply. We started off down the mountain again and passed through some beautiful pasture. As we neared the road crossing an older gentlemen in a 4 wheeler passed by and I stopped to talk. Mr. Haney owned most of the pastureland around us. His aunt had previously owned the land the AT was passing through, and he was very gracious about the hikers passing through his turf. I thanked him for supporting us and complimented him on his beautiful pasture, and set on down toward the road. I had kind of made up my mind to try to go into town and get some lunch. Just as I arrived at the road, Flash had got a car to stop and he offered to give Flash, Wolverine, and me a ride into town. The only thing open on Sunday was a gas station / convenience store. Shotgun and Happy Feet were already feasting when we arrived; I went in and got two brats and a drink, and Flash and Wolverine went in looking for vegetarian fare.It's always a magical time when hikers can feast on real food - even convenience store food. I remember one hiker asking another, "Is it so wrong that I crave gas station microwave pizza? It's the best!"After getting our fill, Shotgun, Happy Feet, and I headed for the road to get a ride back to the trail. Immediately Shotgun was able to get a woman in a pickup to offer us a ride back, so we hopped in the back and took off. Fastest hitchhiking ride I've ever been able to get!Back on the trail, we wound through more pastures until we came to the Keefer Oak, the second largest oak tree on the AT. We took the required pictures, and then headed up a steep 1000 foot climb. There were switchbacks, but it was still a killer climb. Even the young guns were complaining!The trail then followed a ridge for several miles before a turnoff to a shelter. I intended to bypass that shelter and head for the next one, 6 miles away. Just as I was getting near the turnoff it started raining and I could hear thunder in the distance. I decided to dash for the close shelter which was 0.4 miles off a side trail. What the trail guide didn't say it was also 500 feet down in a hollow. I guess I should have guessed since it was Sarver Hollow Shelter and not Sarver Ridge Shelter. I was the only one at the shelter and I made it just before the worst of the rain hit. I was very thankful for that, and reminded that the people I had been hiking with were getting drenched on their way to the next shelter. I don't mind hiking in the rain, but like to avoid being in s thunderstorm on a high ridge! A low mileage day, with thanks that there was a shelter there when I needed it.