Date: 2004-09-22
From: Troutville - Comfort Inn, Room 110

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: clear sky

Started early with Waffle breakfast and Hic-cups! But was back on the trail and soon heading north. The first little bit is along the I 80 corridors and the sound of the traffic is constant. After that the trail heads up to Fullhardt Knob.   On a style crossing I found a clip-on can of pepper spray that someone had lost and while placing it on the style, I managed to spray myself on the right hand with the stuff. Even though I tried to wipe the thing off as best as I could, it managed to transfer itself to my hiking pole and to various other parts of my anatomy that my right hand touched during the day. And my right hand touches a lot of my anatomy during the day! It stung like crazy and left a persistent burning sensation.   Shortly afterwards I met the SOBO owner of the spray can returning from an overnight camping trip to Fullhardts Knob who informed me that the cistern there was dry.   The trail continues along the up and down crest. It is very well maintained ¢ gentle broad sweeps of uphill trail with excellent trail work. I met with a SOBO ¢ Goosedreams ¢ who told me that there were still many more SOBO¢s coming in the days ahead. This was great hiking, smooth well maintained trails in excellent weather, and I was moving right along. Some good views through the trees, but no real overlooks today.   Finally managed to wash off most of the pepper spray from all of the various parts of my anatomy and hiking equipment at Curry Creek and then hiked on here to Wilson Creek shelter.   In light of my experience with the pepper spray today, I am not much in favor of packing it on a hike in the woods. Although I can¢t comment on its effectiveness on bears ¢ I presume that they are the intended recipients of this weapon ¢ I was surprised that the thing discharged so easily when I handled it. I would be very concerned about accidentally discharging the stuff on myself or on other undeserving and innocent accidental targets.Today I also passed a "Colliers Pit". Although it just looked like another small clearing by the side of the trail, a historical marker at the site explained that it was the location of a charcoal furnace which used the available trees as raw material. These fell into disuse when the railroads started to transpot coal and make that fuel available at cheap prices. I know that some purists object to these historical and informational markers, but I must admitt that I like them. I know that they do distract from "The Wilderness Experience", but lets face it - this is not realy a wilderness experience anyway. It certainly conveyed a huge ammount of information, and conjured up a whole different life, from what would otherwise have been just another gap in the forest.      As I was about to go and get water ¢ all downhill on a smooth trail and a good source - met with Tapeworm SOBO who is also going to spend the night here. He is also expecting his friend - Rocks ¢ to show up also. Tapeworm is a friend of Tinkerbell whose trail journal I had been reading on trailjournals.com before I started out on the trail.   So it looks as if I will have company at this shelter. It will be the first night that I have not been alone during this section.   I did well today, certainly the weather and the trail helped, but I felt good. If only I could shake off these pesky Hic-cups!Thought ¢ Look after the little things and the big things will look after themselves.      ¢We never went away         You knew we were always here.         Remember how to look for us,         You see we were always here¢                                 [From ¢The Unicorns¢]