Date: 2008-04-09
From: knot maul branch shelter

To: jenkins shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, we're on the fast track to spring down here. Saw about 5 butterflies today, though there is little for them to feed on yet. There have been daffodils? for a while now, but now I'm starting to see small wildflowers. The buds on the maples are starting to swell, but not much else tree wise. And of course the other thing that goes along with spring has started to arrive...the bugs. Mostly sporadic, but they are coming. Some mosquitoes at the shelter tonight, killed 5 or so. Only saw two before today. Also the flies and some other small insects are out. I know this because I seem to be attracting the flies for some reason...I know I smelled bad but I didn't think I smelled that bad.Anyways, today.I slept amazingly last night. I mean I woke up once or twice, but that's it, and I slept for 10 hours or so. Still a little tired from yesterday, but today is a lighter day to combat that.All I could find for breakfast at the convenience store were plain grits, so I mixed them with a packet of flavored oatmeal and they turned out alright instead of the nasty plain they are supposed to be. I'm stretching my food to the limit until I get to Perisburg. I have enough, but I'm doing huge miles so more would probably be better.Got going after Humus and Toddy Bear for once and I was by myself the entire day until I got to the shelter. Weird. After the first climb and on the verge of the big climb, I found some trail magic: cheesy crackers and bugles. I wrongly assumed I should take one and leave the other. I was later informed by Humus that they got them from the locals and they left both for me. Damn.The climb was 2100 feet, most of it within a mile. That mile was a little intense, but I got through it no problem, taking it easy since I had plenty of time. Once I got up on the ridge it was some rolling pasture walking to Chestnut Knob shelter. Took lunch there with some far views into surrounding valleys. My favorite lunch setting. Just junk from the convenience store for lunch. It will work, but I like my healthier lunch more. Its more filling too.After Chestnut the trail went down a bit and then up to a ridge it followed for about 6 miles. This ridge was around a crater-like depression in the ground that was much lower called Burke's Garden. Since I was going around it so long, I had a lot of time to consider it. I don't really know anything about it, but for a few reasons it seems like an impact crater to me. The reasons for this conclusion are: in the center the ground is slightly mounded and higher than the surrounding area like an impact crater {look at the moon}, and the ridge I was walking on had many cliffs of thrust up ground on the correct side of the hill, but no the other. However, one thing that makes this unlikely is the depression is oblong and the meteor would have had to come from above or below the solar system plane. Highly unlikely. Ok, so most likely none of that made sense, but I put it down because I thought about it a lot, and I sort of analyzed a problem and came up with a solution. I actually used my brain for something else out here.Anyways, the ridge looking down into the depression was pretty cool despite its ruggedness which slowed me down. Eventually I got off the ridge and descended toward the shelter. Long descent and very rocky and slow.I got to the shelter and there were loads of people here. Bad Humus and Toddy Bear were here, and I also talked to Chatter and Sandalwood most.As I was humbly devouring my dinner, for some odd reason Chatter and Sandalwood started trying to pawn off their extra food to me. Obviously there was no hesitation on my part, and I ended up being almost full, and now probably have too much food till Perisberg. Good stuff too, awesome trail mix with brazil nuts and macadamias and fruit...mmmm. Don't know why, but they were giving it all to me instead of my hiking partners. Whatever, I'm definitely not complaining, and they have plenty of food and I shared some trail mix with them.To bed early for an early start tomorrow before it gets too hot.