Date: 2006-07-16
From: Blackrock Gap

To: Calf Mountain
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: few clouds

As we prepared to leave this morning, along come Whistler and Limbraker. They plan to take 2 "zero" days in Waynesboro and see all the movies playing here. They had stopped at Rusty's hostel last night and were feeling they were due a 2-day respite. So much for Rusty's. Rusty's works if you are between 18-21 years old. Today was a long hike and we all agreed that the mileage was not posted correctly. Kathy took the lead with her new low-rise shoes. We soon passed her while she took a break to let her feet breathe. In the area of Wildcat Ridge, Dan decides to take a nap - 5 miles + or - from Blackrock Gap. I decide to move on and get to the shelter. If it is crowded, I want to secure a spot for the 3 of us. It's a rather monotonous trail, through forests mostly. I come upon a dad and son who warn me of a huge rattlesnake coiled in a sunny spot about 200 yards, just off the trail. Thanks, I say and proceed to move quietly for what I thought was the length of a football field and figured the snake was gone. Then, I startled a buck who startled me as we gazed each other, whereupon, my goodness, my eyes spot a hen turkey with her 4 little chicks. She looked at me and proceeded to hike along in my direction. Usually they try to fly and hide, but this one just kept walking along southbound - in my direction. I snap photos which she does not seem to mind and finally decide to move along when lo! there ALMOST at my feet is the rattler. Still coiled and hopefully asleep. Snapped its photo too but did not want to stay too long in its range. I proceeded on my way and ran into a thru-hiker. We exchanged pleasantries and "Oh, by the way, there is a rattlesnake just off the trail but very visible. Watch for it...it was coiled and sleeping when I walked by." Thanks, he said, you need to watch for the bear near Turk Gap. Good Grief! By now I thought I'd just about had had my day, NOW I needed to look for a bear and I still had at least 4-5 miles to the shelter. Saw no bear and by the time I reached the shelter, I swear the mileage was off. It took forever. Shelter was full, full, full. Three sets of father and sons monopolized the picnic table, playing cards while some 8 thru-hikers and 6-7 section-hikers tried to organize themselves on the rocks to cook, where to sleep, etc. The day-hikers were impervious to everything. We did not carry our tents so I needed to secure space in the shelter. I managed 2, and a thru-hiker offered to set up his tent so that my 3rd hiking buddy would have a spot.It's one of the nice things about being 63 years old. The young'uns feel you deserve a spot, although the fathers and sons showed no respect, NONE. It is the unwritten rule that you vacate the picnic table when hikers come into camp so they can set up to cook, etc. Just being respectful. They really bothered me. These thru-hikers were the same group we'd given a lift to last week...the ones who were going to Otter Creek Restaurant for their blueberry cobbler.. About 1 hour later, Dan arrived. He'd passed Kathy who had stopped to mend her feet. She arrived about 1/2 hour after Dan. Another "older" couple stumbled into the shelter area after that and they made their way up a little hill. I'd not seen them before and wondered where they were going.