Date: 2010-04-14
From: VA Route 42

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

Kinnickinic, true to her word, showed up to pick up Gerda and me at the Relax Inn. A stop at the post office so I could mail a bounce box ahead, and we were off up twisty highway 42, over the mountain, and to the pavillion where we had left off yesterday.Once out of the car I shouldered my backpack, which I hadn't had on since arriving in Troutdale. I'm sure my feet and knees were better for the break, but its absence had not made my heart fonder of its weight now. It felt very heavy, despite the fact that I sent excess weight on ahead up the trail. I was figuring to be able to make more miles each day, so I wouldn't need as many days' worth of food. I was shooting for Pearisberg by Sunday. Monday at the latest.Gerda and I said our farewells to Kinnickinic and headed on up (always up for a start!). The day was already warm and the pack felt very heavy after the slackpacking of the last couple of days. Gerda passed me and was soon out of sight. Despite my feeling very slow I made good time to Knot Maul Shelter where Gerda was waiting. We had a short break there and read the trail register. Farther along the trail we came to an area with a nice stream. It seemed that spring had come early to this little corner of the world. Gerda had arrived first and was ready to leave by the time that I got there, but I took another break and rested. I knew that we had a long climb up to Chestnut Ridge.By now the sun was high overhead and seemed to be getting hotter by the minute. I started the climb at a decent pace, but soon I felt hot and tired. I drank some water to stay hydrated. The mountain seemed to go on up forever. I shifted into trudge mode and concentrated on just putting one foot in front of the other. After what seemed quite a long time I realized that I was weaving from side to side of the narrow trail. I was drenched in sweat, and my skin felt clammy. On top of that I felt nauseated. Uh-oh. That's not a good thing. I was now up high enough that the trees had not leafed out, so shade was hard to come by. When I found the shade of a big tree trunk, I dropped my pack to the ground and myself onto a convenient log. I drank more water and rested. A breeze came up and cooled me down. When I felt like I was no longer a candidate for heat exhaustion I once again became a beast of burden and trudged on.Finally I gained the ridge and some views. The breeze was stronger and it helped keep me cool. A few clouds helped, too. At last I reached the water source - a spring-fed pond. I was glad to see the spring was piped and was running. That meant I didn't have to take water from the pond itself. I treated the water and drank plenty. Then I carried water away from the spring and rinsed myself off. The cold water on my head and neck felt soooo good.Refreshed, I walked on along the ridge and arrived at Chestnut Knob Shelter. The views were lovely, and the shelter itself was a treat with a door and windows. Gerda and I were the only ones there for the night. I had thought to sleep under the stars, but some clouds had rolled in, so I set up inside while watching the sunset through one of the windows - wonderful soft salmon pink clouds....Later at night when I went outside there was a trampling sound. No, not a herd of thruhikers coming in for the night, but a herd of deer that I had scared, running across the open field. When I shone my headlamp about I could see distant eyes glowing back at me. Then I looked up and the heavens were filled with stars all twinkling down at me. A peaceful ending to a long, hot, hard day.