Date: 2008-04-23
From: Johns Hollow Shelter (1020')

To: Hog Camp Gap (3420')
Miles today: 26.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Everyone was awake before 6 AM thanks to some bird this morning that was really loud. Strides threw a rock at it but the bird just moved further away and kept chirping. I knew I had a big day so I didn't mind getting up early. I was out around 6:30 and started the big uphill up Bluff Mtn. The views were beautiful and the valley where the James river is was completely covered in clouds. It was nice and cool in the morning which made the climb go easier. There was a memorial on top of Bluff Mtn for Ottie Cline Powell who was a 4 year old child that went missing around the turn of the 20th century and whose body was found on the top of Bluff Mtn. There were toys left on the memorial and Ottie is rumored to haunt the area. There were good views at the top. I was told VA was flat or easy but whoever said that was lying. Its been beautiful so far especially with spring just starting but I wouldn't describe it as easy. Before I hit a road crossing there was a gallon of water left out which I drank some of and at the road crossing a member of a trail maintenance crew gave me an apple and some of those fruits that are small oranges. Thats two instances of trail magic in the past 3 days. The walk continued to be very scenic and there were some old trees I walked past. The trees are really impressive and you don't realize how big they can get until you see them. Most of the forest I've been going through has been pretty young and the old trees are rare and stunning. I also walked through an area that used to be a sharecroppers community of freed slaves. There was still stone walls up from post civil war times and the trail ran across a nice stream. I ran into two hikers that had stayed at the Dutch Haus B&B and highly recommended it, also they were from Maryland. At the shelter before the town road crossing I spoke with Flash and Hotflash who had recently come from Buena Vista where I was headed and recommended Captain Tim's seafood place. I was getting lots of recommendations although I'm not sure if I'll be able to take advantage of any of them. When I got to the road crossing there was a van with MD plates that had the drivers side window smashed in. I reported it halfway hoping to get a ride from whatever officer showed up. I assume the van belonged to the hikers I saw from MD and they were headed south and could be out for a couple of days so who knows how long that van will be sitting there. Also that probably means the break in happened during the day today unless it was someone elses. I tried hitching for a half hour to 45 min when a guy who must live down a road that turns out to where I was waiting offered me a ride into town as he was headed out for some errands. He said he could take me back to the trail as well which was great because I was really worried about getting stuck in town. He works as an EMT/fire protection and seems to have done a lot of other stuff at different points in time. He had interesting perspectives on how to better conserve forests and talked about things I hadn't thought of. One of which was how the AT is managed by individual clubs mostly looking to pressure their space and don't stand much of a chance against large organized paper companies. He also mentioned that the strip of forest that is visible from the trail is mostly protected but anything you can't see from the trail becomes more vulnerable to logging with the trail maintenance clubs being the ones that give up the land. It seemed that the people trying to conserve the forest have mixed or misguided agendas that can easily be taken advantage of. I was able to eat a couple of burgers at Hardees and resupply at the dollar store. I was back at the trailhead before 4 (overall a 3 hr lapse between arriving the first time). I started the climb up Bald Knob which wasn't as bas as it looked on the elevation map. When I made it to the shelter turnoff I decided to go another 2.5 over Cold Mtn to a campsite on the other side which my chaffeur into Buena Vista had told me about. On top of Cold Mtn were some great views and I came across Sean and Sue who were out enjoying the nice day like myself. I'm jealous of them that these mountains are so accessible and they are able to just do a leisurely stroll in the afternoon up to some great views. I made it to the campsite just after 6 and walked down to the spring to get water. There was a deer already at the spring and my campsite was filled with birds chirping and had two swings hanging from a tree. The orioles keep popping up everywhere and are starting to annoy me. They hang out long enough to make me think I can get a picture and then they fly into a bush once I get my camera out. There was a rabbit earlier that was much nicer and posed for me and also a butterfly that was lying on the trail with its wings spread. The butterfly might have been injured but the rabbit I think was too lazy to move off the trail. I tried calling Pat and Deborah but ended up leaving a message letting them know of my plans. I was hoping to find out whats on the menu for Saturday night but I guess it'll have to wait. I spoke with Esra for a while which was nice because I haven't talked to her for some time. It sounds like things at home are good. I ate a Butterfinger, king sized snickers, and these fudge brownie cookie dough bites that look like candies you get in a movie theatre. Tomorrow should be another 20+ miler but no town stop so I should be getting in early depending on when I start. My heels started to become raw in the last 5 miles of the hike which is really pissing me off because I thought I was done with that stuff, but its something new everyday. Some moleskin should solve things for me.