Date: 2014-06-17
To: A muggy day ends with an interesting offer
Miles today: 0.0

Dicks Dome Shelter to Rod Hollow ShelterLight rain fell during the night, and our clothes are still damp when we take them off the line. Though they¢re a little chilly when we pull them on, it proves refreshing as we start hiking this morning. The heat is already building, and the humidity is thick even before we start out at 8:05.The AT is often described as "the long green tunnel." However, today the trail feels like walking in the Long Green Ditch, as often the sides of the trail have not been trimmed back, making the walk seem claustrophobic with the tall thick vegetation closing in and the sun beating down overhead. We finally reach some welcome open space as we hike through Sky Meadows State Park, but it is hot and muggy, just like X remembers from two years ago. Even so, there are day-hikers out and about in this popular state park, with easy access from main thoroughfares below. On a clear, cool fall day, this would be a a great place for a hike, offering up terrific views of the Shenandoah Valley. With all that open space overhead, X finds a strong cell signal and calls Ashley, the Troverts 2012 AT Base Camp Manager. Ashley is familiar with this section of trail, because she and N bagged a confluence in the area back in February 2007. It is a short-lived electronic reunion, as the open area offers little shade and there are still miles to hike before we sleep.Thankfully we are soon back in "the tunnel," heading down to Ashby Gap. After crossing two small streams on wooden footbridges, we find Winkle and Smiley sitting by the trail just before it crosses US 50/17. We learn later that the two had decided to end their section hike and were waiting for a ride at Ashby Gap. By early afternoon, we arrive at Rods Hollow Shelter. A Czechoslovakian couple is resting at the shelter¢s picnic table. They are southbound section hikers who report there's trail magic, including grilled hamburgers, at VA 605 a few miles north of the shelter. We briefly consider hiking on so Suuz can experience the receiving end of a trail magic meal for the first time, but decide to stay put. We exchange pleasantries with the Czechs and ask their trail names. They say they have no trail names, ¢because we¢re not through-hiking.¢ Within a few minutes they are both sound asleep on the picnic table benches. We find a lovely tent pad in a peaceful glade at the foot of the hill leading up to the shelter and start setting up camp. Alongside are three trees perfectly spaced for stringing our clothesline. We see several rabbits of varying sizes along the path trailing into the woods beyond the tent site. When we return to the shelter later in the afternoon, the Czechs have left, replaced by Cupcake and Sprinkleburst, young through hikers we met on the trail earlier. They have stopped to filter water from the piped spring close to the shelter. Before they continue northward, they rest and we learn a bit about them. When they first started their hike, Cupcake had knee problems which threatened to force her off the trail. Sprinkleburst took on the additional weight of some of her gear, lightening the load enough to give Cupcake¢s knees some relief. She gradually got stronger and is now packing most of what she started with except for heavier winter gear sent home.Big Hammer arrives in camp later in the afternoon. When we go to hang our food bags on the shelter¢s bear pole after dinner, we sit at the picnic table and discuss our hikes. Only then do we fully realize that this is Big Hammer¢s first ever hike. He and his teenage son were planning to do a section from Roanoke into Harper¢s Ferry. The son injured his foot just before they departed and was unable to hike. Big Hammer started out with an overloaded, improperly adjusted pack sold to him by an outfitter who did not even mention adjusting the pack straps. Fortunately, the outfitter in Daleville came to his rescue, lightening his load and demonstrating proper pack adjustment. After previous days of painful hiking, he was amazed at the difference. Even with these improvements, however, the increasing heat and humidity are taking their toll. He¢s unsure how much farther he¢ll hike.The only other hiker staying at the shelter tonight is a quiet, somewhat disheveled fellow who keeps to himself. We don¢t get his trail name and find something about him a little unsettling.We have just finished the dishes when Big Hammer hikes down to our tent site with a proposal. He¢s decided to end his section hike at Bears Den Hostel tomorrow. If we¢re still thinking of slack packing into Harper¢s Ferry day after tomorrow, he offers to drive Suuz¢s car from Bears Den, where it¢s currently parked, into Harper¢s Ferry. It¢s an offer we can¢t refuse, and it solves our problem of how to get a ride back to retrieve the car at the end of a long day¢s hike.While still not 100% committed to hiking an additional 20 or so miles into Harper¢s Ferry Thursday, we fall asleep with one less thing to worry about. Suuz is learning, as the Troverts and other AT hikers have often said, ¢The trail will provide.¢Dr. Suuz and X