Date: 2004-06-03
From: Harpers Creek Shelter

To: Humpback Overlook Campsite
Miles today: 15.3

The day was cool, dry and breezy just like yesterday. That was good, seeing that the day started with a 2,000 foot climb up The Three Ridges. The Trail may be a bit lower here than further south, but it is just as strenuous. Instead of high peaks it is the deep gaps in the Blue Ridge that keep us working; 3,000 feet down and back up again. Whatever the "easier" part of Virginia is, this is not it!I had lunch at Maupin Field Shelter where I met a thru-hiker from last year out for a section hike. He gave some useful advice on where to find water and on how to find things in Waynesboro. Reading the register I could still find no entry from The Walking Stomach. I did find my timing was bad for Trail Magic. A day before I reached the Tye River the Sierra Club was handing out hamburgers and two days after I pass Reed Gap another club will have a free breakfast for thru-hikers. I guess the Trail Goddess wants me to work off all the food I ate at the festival.I went on to my old friend the Blue Ridge Parkway, which the Trail follows for a bit. At the end of that section I topped up on water at Dripping Rocks Parking and headed on. There were campsites just inside the woods but I wanted further from the road and closer to Rockfish Gap. So I decided to hike on and see if there was a site near the overlook on Humpback Mountain.According to the guidebook the Trail bypasses the rocks along Humpback. So I was surprised to find it climbing uncompromisingly up a huge pile of large boulders. Perched atop the heap I ran into three dayhikers coming south. They said there were indeed campsites at the overlook.Next I ran into a blue-blazed trail that had to be the route through the rocks. I can't imagine how impressive they must be if they are worse than the pile I had already scaled. On top of the signpost was a ziplock bag with a copy of the novel 'Ishmael', a Snickers bar and a packet of Welches Fruit Snacks. The book was too heavy and I had had enough Snickers but the fruit snacks caught my fruit-and-vegatable starved interest. I took them and left a Balance Bar in return, since I had some leftover.About 430 I got to the overlook. The view was breathtaking, though not quite as much as Tinker Cliffs or McAfee Knob. It dwarfed the ridge the Parkway ran on. On the right was the Shenandoah Valley, on the left was the Three Ridges with the Priest off in the distance.Going past some trees to another section of the overlook I was surprised to see two turkey vultures perched on the brink of the cliff not ten feet from me. I slowly set down my pack and got out my camera. They perched calmly, every now and then giving a look in my direction as I took several pictures from different angles with the vultures in the foreground and the different landscapes in the back. I put my pack back on, said "Bye Bye, Birdies" and made my way along the overlook. In the woods at the other end I found a firecircle and tentsites.I put up my tent and took my Pocketmail and food bag back to the overlook to write my journal and eat. Why sit in a hot tent when you have a stunning clifftop view to enjoy? Two more vultures had joined the first two and we sat together until one by one they spread their wings and soared off. Later I will go back with my camera to watch as the sun slowly slips behind the mountains on the far side of the valley.