Date: 2005-09-13
From: 30 minutes south of Blackrock Gap, VA

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: clear sky

17.6 miles todayQuality InnWaynesboro, Va. I slept good again last night. I woke up at 6am and had my coffee, poptarts and an iced honey bun for breakfast. The days are really getting shorter. It doesn't start getting light out now until about 6:30. In Maine, the sun came up about 4:30. I guess it's good because I'm getting more sleep now. I was packed and walking by 6:50am. I knew it was a town day, so I got started a little earlier than usual. On my first climb, I got to watch the sun come up over the mountains to the east. It looked like a bright orange ball this morning. I saw bear #8 this morning on my first climb. He was about 70 yards away and all I saw was his rear as he was heading away from me, so I'm not sure how big he was. I hiked on and in about 5 minutes, I saw bear #9 of this hike. He was only 30 yards away from me and just stood there watching me. I'd say he was over 200 pounds. I hurried and got my camera out and took a few pictures. He was still watching me, so I walked on the trail which took me a little closer to him. I stopped and took a couple more pictures. I could tell he was getting nervous, so I walked on after spending over a minute in the area. When I got into an area where it was easier walking, I got out a roll of Neccos that I bought at the campstore yesterday. They are little candy wafers that I used to eat when I was a kid. I kept peeling back the wrapper in a spiral as I ate some just like when I was 7 years old. By the time I finished the roll, the wrapper was about 18 inches long. Hey, I can't just walk all day without having some other type of fun too. :-))) I saw bear #10 of this hike just before Turk Gap. I only got a quick look at him before he was gone. That breaks my record for the most bears I've seen on one hike. I saw 9 bears on my '02 hike. I saw all 3 of these bears before 9am. It was a good morning. I was walking along and at 9:15, I heard another bear go crashing through the forest, but I didn't get to actually see him, so he doesn't count. I'm glad I put cotton balls in my ears when I'm sleeping in my tent at night. I'd hate to hear a bear in the middle of the night. :-))) My biggest climb of the day was up Calf Mountain. On the way up, I had to take the side trail towards Calf Mountain Shelter because I needed water. The spring was .2 miles off the trail and the shelter was another .1 miles past that. I stayed at the spring and took a 15 minute break while I tanked up on water. I hiked on up the mountain and just before I got to the top, there was a 6 point buck standing right in the trail looking at me. He was only about 20 yards away. I stopped still and quickly got my camera out while he watched me. I got a few pictures, then walked a little closer. He started to run, but stopped again to see what I was up to, so I took another picture of him looking back at me. He took off before I could get any more pictures. He had a beautifully shaped rack on him. That's the first buck I've seen in several days. I walked down to Beagle Gap, then up to Bear Den Mountain. Next was down to McCormick Gap and then a steep little uphill which leveled out to Rockfish Gap. That finishes up the Shenandoah section of this hike. For John Galt's information, my Shenandoah National Park deer sightings this year was only 39. I used to see that many a day through the park. John Galt made fun of me in '03 because I would write about all the deer I would see everyday. He said; "For cryin' out loud Stumpknocker, (I think he picked that phrase up from his dad) you've seen 1,273,482 deer here in Shenandoah." He overestimated my actual deer sightings for that year, but made his point. :-))) I walked down to the gas station at the gap and bought a coke. There was 2 guys there taking a break who had rode their bicycles from Oregon and were planning on finishing on the east coast in 2 days. They left Oregon the same day I started this hike...July 5th. I'd say they've come a little bit further than me. :-))) I went down to the road and caught a ride with a 19 uear old guy that wants to do a thru hike when he's 23. He said his trailname will be Strawberry. That name had something to do with a snowboarding accident. He drop me off right at the motel. I checked in, got a shower and washed my clothes, then walked down to the library and checked my email on my other account. The shoes I'm wearing now have over 1400 miles on them. They still seem to be fine, but I'm really starting to worry that they might hurt my feet before long. I got on the internet at the library and ordered some new Asics Gel Trekkers just like these ones. You can't beat that kind of wear for $70.00. I ordered new ultra lite-weight 1/4 high socks and Superfeet insoles. They are hopefully going to meet me at Dutch Haus B&B in a couple days. I'll be lookin' real good if you don't look at my shirt. I'll have good shorts, a new hat and pretty shoes and socks. :-))) I should stop at the outfitter and get my new shirt tomorrow, but that would be a double hitch and I don't think I want to do that. Chief has been trying to talk me into getting a Hawaiian shirt from Wal-Mart. He said they only cost $12.00 and they hold up good. If he wasn't married, I'd be worried about him, but I guess he's just fashion conscious. :-))) Oh yeah, when I emptied out my backpack in the motel room, my micro-mini Swiss Army knife showed up. Now I can cut cheese again...humm, that doesn't sound very good, does it?? ;-))) I stopped at the Chinese Buffet for dinner. I'll bet they were real happy when I finally left because my hiker hunger really showed it's evil face there. I had FIVE plates of food!!! I also had 3 large sodas. I know it wasn't the best food to refuel my body, but next time I'll eat better. I just needed quantity today. I went back to my room after a quick resupply with enough food to get me 2 days and 1 night down the trail to Dutch Haus B&B for Thursday night. I bought a half gallon of chocolate milk in the grocery and drank it on the way back to my room. That was right after I left the Chinese buffet. I guess I really have built up a calorie deficit. I looked at myself in the mirror when I got back to the room. I was thinking my belly would be hanging over my belt, but I still looked just a skinny after all that food.