Date: 2005-06-01
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Glasgow, VA
Miles today: 24.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a day that was filled with spur of the moment decisions. Some days those work out well andothers not so well. When I got up I had breakfast, packed up and then sat to read my book. At 7:15 I finished it! I put it in the shelter for anyone that might want it. Now I only have two books I am carrying! "King Rat" by James Clavell and one that I got from Touk, "Roadwork", by Stephen King. I left the shelter at 7:30. Today's plan was to go to Marble Spring and camp. About 17 some odd miles. It was another nice day, a little cloudy but not too bad. The first part of thwe hike was up and I mean a constant, steady up! I'm not sure if I like stating the day off like that. Sure, you have the energy but it takes it out of you in a hurry. I finally reached the ridgeline and hiked along. Saw a deer who probably scared me more than I him especially since he didn't run off. We stood there and stared at each other for awhile and I moved on. Around 11:30 I reached Thunder Mountain Shelter. Soulman, Brownie, and Bravo were there having lunch and I joined them. We talked about the weather forecast which called for rain all day tomorrow. I made my first decision to go past Marble Spring and get to the next shelter, 12 miles from where I was. My daily total just went to 22 miles instead of 17. Brownie and Soulman were thinking of going into Glasgow today instead of waiting. I originally had not planned to go into Glasgow but I realized my lunch and snack supply was sorely depleted. Yesterday I had made the decision to go in quickly to resupply on lunches and snacks. The hunger is always there now. I could eat my food supply and still be hungry an hour later! I finished my peanut butter on tortilla lunch with a pop tart for dessert and got ready to move out. Before I left I gave Brownie a chunk of Body Glide. She was starting to get a heat rash on her arm and that stuff works wonders on keeping rashes and chaffing from starting or getting worse. It was decent walking and I made good time. About 2 miles from the shelter I ran into Eagle Eye, Fireball, and Tex. We talked about the options; shelter or town. If town, motel or camp. We all decided to push for town instead of trying to hitch tomorrow in the rain. Harder to get a ride when it's raining. We also decided we would stealth camp somewhere instead of paying for a room. My mileage for the day just hit about 25 with that decision. I reached the road to Glasgow about 5:30 and got a ride almost immediately. So did everyone else. We all had dinner at Mom and Pops Restaurant. Gotta love the small town restaurants! Good food, a lot of it, and cheap prices! After dinner we headed toward the river and everyone found a place to set up their tents. A long day, second longest mileage of the hike for me but I am glad I decided to do it. Here is the second segment of my story. I probably have a whole novel in my head and who knows, I may just write it when I am done.-- -- -- -- Once again his thoughts flashed to the Gypsy as he silently made his way to the Towtra camp. "Smile again", he thought. There has to be something there, but what? What does she know or, better yet, how does she know? He had not seen the Gypsy for several turnings prior to this last meeting and that time it was a long way to the north. Almost to the edge of what he considered his territory though there were no real boundaries for him. He could not recall anything out of the ordinary with that visit which would ilicit the latest comment either. At that meeting she had left him with the words, "Walk the way you will, Free Roamer". Cryptic, as usual, but not as strange. He vowed to ask her at their next meeting, though, he feared he would get no answer. He would get that gentle smile and that is all. As he neared the Towtra camp he stopped at a Rainfre tree. Quickly, he gathered kindling and wood and placed it in the sack he carried at his side. Stepping into the clearing, he appeared as if out of thin air before the Towtra. The children yelled and ran to hide behind the carts. The adults stepped back, watching him carefully, ready to flee. He looked at them silently, taking in their newly tailored clothes, now clinging to them and dripping from the rain. He glanced at their new, but now, mud splattered footwear, and their brightly colored gear. "Bedraggled and out their element", he thought. "But why are they here"? He would find out soon enough.