Date: 2016-05-29
From: Crawfish Trail Camp

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

5/29It was raining when we woke up this morning. The group of hikers that I was tented around were all quiet until Haiku and I started an exchange as we remained hunkered in our tents. The rain delay would mean my hike (and most others) did not start until 9:30 or so. The day was much more challenging, however I was still able to complete 18 miles, but that took until 8 at night. We are all camped at the Chestnut Knob Shelter (at least 35 hikers as out bubble merged with another today). Everyone wanted to do more miles, but 18 with this terrain was good (the bitch of the day was a 2,000 foot elevation change late in the day).But the hike is not what I want to discuss... It's the hikers I met today...At the " you have completed 1/4 of AT" sign I had Sunset take my picture. We then hiked for a while. Turns out he is a Double Triple Crowner!!! What does that mean.. He has done the AT 2x, the PCT 2x and the CDT 2x!! He is out doing a section hike of the AT in VA... Yes he likes hiking. He is retired and is very humble about his accomplishments of which all of his hikes were done over the age of 50. He mentioned he will have hiked 18,000 miles by the time he is 75.We talked about a lot of things. I listened mostly. I find it fascinating that all the "lifer" hikers know one and another and even hike together. As an example Sunset knew Jester (Triple Crown hiker I met and blogged about a few weeks ago).I asked Sunset if he had any advice about timing. He did agree I should be about a week further along at this point (based on the rule of thumb that thru hikers should get to Harper's Fairy by July 4th). His advice was to push for bigger days and avoid zeros. This conversation took place as we hiked up mountains that made us both pause to catch our breath.Later in the day I separated from Sunset and hiked with I Am Liquor for a bit. He is a real character and all around good guy. He carries in his backpack what appears to be a relatively well stocked bar.... Hence his name. I knew he was interesting when we discussed the loud humming noise coming from a high-line we had to hike under. He explained he was an electrical engineer by trade and paused to pontificate the noise. I on the other hand just ran under the tower hoping I did not get zapped when I hiked by the loud power lines. Anyway, I Am Liquor shared with me that he one day hopes to have a wood shop and dabble in black smithing....he is just the kind of guy I could hang around with!The final thing to report is the confederate Calvary horse backing down the AT tonight. We all agreed it appeared like a Memorial Day honor to someone's great great great grandfather who "took up arms against The North" or something like that! There was 20 or so horses and many had "bars and stars" saddle blankets. When the head honcho of the Calvary stopped to talk to me it was very "civil war" like and I imagine rebel soldiers running through these hills over 150 years ago. I wanted to tell him that horses were not allowed on the AT, but I didn't thing me telling him that was worth the southern friend ass kicking I more than likely would have received as trade for my knowledge.When I finally arrived at the shelter many hikers were discussing the Calvary. They were kind enough to give Feather a beer!!! I guess they smelt my Yankee blood or I to may have gotten a beer.   I did not ask feather what kind of beer it was, but by the look of the "sullen lot" of riders (as described by Moose), I bet it was Natural Light. All kidding aside, the horseback riders seemed like nice enough people.