Date: 2008-05-10
From: Lynn Camp Mtn, VA

To: Tenting on top of Brushy Mtn, VA
Miles today: 23.1

There was a very heavy thunderstorm that came through sometime in the middle of last night.I was tenting on top of Lynn Camp Mtn and woke up to hail hitting the tent and loud thunder.I got my cotton balls/ear plugs out and stuck them in my ears, then rolled over and slept like a baby. :-)It did rain off and on all night, but I stayed cozy and dry.I woke up about 6am and stuck my stove outside the tent and brewed 15.7 ounces of Stumpknocker Blend Coffee. :-)I'm still working my way down to less and less coffee each morning in hopes of going stoveless....and coffeeless after Pearisburg, VA.I'll just have to get my coffee "fix" when I get into town. I am carrying over 2 pounds of stuff for my coffee and I really want to cut back on my pack weight.I eat cold meals all the time, so the stove and fuel are for coffee only....and I always have to make sure I have at least a liter of water at night....anyway, no more coffee on the Trail after Pearisburg, VA for the rest of this walk.The other thing I've been thinking of changing was to not journal and spend that time reading, but I'm now thinking that I WILL keep my journal going. I guess I was a little upset when I couldn't get reception for almost a week in southwestern VA, but I've been having good reception again, so I'll keep boring everyone with my thoughts and what I'm seeing out here....and what I'm eating. Ha! :-)I had a couple Poptarts and some nuts to go along with my coffee this morning.I was packed and walking by 8am...and it was threatening rain and still pretty windy and cool out.I came down off the mountain and was walking by Lick Creek and listening to another brown thrush.I have really been blessed this year with all the brown thrushes I've gotten to listen to on the Trail.I crossed a gravel road and started the long, four mile climb up to Chestnut Knob at about 4,500 ft high.I found a nice small stream about half way up and stopped to drink some water and topped off my water bottle.A four wheeler rode by me just before I got to the shelter.I stopped at Chestnut Knob Shelter and signed the register and read through it while I ate lunch....which consisted of more of the beef sticks I've been carrying, diced peaches, Fritos, nuts, raisins and a Rice Krispy Treat....just because I deserved it! :-)I couldn't believe it when my cell phone beeped. I have data service out here by Burkes Garden! I didn't think I'd have any for a while yet, but it beeped! :-)I sat down in a swale with the cold wind whipping through and I sent all my journals and pictures to Mrs Gorp.I walked on and got to Walker Gap where I decided I'd better get some water for the upcoming ridge walk.I drank another liter and carried a liter of water out of there. I got to the gravel road and saw a family out riding their horses.The grandfather of the group stopped to ask me if I'd seen any snakes. I told him no.I stopped at a spring and drank water and filled my bottle again, then walked on to Jenkins Shelter.Brown Bag was the only person there.I ate dinner....a can of tuna with some Fritos crunched up in it, nuts, diced peaches, a Milky Way and a Rice Krispy Treat....just because I deserved it! :-)Jackaroo, Zack, Forest Gimp and a few others came in just as I was finishing up my dinner.I talked for a few minutes, and then walked on. I wanted to get a few miles closer to Bland, VA, so I could get in early because I heard some heavy weather was coming in.I climbed one of the many mountains in the area that is called Brushy Mtn. I was walking along expecting to get to Little Wolf Creek.The Trail crosses that creek at least twelve times and some of those crossing would be fords with as wet as it is right now.I realized that the Trail had been re-routed up to the old high water trail and I wouldn't have to go down into that creek area.I liked the new re-route and was really enjoying listening to a number of brown thrushes talking just before sundown.I got to the road crossing at Laurel Creek. I knew that there had been a garbage can there provided by a local church and I was hoping it was still there.I had forgotten that the same church always left a cooler full of juice there.It is provided by the Green Valley Methodist Church and they do still provide a garbage can (and I was carrying a lot of garbage) and I got an apple juice that was on ice! Thanks!I climbed to "this" Brushy Mtn and found a nice flat spot near the top and set up my tent right at dark.I stood outside and took a bandanna bath before I crawled in to the tent for the night. (I'm such a sanitary dude) Ha!It had turned into a beautiful, sunny day after all the cool, cloudy morning I walked through.Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)