Date: 2003-04-30
From: Bland,VA (Big Walker Motel)

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: light rain

Day 48 Avg Mls/Day 12.1Weather: Sunny warm in the morning. Scattered afternoon thundershowers. Felt warm before rain...High 70's.I kind of took my time getting going this morning as I wasn't planning on doing more than the 12.1 miles to Jenny Knob. Left the motel room at 7:30 and went to the service station store across from the motel to buy a few more food items. Met thru-hikers Snail and his son La Di Da in the Dairy Queen next door.   I had breakfast with them (sausage gravy over biscuits, bacon, egg/sausage/cheese biscuit, O.J. and coffee. They had left Springer only a few days before me. I walked on into town and stopped at the NAPA store to get a bottle of Heat (alcohol fuel) for my stove.   Walked around to where route 52 went north and started trying to hitch a ride back out to the Trail. After 10 minutes or so along comes Charlie and we try hitching together. It was about 9:30 and there was very little traffic heading north out of Bland.   Finally, after about 20 minutes, we got a ride in the back of a pick-up with a local young man named Bobbie. Thanks Bobbie! We were back on the Trail by 10...both determined to take it easy today. The Trail climbed up some from Kimberling Creek to Helveys Mill Shelter. We decided not to stop by the shelter since it was a quarter mile off the Trail. The Trail was pretty much along a ridge line the rest of the day. You could get glimpses of the valley below with scattered farms and buildings.   The next line of mountains were a little hazy and "smokie." I passed a SOBO section hiker, Downhill Duvall, and we chatted for a few minutes. You may recall that I mentioned the couple with their dog yesterday. They are Push and Shuv and their dog Jesse.   They have 2 vehicles. Each day they drive one to a point crossing the Trail and hike to the other. They are doing this for 3 weeks to see how much they can do. I stopped for a bite to eat around 12:30. Charlie walked up and joined me. We hiked on and I lost him again. I got to the shelter about 2:20, sooner than I expected. I heard thunder off in the distance. Sitting in the shelter was Hotdog (also on trailjournals).   We chatted awhile and Charlie showed up. Soon the lightning and thunder approached and it poured rain. Timing is everything on the Trail. Charlie and I unpacked to spend the night here while Hotdog took off in the rain to catch up with some friends.   Not long after that, in walks Snail and La Di Da...soaking wet. They unpack and are spending the night.We all cooked in the shelter, I had Lipton to which I added a can of chicken meat. Had a Hostess cherry pie for desert.I'm going to take this opportunity to comment on a couple of anonymous messages I've received through trailjournals. Let me say this. I'm doing this journal first for myself...as a diary with my personal opinions and observations.   I'm not interested in debating anything. The second reason for doing it is that it may be of some help to others planning their own hike. I know I've gained a lot from reading the accounts of a number of hikers from 2002. If someone benefits from reading it, great|So, I get this one line unsigned message from someone who apparantly wanted to debate my use of the term, "thru-hiker." I'm not interested in a debate.   If I say something that you feel you need to comment on, send me an email, identifying yourself along with your email address; Besides Trailjournals has a forum to do just that... or go to whiteblaze.com. everyone should "hike their own hike!"I know some of you would love to be out here too. Others just get a kick out of "coming along for the ride." Thanks for your interest.Thought for the Day: Live and let hike.