Date: 2016-06-13
From: Thunder Ridge Shelter

To: Matts Creek Shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke up this morning and boy was it cold. We all were up at 5:45 am because it was so freaking cold. I would have to take a guess it was in the high 40's. We filtered water, ate breakfast and packed up while the wind howled. We were camped on thunder ridge which is close to 4000 feet. Normally in mid June it's not this cold but this morning we were bundled up. We pushed off about 6:30. Ompi leaving first, than Scavenger, then me and then Slosh. We planned to walk the 1.5 miles to the parking area where there were trash barrels. I passed scavenger and walked awhile and the 1.5 miles seemed to be taking forever. I caught up to Ompi and said any idea why this is taking so long. He got out the guidebook and we read .10 side trail to parking area with trash barrels. Oops we missed it. We treked on and another 3 miles I stopped at a gravel road with parking to call my credit card company. Apparently they sent me an email thinking there may have been fraudulent charges. Well there were cause that card was at home and I haven't used it since early March. It took awhile but the situation has been rectified. After being transferred 3 times and telling my story again and again and no I do not know my credit card number and no I do not know the security code I'm in Virginia and my card is in New York. Ompi and the RC passed me and all 3 heard me on the phone and knew it wasn't good. We went over highcock knob and descended down to an approved campsite where we filtered water and had a late breakfast snack. The next shelter was only 4 miles away and we all planned on stopping there for lunch. I pushed on before the rest as I had a package in Glascow, VA and wanted to try and get to route 501 in time to get into town before the post office closed. The trail so far was mostly downhill with only 2 modest climbs and then a third leaving the campsite. The last climb was following a side of the hill for most of the way with a small incline. You hardly noticed you were climbing as the trail was barely a pitch and went in a straight line along the side of the hill.   I called the post office just to confirm that my package was there before I made the trek into town. After about 2 miles from the campsite the trail began its descent from 2600 feet to 865 feet at the James River. The trail descended steeply at points but the last 1.5 miles was the same pitch at an angle down the side of the hill with no switchbacks. It wasn't to terribly a steep pitch but the side hilling was not flat but at and angle and the trail went in a straight line. So the same steady repetitive motion started causing my legs to cramp up. Finally I could see Matts Creek shelter where I stopped for lunch. Lightning was at the shelter having his lunch and the last time we saw him was at the campground by Jennings Creek. He is a nice kid who hikes at a really fast pace, he doesn't always do big miles but he's hard to keep up with. We will probably see him again in Waynesboro. He moved on about 15 minutes after I arrived. About 30 minutes after I arrived Ompi showed and so did the RC. We had gone about 12 miles at this point and it was only 1:30. An older couple arrived at the shelter who were doing a section of the AT. They have been trying to do small sections every time they travel. They didn't stay too long and headed out back towards route 501. I took off about 1:45 in hopes of hiking the remaining 2.2 miles relatively quickly and then try and get into town. We agreed everyone was going to stop at the shelter on the other side of the river. This would only be another 1.7 miles after I got back to the trail from town. The post office office closes at 4:30 so that should give me 2 hours to get there. The walk from the shelter was nice and easy. The trail first followed Matts Creek to the James River and then the trail followed the Janes River. I arrived at the footbridge that takes you over the river and it is the longest foot bridge on the AT. Apparently in the past it was a thing to jump off the bridge into the river. There were signs posted everywhere do not do not jump off bridge. Many have died and it's illegal. I passed the coupe from the shelter a few yards before the bridge. Walked over the bridge and ended at a parking area adjacent to 501. To get to Glascow you head left on 501 and the road on that side has no shoulder and no place to pull off so I stood in front of the parking area trying to hitch a ride. The sun was hot and I as sweltering and must of looked pathetic because the couple from the shelter came over and said do you want a ride into town. Yes please I said!! Thank you! They dropped me off at the post office where I thanked them again and went in and grabbed my package from Chris Lovell from Massachusetts. I then headed to the dollar general to charge my phone and do a small resupply. Afterwards I was going to go to the pizza place and get a sub but apparently all restaurants in the town are closed on Mondays. Sigh!! I was all excited for FOOD!! I swung into the gas station to see if they had any hotdogs or whatnot. Nothing! I ended up with a bag of corn chips and ate the whole bag. On the plus that was a total of 1440 calories. I should be eating 6000 a day and that helped. With my phone fully charged I headed back on road and started hitching while walking. I only made it over the bridge when a man stopped and said you need a ride. I was like heck yea. He said you mind jumping in the back as I have too much stuff in the front. I was like for a ride I'll ride on the roof. A few minutes later he dropped me off at the parking area and I thanked him and got back on trail. The 1.7 miles to the shelter was steeper than the guidebook showed it and I arrived at the shelter at 6:15. The RC and Ompi where the only ones there and they had a fire going to control the black flies or knats that just seemed to come out within the last two days. While unpacking my bag I announced I had a surprise. I had bought and packed out a 6 pack of beer. Everyone cheered and we sat and made dinner. Everyone was sleepy and ready for bed at 8:15. We all were in our tents/hammock by 8:30. Tomorrow we have mostly big climbs up and an 18.8 mile day ahead of us.