Date: 2008-06-11
From: Skyland, Shenandoah National Park, VA

To: Hogback Mountain, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Miles today: 20.5

I¢ve seen more bears! (more on that later though) :-)I woke up at 6am and laid in bed sipping coffee and reading "Cold Mountain".I walked up to the lodge at 7:30am and had breakfast. Gator was there, so I joined him. He wanted to get moving because he wanted to eat dinner at Elkwallow Wayside and had 18 miles to do.I saw a baby bird on the way up to breakfast. He was on the ground and I didn't want to bother him too much, so I just took a picture and left.I saw something I had never seen in the woods before shortly after I walked away from the baby bird; a fawn nursing off the mother.I got a couple pictures of that. :-)Kyonite and Sunbeam showed up and had breakfast. They had already walked 4 miles to get there.I checked out of my room after packing everything up.I started walking north on the Appalachian Trail at 10:30am.It's a very nice day compared to the temps and humidity we've been having. It's about 10 degrees cooler and noticeably less humidity....and even less bugs!I had only been walking about 10 minutes when I spotted the second bear I've seen on this year's walk. He was a little over 100 pounds and I got a couple pictures of him as I walked by.He didn't seem to care that I was in the neighborhood because he just kept looking for food. :-)I climbed to the summit of Stony Man Mtn which is the highest point on the AT in the Shenandoahs.I descended about 700 feet, then climbed about 700 feet to The Pinnacle. I stopped on an overlook and ate some diced peaces and had some candy.It was really nice to have some relief from the hot and humid days we've had....and from the bugs!I see a few people have been using my Trail Journal guestbook as a message board.How do I feel about that? Well, let's see....I think they should at least say something nice about ME while they're on MY guestbook talking to each other.Frogcaller could say something like; ¢Hey Liteshoe, I didn't know you were getting married."Liteshoe could say back to Frogcaller; ¢Oh yah, I'm getting married for the first time in my life. Hey, by the way...isn't that Stumpknocker a super guy?"Frogcaller could say; ¢Super....yah, he's super....super!"So, I guess if any of my friends want to use my guestbook as a message board, just be courteous and say something nice about me! :-)I walked by the old CCC building on Birds Nest #3.I got to Marys Rocks and started the steep downhill. I needed water and I thought I remembered a little spring on the north side of the rocks....and I was right!I drank a little over a liter of water and filled up my water bottle before walking on.I crossed U.S. 211 at Thornton Gap and they were doing work on Panorama building.I crossed over Skyline Dr, walked by the sidetrail to Pass Mtn Hut without stopping and continued climbing Pass Mtn to the summit. That was about an 800 foot climb.I got a few closeup pictures of a deer up on Pass Mtn. I started talking to her and she started following for a little while.She was funny...she kept moving her head up and down and looking at me. :-)I came to another 4 foot black snake that was stretched out across the Trail, a few miles before Elkwallow Wayside.I saw another bear about a mile before Elkwallow Wayside. He was about 100 pounds too. He was walking south on the Trail and he saw me before I saw him....he turned and ran away. That was the third bear I've seen on this year's walk. :-)I stopped at a nice little spring just half a mile before I got to Elkwallow Wayside and filled up my bottles for the night.I walked on to the wayside with plans of eating my dinner there.Professor, Mary Poppins, Kyonite, Sunkist and Grits, who I just met for the first time.I bought a Coke and a package of hotdogs and buns. The lady let me take enough mustard packets for the hotdogs.I sat outside and stuffed my face! :-)I went back inside and bought two new Aquafina water bottles to replace my old ones. The old ones were starting to get mold on the caps and the new ones looked so nice and shiny. :-)I sat the there for about an hour or so. When I got ready to leave, Grits followed behind me and Professor and Mary Poppins were right behind him.I spotted a big bear...maybe 200 pounds. The bear was only 20 yards from me when he turned and looked square at me.I saw that the hair on his back was raised, so I didn't stare at him. I just fiddled with my cell camera trying to get it ready to take a picture.The bear went about eating, but still had the hair on his back standing up the whole time.When he gave an extra 5 yards between us, I walked on.I noticed an even bigger bear off to my right. That bear was about 40yards away. I watched both bears for a while. The first bear still had the hair on his back raised, so I walked on.Grits, Professor and Mary Poppins caught up.I was walking along thinking how cool it was to see the 4th and 5th bears I've seen on this year's walk when I spotted the 6th!This was another large bear in the upper 200 pound range and it was standing up with its back to a tree and scratching.I watched it for a while, then it started watching me. It had a grey snout...an older bear.I was telling Grits how lucky we were to see those three bears. I was still walking and talking and saw the 7th bear of this year's walk!It was another large bear about 300 pounds. This one was on the Trail coming towards me. He got to within 25 yards before he walked off to my right.Professor and Mary Poppins were way back, but they did get a look at that bear too.Grits was still walking close behind me and we walked on just a little farther and dang, I saw the 5th big bear within a mile of each other. That was the 8th bear I've seen on this year's walk! He was over 200 pounds too.I decided NOT to set up my tent right there! :-)Professor and Mary Poppins didn't see the last bear, but Grits got to see him.I climbed about 1,200 feet to the top of Hogback Mountain. I found a flat spot and set my tent up there.Grits walked on and I saw Professor and Mary Poppins walk by a little later.This was a GREAT day! I've never seen 7 bear in one day before. What a treat! :-)I was laying in my tent and listening to my mp3 and I heard a noise close to me. It was already dark out. I rolled over to see what it was and something was right at the door of the tent. It heard me roll over and took off running.I've heard lots of deer running through the woods before and I've heard lots of bear running through the woods....this one sounded like a bear. (but then, maybe, just maybe I was thinking about bear) :-)Anyway, I put my earplugs back in and fell sound asleep for the night.Another GREAT day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)PS Remember, if you are going to use my guestbook as a message board....say something about me too! ;-)