Date: 2007-05-04
From: Paul Wolfe Shelter

To: Calf Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day #10 Friday May 4th6:30am   Up & at it...because some people have NO RESPECT for their fellow sleeping hikers!...oh well...such is life.the shelter was totally full...& it rained off & on last night & was windy & cool...expecting Mostly Cloudy & low 60s today...my kinda hikin' weather!Jigsaw & I are the last outta the shelter...we're taking it slow today...our last FULL day of hiking...9am we start out with rain gear on & pack covers...Out of the shelters & Gaps...you climb...& we did!for 5 miles we had a slight incline...til we hit Rockfish Gap (1,902 ft elevation) @ Waynesboro,VA..we take photos here & cross over the Blue Ridge Parkway & Hwy 250/Interstate 64 interchange & then on up the trail....then down to McCormick Gap...crossing the B.R.Parkway again...Jigsaw, after his record setting hiking pace y'day, is hiking with me today in the "SLOW MODE" (the ONLY gear i have!).We stop & self-register as we enter the Shenandoah Nat'l Park for backcountry hiking permits...while here...i call my "Sweetie" ("D-bird" my lovely wife)...things are well @ home...i miss her..We hike on & Up BEAR DEN MTN. (2,885 ft elevation)...No Bears, just lots & lots of ugly radio & TV towers on top of the mountain.Also we took a few photos of these old tractor seats "planted" in the ground....why are they there?   who knows!...but, it was FUN!on over & down we hike...we spot a few BEAR tracks on the trail down to BEAGLE GAP (crossing the B.R.Parkway again) & then up Calf Mountain. We have some engaging conversation today about family, sports, kids & religion...all good stuff!On top we call Lyle Kirby, our shuttle guy on this end of our trip, scheduled to pick us up tomorrow afternoon. (he has another shuttle just before us...yikes!)we hike on...we grab water before we hike to the shelter...no one is here...most of the hikers we've been encountering were taking a day or two off in Waynesboro...We eat our last trail meal...i have Veggie Lasagna...(spiced with some wild, green onions i picked from around the shelter area)& Jigsaw has Sweet N' Sour Pork...i have a Payday Trailmix energy bar for dessert (tasty!)...i'll have my last Payday for breakfast tomorrow morning.6pm "Dice" (thru-hiker from Maine) shows up aftter a 1/2 day of rest & re-supply in Waynesboro...he tells us all of his fellow thru-hikers are taking another day "in town".He hiked almost 7 miles in just over 2 hours...WOW...these young thru-hikers are UNBELIEVABLE!Jigsaw & I gather firewood for our traditional last night on the trail campfire (started a few years back when we were hiking with the "Model T" crew)...gots to keep the tradition alive!"Dice" shares some chocolate with us.....Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! (Pun intended) Chocolate Peanut butter candies & Chocolate coconut candy his grandmother made 7 shipped to him...ALWAYS willing to help a fellow hiker lighten his load....heheheheheheheheSuper nice guy...that "Dice" from Kittery, Maine...we take some photos...& have some nice conversation about home, the restuarant biz, etc...& then into the sleeping bags.....7:30pm   I'm tired!         Goodnite!                           12 miles today!