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[Editor's note: My comments are in square brackets - Wendy]
April 30, 2001 - Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles: 20.3 Time 11.75 hr
Flowers: Garlic Mustar, Black Mustard, Pink Lady Slippers
Snakes: 2 (Black Snakes)
There wasn't much of interest today. the first half was a ridge up-and-down knobs walk with pretty unspectacular views when there were any. The second half was better graded but similarly uninteresting. In between the two, I hid my pack in the brush near Rt. 11 and walked into Troutville to pick up mail and resupply. A couple of southbounders had told me that the store there didn't have much, but I found everything that I needed.
Here this evening are "Free Spirit", a section hiker, and "Bookworm", finishing the trail after being interrupted by an injury last year.
May 1, 2001 - Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles: 20.6 Time: 10.5 hr
I spent most of the day today paralleling the Blue Ridge Parkway. Since the only real views were at the Parkway Overlooks, I dutifully read all the informational signs (e.g., nobody knows why they are called the Peaks of Otter, although the Indians called them Ottari, meaning "high places"). I spent some time today hiking with "Big Bird", this year's champion "yellow blazer". He is hiking a lot of this section because hitchhiking on the Parkway is illegal.
I am sharing a huge double deck shelter with "Honu" (Hawaiian for "Hawaiian Turtle"). Honu is a civil war fan and is visiting battlefields. His final goal is Gettysburg.
This is the first shelter I have actually stayed in since Damascus. I opted to do so instead of sleeping under the stars because it is predicted to rain tonight.
May 2, 2001 - Matt's Creek Shelter
Miles: 22.7 Time: 11.5 hr
The hike today was pretty unexciting stuff. It was mostly just a wooded walk and a couple of ridges to follow or go over. The map lists for today's area "Highlights of the Trail", Apple Orchard Mt., a 4220' mountain with VIEWS (emphasis mine). Actually, the only reason there is a view is that there is a U.S. Government radar installation on top, so the trees have been cleared. It wasn't much of a view in any case, because it's very humid and hazy today, so the gray hills in the foreground blend into the gray mountains in the distance which in turn blend into the gray horizon.
Speaking of U.S. Government, two fighter jets passed so low over me at Petites Gap that I could have brought them down with a good javelin shot with my walking stick. A short time later, while on High Cock Knob, I got a rare top view as one of the jets passed through the valley below me. (They must have been practicing avoiding that radar - they're trained to do that, you know.) [It's initiative - ok, raise your hand if you got the reference to "Dr. Strangelove"...put it down].
On a smaller scale, there has been a hatching of billions of little grasshoppers. As you approach, they scatter in all directions sounding a lot like rain on the leaves. To their misfortune, some of them also leap directly underfoot.
The stream near the shelter that I'm at has a deep pool with ~3" and smaller fishies that nibble at your toes. Right now (about 8pm), I am the only resident of the shelter (except for a bunch of carpenter bees).
May 3, 2001 - Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles: 21.4 Time: 10.75 hr
I crossed the James River this morning on the new foot bridge. The bridges, like the shelters, are getting fancier all the time. It has concrete piers and a steel superstructure. Apparently it cost something like a million dollars to build.
As I was climbing out of the James River valley, I saw two hikers coming down the switchbacks. At first, I thought that it was a couple of trail maintainers, as one was dragging some lumber. It then became apparent that the lead hiker was an old fellow wearing lots of "I love Jesus" buttons and dragging a cross made of 2x4's.
There are a number of people and two dogs at the shelter tonight. I think they are all section hikers or early weekenders. I am camped a little way off because there is no good place to camp near the shelter.
May 4, 2001 - Tye River
Birds seen (s) and heard (h): Veery (s,h), Wood Peewee (h)
Flowers: Apple, Blueberry (and some small green berries)
Miles: 27.5 Time: 13 hr
I had thought I had heard a veery while walking early in the day, but when I stopped to listen, it refused to sing. Then later, as I was sitting taking a rest, there was a fuss in the bushes near me and two veeries, in the heat of battle, came tumbling out at my feet. One flew off with a weak call and the other stared at me for a moment, surprised, then flew off also.
The views from Bald Knob and Tar Jacket Ridge were mediocre, but the wild strawberries were spectacular. The strawberry flowers covered the fields in dense mats for as far as one could see.
I got to the Priest Shelter before 5pm and decided to go on to the Tye River. It was a committment of another 4 miles, but all downhill. When I got to Cripple Creek, I looked around for Rob, but she was nowhere to be seen. I settled for filtering a quart of water.
May 5, 2001 - Paul C. Wolfe Shelter
Miles: 24.9 Time: 13 hr
I met some members of the Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club who were out doing some maintenance today. This takes some timing as it seems they are a very small club and, in addition, they are only responsible for 10.5 miles of the trail. For a small club, they had a good turnout - at least a half dozen people.
It's still hot and humid during the day and the last two days have had afternoon "thunderstorms" - lots of booming and lightning and about 8 drops of rain. Up to Damascus, it was winter, now it's summer. What happened to spring?
May 6, 2001 - Blackrock Hut
Miles: 25 Time: 11.5 hr
This is the first day in the Shenandoah National Park. Instead of paralleling the Blue Ridge Parkway, I now parallel Skyline Drive. I've played leapfrog with "Mitoman" all day after catching up to him last evening at Paul Wolfe. He is here at the hut tonight along with another thruhiker, "Silver", a German couple, and a trio of people from Luthervill, MD. At one of the road crossings, Chet and Margaret L. from New York were just stopping for a picnic and invited me to join them. It turns out that they are train fans, so we had some good conversation about Cass, Belfast & Moosehead, etc. They also are both left-handed!
It's been cloudy all day and quite cool, a pleasant change form the 80-90 degrees and humid weather of the past few days.
May 7, 2001 - Hightop Hut
Birds: Thrush ("backwards veery") < Swainson's Thrush >
Miles: 21.4 Time: 10 hr
Yesterday's "cloudy and cool" became cooler and cooler as the evening progressed. I set up the tent just to keep the cold breeze off. It rained a little bit last night and this morning it was 38 degrees F. The colder weather had the advantage that the haze and humidity vanished, so good clear views were to be had from the overlooks today.
I came to a trail intersection today and a backpacker was sitting there smoking a cigarette, but he didn't look up. I checked the sign, curious about which cross trail it was.
"You looking for the trail?" he asked.
"Excuse me?"
"You looking for the Appalachian Trail?"
"Oh, it goes straight ahead. I just wanted to see what cross trail this is".
"Well", he replied, obviously annoyed that I knew not to make a right angle turn without a good reason, "I could have helped you find the trail but I see you know it all already."
I wasn't sure what to reply so I just continued on. He went back to staring at the ground and smoking.
Tonight's group is all thruhikers, five not counting me. Mitoman, Silver, Kirk, and two others.
May 8, 2001 - Rock Spring Hut
Miles: 23.9 Time: 11.25 hr
It was cold again this morning but nice hiking weather. The haze has returned to partially obscure the views, though. I made an attempt at a resupply using the Lewis Mountain Camp store. They didn't have a great selection of stuff, but I think I got something for every meal, but no pop tarts and no granola bars. *** sigh ***.
There is a very noisy group at the shelter again, so once more I have camped a short distance away. I've set up the tent as it looks like rain.
May 9, 2001 - Approx. 1.0 m. S of Elkwallow Gap
Miles: ~21.7 Time: 11.25 hr
It did rain for a short period last night and it looked like more rain this morning, but about midmorning, the sky and the haze in the valleys cleared. The temperature stayed cool, making for good hiking weather with good views.
I phoned home from "Panorama" to arrange a couple of days "mid-trail" break. Panorama was not yet open for the season, but I luckily arrived as a delivery of bird houses was being made [!], and was allowed use of the pay phone in the basement. As I started up Pass Mountain, I encountered a guy with a group of about ten grade schoool kids headed to Pass Mountain Hut for an overnight stay. This, combined with the group of last evening, most of whom were to be at Pass Mountain Hut tonight, made me glad I had already decided to hike about five miles beyond it.
May 10, 2001 - Mosby Camp
Miles: ~23.4 Time: 12.25 hr
I camped last night just about a half mile short of where I camped on a section hike a couple of years ago. Camping away from the "established" sites in SNP is strictly regulated and subject to a bunch of "distance-from" rules. Last night, I easily satisfied the from-trail and from-water rules. Whether I satisfied the 1/2 mile from roads or facilities is anyone's guess. My guess is that I did.
When I awoke this morning, there were two coyotes passing by within 30 feet of where I was camped! They both had their noses to the ground tracking something - obviously not me.
I stopped to talk to two PATC maintainers today. One was working a section in SNP just south of Campton Gap and the other was near this evening's camp.
May 11, 2001 - Rod Hollow Shelter
Birds: White-Eyed Vireo
Snakes: 2
Miles: 20.8 Time: 10.5 hr
The two snakes were copperheads. At first I thought there was just one snake as they were stretched out head to tail. A close examination revealed the truth - two snakes, each about three feet long.
I met yet another PATC maintainer today. I guess it's that time of year. I made a side trip into Linden to pick up some snacks to last me until Sunday. They had "pop-tarts", so I bought a box. That's twice as many as I actually need, of course.
There's nobody at the shelter yet, but three guys that went to the restaurant on Rt. 50 will be here later.
May 12, 2001 - David Lesser Shelter
Birds: Mourning Dove
Snakes: 1
Miles: 21 Time: 12 hr
It's the usual story - especially on the weekend. There is a huge noisy group at the shelter. I fetched water there then went back up to the trail to camp further on. It wasn't much further - just 100 yards or so.
It's very windy this evening. The weather is obviously changing, but to what and whether there is any rain associated with the front, I haven't the vaguest idea. I decided to not set up the tent but I have it out and within quick reach. The trail game today was "The Roller Coaster", a 13.5 mile section with 10 consecutive ridges to go up and down and few views. The ATC sign invites you to enjoy the ride and visit the Blackburn Trail Center "if you survive". The truth is that the trail corridor is very narrow here and the trail builders had very little choice for the route. In the software engineering field, we use the phrase "Its a feature, not a bug".