Day 38 - Cow Crisis

Miles Today - 18.4
Location - Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Date - May 20

In my constant quest to be as hardcore of a mountain man as possible, I planned to roll through the edge of Atkins and get breakfast at a restaurant. Just like the settlers did it.

The trail in the morning was pasture adjacent, and pretty. I got some magic at an old scholhouse in a can of Coke and some Goldfish Grahams. I arrived at The Barn restaurant at 9 and set about ordering a 2x4 (2 pancakes, 2 bacon strips, 2 sausages, 2 eggs, hash browns and coffee). Slow Going, who I had met the night before joined me, which was mildly irksome because I had wanted to read quietly but I forced myself to be social and we had a nice meal.

At 10 I rolled back out, pleasantly full. I past Rose on the trail and continued cruising, up some tough inclines. We reentered the pastures, and I quickly came face to face with a herd of cows grazing directly on the trail. Several had horns. Errr. I took a moment to laugh at myself. I was honestly too nervous to keep going alone; I really hate cows.

I turned back and ran into Kenny after a minute or 2 and had him take point. Of course when we got back to my previous location the cows had moved on. We hiked together until we reached a nice river where we met Miss America and dipped our feet into the frigid water.

I cruised through the last few miles up Brushy Mountain, picking up a Dr. Thunder from a cooler along the way, and settled into the shelter nice and early. Deciding I had already been social for the day, I guzzled my 2 sodas, curled up into my corner, and got to reading.

Day 37 - Pizza Party

Miles Today - 17.7
Location - Chatfield Shelter
Date - May 19

With a little under 18 to do today I planned on having a nice long lunch at the Visitor Center. I hiked just behind Lone Wolf for the first few miles. As I emerged into a pasture I found him frozen on the trail, staring down a horned cow with a calf right nearby. I slunk up behind him. "What's our game plan?" He shrugged, and the cow continued to stare us down. We ended up making a slight detour through some thorn bushes to avoid it, only to emerge with it in our paths again. We carefully edged around it. I hate cows.

Partnership Shelter was wonderful. Toilet, sink, shower, and a Visitor Center with pizza only a call away. I arrived at 11:15, having done one if the fastest 10.5 miles yet. The shower hardly qualified as one, but I got my hair cleaned.

Lone Wolf and I split a pizza order, myself getting a 14" pie and 10 garlic knots. I sat down on a shady bench and ate and read for awhile. The moment I stood up I realized my error. I was way, way, waaaay too full. I sat back down and focussed on digesting.

A mile into the trail I called it quits and stretched on a rock to read until moving became less of a nauseating process. The rest of the day was unfun. As I rolled into the shelter I declared to Rose that I was "post food," (politely interrupting her meditation) and collapsed.

We got a nice surprise later to find Kenny hiking into the shelter with just a few minutes of daylight left, on the tail end of a 28 mile day. He'll be hiking with us to Wood's Hole, so it's nice to get a bit of the gang back together. We're leaving encouraging notes for White Rabbit (Blanco Bunny) in shelter logs. Go Rabbit go!

Day 36 - What Have You Done With My Friend

Miles Today - 12.7
Location - Trimpi Shelter
Date - May 18

It rained last night, but the tent held up swimmingly (or...not I guess, poor choice of words). I crawled out and had a hot shower, some cereal, and coffee to start the day.

Rose had gotten us a ride back to the trail with a nice lady named Rocky, who had assisted with Woodchuck's AT hike a few years ago. We chattered about this and that in the car, and got to the trail at 11. At the trail head we found Lone Wolf, who had left before us but apparently hiked in the wrong direction for a mile and had to backtrack. Oops.

The hike was short and easy today. Spring has really taken a hold on the trail, and while there were no views I felt a general sense of beauty that had left itself to the hike.

I got to the shelter around 3, and Lone Wolf arrived soon after. I decided to set up my tent, and then because we were bored, Lone Wolf and I made a fire (started the old fashion way: with alcohol, lighters, sparklers and trash). Rose arrived to see me working on a fire by a campsite, and voiced her concern that I'd been replaced with an evil twin. I've never once camped when I didn't have to or built a fire. Usually I'm lethargically curled up in my sleeping bag in the shelter.

10 miles down the trail tomorrow are free showers and a phone with a direct line to a pizza place that delivers. I intend to arrive around noon, order a pizza, grab a nice shower, and have the best trail lunch ever. Mmm...sweet dreams!

Day 35 - Trail Days/Dayz/Daze

Miles Today - 0 on the AT, too many around town.
Location - Woodchuck Hostel, Damascus
Date - May 17

In all the grumpiness I forgot to mention one of the best parts of yesterday. Every year a group of women crochet about 800 hats that they give out for free during Trail Days. My friend Raven caught me and brought me over when we were down to about 20 hats. I found a perfect one, and basically haven't taken it off since, it's so warm and cozy.

Today I woke up with a few missions. Find a tent. Send unneeded things home. Resupply. Do college forms at the library. Be less grumpy.

Woodchuck provides coffee and cereal for breakfast, which was wonderful. I durdled around trading off on the Pac Man arcade game with Ryu that's in the living room, waiting for the vendors to open.

At 9 I wandered over to the vendors. It's basically a carnival, with less games and more camp gear. Rose recommended Six Moon Designs, and I ended up at their tent. They had a design on sale for a 100 that weighed just under 2 pounds. I shopped around some more, but ended up back at Six Moon. Best bang for the buck. And my hammock would easily sell for more than a 100. I added the hammock to my package home and purchased a tent.

Rose and I set it up in the hostel's mini Tent City so that I could apply seam sealer to it. I moved my stuff in and immediately felt better. This was what I was missing. Even if I didn't use it all the time, just knowing I had my own space made me feel safer. Grumpiness conquered!

I then ventured to the library to do some college forms, and walked all the way across town to get free hot dogs. On the way back I picked up my mail from the outfitters. My grandparents had sent me a huge box of brownies, which were munched on for the rest of the day.

I came back to the hostel, and Rose and I walked to Food City to resupply. We caught a free shuttle back into the vendor area, and watched the talent show. It was won by a couple doing a dance called the Texas Two Step. Very impressive. I hung around afterwords a bit for the impromptu dance party, and then lounged by the river to eat funnel cake and make phone calls.

Feeling beat, I headed back to the hostel and crashed in my new tent. Today was a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to getting back on the trail tomorrow.

Day 34 - Grumpy Whiz Attack

Miles Today - 12.7
Location - Woodchuck Hostel
Date - May 16

It was hard maneuvering in the tight attic space, so a quick pack and exit was to be had. This morning we were going over Grayson Highlands, where there are ponies roaming free. Ponies are also on the list of embarrassing things I am no less afraid to see in the wild.

Rose and I hiked together, moving very quickly through the clouds. The storm had raged all throughout the night, and the wind was still whipping at us. As we came out below the clouds we caught glimpses of our surroundings. The Highlands are beautiful, in a pastoral kind of way. I would love to come back on a day with clear skies.

We didn't encounter any ponies, but there was an incident with a cow. It was right on the trail, and upon seeing us approach it made a beeline for us. We went around a patch of brush to avoid it, and it turned and started tromping through the brush to get to us. Panicked and laughing hard we ran for the nearby fence and hopped through the gate, cow in hot pursuit. Safe on the other side we let out a sigh of relief whole it watched us with a level stare. Cows, man. Cows.

We made fantastic time, arriving at the gap by 11. A man in the parking lot offered us a shuttle to Damascus, which we happily accepted. He brought us by a beautiful, old, cedar church, and then dropped us off by the Woodchuck Hostel.

We set up camp in the yard. There were poles for hammocks, but the ground was so muddy they tipped over the moment weight was applied. We worked to no avail on solving the problem, and I ending up pitching between a telephone pole and a low standing fence. The whole process added to my distaste of the hammock, and put me in a decently foul mood.

Trying to put on a happy face, we headed across town to Tent City. I scored some BBQ and Rose and I had a spaghetti dinner with an extremely nice church group. We met up with old friends, and hung out under a tarp with Hendrix, Joplin, Kenny, and White Rabbit while the rain came down. We briefly wandered with Rabbit from fire to fire, and then headed back to town.

Back at the hostel I found that somehow my hammock had been unlashed from the fence. My neighbors stakes on that side had also been removed, and both of our stuff was completely drenched. I'm not sure if this was a bizarre coincidence due to weather, or foul play, but it certainly was unfortunate. I dragged my stuff inside, and accessed the damage. My pack had its cover, so my gadgets had been protected, but my clothes, hammock and sleeping bag were drenched.

Woodchuck is an amazing host, and immediately offered me the spare bed in the living room, which I accepted guiltily. The whole experience left a terrible taste in my mouth. On this long distance trip I've become increasingly disappointed with the hammock. It often feels like all this extra trouble for nothing. I'm going to check out the vendors tomorrow and see if I can find a good deal on a solo tent, and send the hammock home.

So the first day of Trail Days I spent a little grumpy, which I feel bad about, but hopefully a good nights sleep and breakfast will improve my mood.

Day 31 - Storm Front

Miles Today - 22.7
Location - Vandeventer Shelter
Date - May 13

This was gonna be a long day, but a flat one. Perfect for cruisin' along. I popped out early, scarfing down a few Pop Tarts and pounding out some fast miles.

I took a quick break for brunch at a shelter, and met the Professor, an older section hiker who was almost done with the trail, just here to Damascus and then the Hundred Mile Wilderness.

Coming out of the shelter I met a handful of people slackpacking south. They told me of a huge trail magic party at the next gap. Oh. Oh yes. I jogged the next mile.

I arrived at the gap to find a trailer with a scruffy looking guy setting up a grill. I waved hello. He said something disparaging about Obama. This...did not seem like a party. I hung around, made some small talk, and he made no indication of sharing. Alllriiight? A little disappointed, I left.

I hiked for a few minutes through some grassy fields. Dejectedly, I crested a hill, and found a huge tent city sprawling out before me. Aha! The party! Set up by a group called Riff Raff, they were a rolling campsite towards Trail Days. I settled in to a lawn chair and had some cool drinks and donuts, while everyone tried to convince me to stay. Rose came and went, and I eventually managed to haul myself away.

Rejuvenated by the magic I cruised along. I stopped for a rest at a cosy shelter. Then onwards and upwards! A few miles down the trail I felt a drop of rain. Huh? The sky to my left, right, and ahead was blue. Straight above was grey. Uh oh. I bent down to secure my pack cover, and the rain picked up. Err. I pulled out the poncho, and it opened up. Thunder roared, and my exposed skin and clothing was instantly soaked. I pushed on, waterproof boots soaked, through a river of mud. Then the hail started, so hard and fast that I had to draw my arms into my poncho. And I could still see blue sky all around me. What was happening!?

It finally cleared, and I took a few minutes to wring out my socks. Jeeze. That was absurd. I headed on. An hour later, I happened to turn around and was greeted by the sight of another storm cloud.

Urp. I picked up the pace. Ahead of me I could see the ridge curving. If I made it there in time I might dodge it.

I did not. This time I took the hail/thunderstorm more in stride, belting out Thunderstruck at the top of my lungs (of course doing some sweet vocal guitar solos). As it began to die down I found a small shelter by the trail. I squeezed in to find a pair of hikers and a dog. Apparently this was an old, no longer maintained shelter. But the next one, my destination, was but 1.4 away! Back to cruisin'!

I literally ran. The rain died down, and then started up again as I skidded into the shelter! Score! My happiness died away as I opened my pack. I dampness had infused everything. I stripped down to my dryish pair of underwear and went to get water when the rain briefly broke. Down a muddy hill. A quarter mile. Screw you too Tennessee shelters.

I cooked dinner late, curled up in my bag, and then promptly crashed to the sound of another hailstorm smashing into the tin roof. What a day. The weather here makes just no sense.

Day 30 - Lakeside Lounging

Miles Today - 17.6 (more like 18.6 grumble grumble)
Location - Kincora Hostel
Date - May 12

Morning at Kincora was amazing. Jack, Bear, and Viking cooked up a breakfast of pancakes, tater tots, and breakfast burritos. A perfect start to the day. I bid everyone goodbye, and headed out.

The trail meandered around Laurel Falls, going through some beautifully large rock formations. It was...well, rocky, but a gorgeous place to trek through. Right after I headed up Pond Flats, a decently sized standalone mountain. The ascent went by quickly, and the views at the top were obscured by a corpse of trees. Disappointing.

At the bottom of the mountain a beautiful, extensive lake spread out. I plopped down at the beach and snacked aggressively. After about a half hour I pulled myself away.

The trail circled around the lake, which stretched off in all sorts of directions. I was totally drained of energy. And it was hot. I felt like all sorts of blah, trudging heavily up the trail.

I finally flopped into the shelter, totally beat. Where's the water? I asked. Back down the trail and down a huge hill. Mile round trip. Huzzzzah.

On the way down I met Poncho, an actor from New York, and Rose. Back at the shelter we cooked up dinner and chatted, before Poncho headed on further down the trail to camp. After that, I settled into my bag and finished my book as the sun set.