This is a very long day, with very hot weather. We climb Bluff Mountain where there is a plaque to a four year old child who went missing and was found at the Bluff Summit. On the descent from the mountain we are startled by a bear in a tree by the side of the track, eating the berries. We hear a commotion, see the bear falling out of the tree while trying to hang on to a thin branch, then an almighty k-thump, as he hits the ground, and a black blur as he runs.
We cross the Blue Ridge Parkway and find some trail magic - a kind tourist has left a pile of cinnamon buns (6) so we eat 2 and leave 4 for those coming after us.
The trail follows the edge of a reservoir - for drinking water for a nearby town. It is a really hot afternoon and we are looking down into a beautiful lake which we can't swim in. We arrive at Brown Creek and then head upstream for 2 miles. By this time it is quite late and the swimming holes look inviting but it is too late for us to stop - we need to reach camp before dark. We arrive at the campsite at 6.30. It is an historic valley which was a settlement for freed slaves in the 1900s who grew tobacco and corn. There are remnants of the settlement everywhere - stone walls, house sites and stone chimneys.
We find Shakin already camped here - he spent last night here with Doc. Shakin is suffering from severe diarrhoea - we give him most of our toilet paper and our spare instant oats.
It is a great camp by the river, shared with a section hiker - Gene, who is out for 2 weeks and is in great pain with blisters, as his feet are not used to the hiking. He is sleeping on a blow up sleeping mat - and as he turns it squeaks - he does this frequently and it keeps us awake.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Day 70 - Thunder Hill Shelter to Johns Hollow Shelter - 16.3 miles
A very long steep descent to the James River, where hikers cross on a specially made hikers bridge. There is a bunch of college kids jumping off the bridge. This is one of the challenges for AT hikers - we pass up the challenge. But here are two images of Stucco, our warrior goddess who did do the jump - I am in awe. These images are taken from her Facebook photo album. We met Stucco briefly in Hot Springs, and she becomes a good friend later in the trip.
We try and hitch a ride into the town of Glasgow - about 10 miles away, but don't have much luck. There is nowhere for cars to pull over to pick us up even if they wanted to.
After an hour of trying, the college kids return to their cars in the car park and we put the hard word on them to give us a ride. One young man agrees to take us to Glasgow and we fill up his petrol tank with fuel out of gratitude.
We do a grocery shop, buy a burger, and drink a beer disguised in a plastic bottle as you are not allowed to drink alcohol in a public place.
Then we call Ken who does hiker shuttles and he agrees to take us back to the trail, and picks us up in 15 minutes. We collect another 2 hikers who want a ride as well, but one lap around the town and they spy the rest of their group - Left It and Speak Easy and Clare the Dog with the Mohawk hair cut - at the park. So we drop them off and head back with Ken. Ken had agreed to take us for $10 - but alas we only had a $20 note and he had no change - so guess what - yep it cost us $20. But better than hanging around waiting for a ride. It meant we made it to the next shelter, struggling in with fully loaded packs.
We try and hitch a ride into the town of Glasgow - about 10 miles away, but don't have much luck. There is nowhere for cars to pull over to pick us up even if they wanted to.
After an hour of trying, the college kids return to their cars in the car park and we put the hard word on them to give us a ride. One young man agrees to take us to Glasgow and we fill up his petrol tank with fuel out of gratitude.
We do a grocery shop, buy a burger, and drink a beer disguised in a plastic bottle as you are not allowed to drink alcohol in a public place.
Then we call Ken who does hiker shuttles and he agrees to take us back to the trail, and picks us up in 15 minutes. We collect another 2 hikers who want a ride as well, but one lap around the town and they spy the rest of their group - Left It and Speak Easy and Clare the Dog with the Mohawk hair cut - at the park. So we drop them off and head back with Ken. Ken had agreed to take us for $10 - but alas we only had a $20 note and he had no change - so guess what - yep it cost us $20. But better than hanging around waiting for a ride. It meant we made it to the next shelter, struggling in with fully loaded packs.
DAy 69 - 8th June - Jennings Creek to Thunder Hill Shelter - 14 miles
We climb all day, and it is hot and seems to go on for ever. We meet a group of 'slackpackers' heading downhill - Cityslicker, Sockeye and River. They have crossed our paths a number of times - and always taking the 'easy' option. It annoys me - but I know in the end that they will drop out. We walk our own hike and stay focused - getting ourselves to the end of each day and not worrying about other hikers.
We have lunch at Cornelius Shelter where a hiker had died of a heart attack the week before. He was in his sixties and looked asleep, when a hiker arriving to stay at the shelter found his body.
We have lunch at Cornelius Shelter where a hiker had died of a heart attack the week before. He was in his sixties and looked asleep, when a hiker arriving to stay at the shelter found his body.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Day 68 - 7th June - Wilson Creek Shelter to Jennings Creek - 17 miles
It is our earliest start - on the trail by 7.15am. The trail takes us through a wild blueberry patch for the first time and we stop to pick and eat blueberries. Amazing bush tucker US style. We are not starting to follow the Blue Ridge Parkway with views, gently graded trails and easy walking.
There is a long descent to Jennings Creek. We meet Doc at the creek. We learn that all the younger hikers have organised some sort of party with lots of booze delivered by vehicle to the campsite. We had planned to stay here but now decide to walk upstream following the road for about a mile and see if we can find somewhere quieter to camp. Digby has a swim in the river and goes for full immersion. Too cold for me. It's interesting how you don't smell when you don't bathe in the higher latitudes. Doc joins us and decides to walk to the commercial campground one mile away. he buys potato chips, lemonadae and chocolate for us - all those foods that hikers crave - full of fat and sugar - and we continue to lose the weight. I am keeping up my shorts with a piece of rope.
There is a long descent to Jennings Creek. We meet Doc at the creek. We learn that all the younger hikers have organised some sort of party with lots of booze delivered by vehicle to the campsite. We had planned to stay here but now decide to walk upstream following the road for about a mile and see if we can find somewhere quieter to camp. Digby has a swim in the river and goes for full immersion. Too cold for me. It's interesting how you don't smell when you don't bathe in the higher latitudes. Doc joins us and decides to walk to the commercial campground one mile away. he buys potato chips, lemonadae and chocolate for us - all those foods that hikers crave - full of fat and sugar - and we continue to lose the weight. I am keeping up my shorts with a piece of rope.
Day 67 - 6th June - Dalesville - Wilson Creek Shelter - 11.2 miles
We leave suburbia behind and head off at about 10.00am. We follow gently graded tracks with our heavy packs but we feel OK - the zero day has let us recover from exhaustion.
We have to carry water 0.7 miles to the shelter and go past an historic charcoal burners pit from the 1800s. At Wilson Creek Shelter it is like meeting old friends. Left It, Speak Easy and Clare the dog arrive, so does Tiny Dancer and Salty who we met at Macaffee Knob. Shakin arrives and so does Doc who has spend a couple of days in luxury at the Holiday Inn at Dalesville pretending not to be a hiker.
Clare the dog has had a haircut and now sports a mohawk. Speak Easy and Clare share the hammock. We watch in amazement as the little sheltie leaps into the hammock. I think about sharing a hammock with my Rotty - Kimmy and decide its not physically possible. All the hammocks are set up covered with flys as rain is imminent and it looks like a colony of fruit bats.
We have to carry water 0.7 miles to the shelter and go past an historic charcoal burners pit from the 1800s. At Wilson Creek Shelter it is like meeting old friends. Left It, Speak Easy and Clare the dog arrive, so does Tiny Dancer and Salty who we met at Macaffee Knob. Shakin arrives and so does Doc who has spend a couple of days in luxury at the Holiday Inn at Dalesville pretending not to be a hiker.
Clare the dog has had a haircut and now sports a mohawk. Speak Easy and Clare share the hammock. We watch in amazement as the little sheltie leaps into the hammock. I think about sharing a hammock with my Rotty - Kimmy and decide its not physically possible. All the hammocks are set up covered with flys as rain is imminent and it looks like a colony of fruit bats.
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