Oma dropped me off at the Pedlar River bridge this morning in the rain. And it rained all day.
There was a tent set up at the bridge. Inside were Tick, Blackout and Pocahontas. They looked to be zeroing, but those three you can't tell. They tend to wake late, hike big miles and get to camp late.
I passed an 800 mile marker someone made from rocks. My GPS said it was at 800.1 but who cares? Another milestone down. At Brown Mountain Creek shelter I met Prayer. Severs of the Family's kids were there too. Right-Click, Rock Steady and Simple Man showed up as I was leaving. They're camping tonight at Hog Camp Gap. In the rain.
The climb up Bald Knob is difficult due to the length more than the slope, although there are some steep areas. I was very glad I was slacking it. Especially since I had to keep straightening my arms so that sweat and rainwater would run out of my sleeves and empty the puddles that kept forming under my elbows. Nothing to see but cloud from the viewpoints.
I made Hog Camp Gap a bit early and got picked up by Marsha, Oma's partner. She's a computer programmer with an office in Virginia Beach. She has the house here set up so she can usually work from here.
Tomorrow the rain should ease a bit; good thing as I have a 20 mile day up the Priest side of the Tye a River valley to do.
Tucson is gone, the doctor said he has a stress fracture of his bad ankle. So I'm solo again.
6/5/15 - Slack Day Two
Marcia dropped me off at the Tye River at 8:30am and I started up the Priest, south of the Tye. I made the top by 10:30, surprising myself. It's a 3000+ foot climb in 4 miles, I didn't expect to do it at 2mph. On the way up I met Which Way and Why Not, now going by Dr. Pickles and Mockingbird. I hadn't seen them since Marion, before Trail Days. They were pleased to see me. It buoyed my spirits to see them, they're nice folks.
I must have seen 35+ people today on the trail. Poofy, Fry, Tick, Pocahontas, Blackout, Old Sherpa, Quahog, Simple Man, Chocolate and the rest of the Family, Harry Potter, Frosty and Fireball were just some of them.
I made the 20 miles in 8 hours. The trail was good, ridge running mostly, the rain stayed away and I had a good time. One more day then on to Waynesboro.
6/6/15 - Slack Day Three
I turned on my phone this morning at 3Springs to find a Facebook update from Bean Counter. I met him and How Far way back before Neels Gap but he got out in front a week. It seems almost unthinkable that he should be sidelined at this stage. But then, I thought I was home free in 2007, until my injury happened.
Marcia dropped me off at Dripping Rock overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway a bit after 9am and I headed south for the Tye River. There was still a fair amount of fog around, but nothing like the last three days. I'd forgotten though, that the trail north of Maupin shelter is really rocky. Add the heavy vegetation right next to the trail and sometimes obscuring the view of the ground and it can be treacherous. Still, I made good time, a steady 2mph.
I met over 50 northbound hikers today. A lot were day hikers. One group I saw were carrying stuff back to their car from Maupin shelter, which is a mile from the road over a 250ft ridge. They had two large coolers, a steel fire grate, folding chairs, and a folding card table!
I made the Tye River bridge at 4pm, and Marcia arrived a few minutes later. All in all, a very good day of hiking. Only 15 miles to Rockfish Gap, where I can catch a shuttle to Waynesboro and also the southern gate to Shenandoah National Park. Less than 200 miles from Harpers Ferry. Thank goodness Three Springs Hostel was here!
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