[at-l] Short hike in Va

[Charles Davidson]

Hi  Gang,
                 I spent threee nights in the woods last week. It sure 
was good to get out. I started my hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 
Bearwallow Gap (43) and headed south. I met lots of thru hikers and I 
gave the first one I met a Subway Tuna sandwich and the next few some 
cookies. At Wilson Creek shelter I talked with a nobo couple that had 
just done the PCT last year. I am gathering all the info I can for my 
hike next year. They said the AT was much harder for them 20% he said. 
We discussed lightweigh packs and carrying jugs of water by hand versa 
more substantial packs and bear canisters too. Mostly they were tired of 
rain. I told them to be thankful for the rain and appreciate the fact 
that there is much water available everywhere along the way. They agreed 
since they had heard how dry it was last year. (They were from Oregon). 
I went on another mile and camped on a nice ridge top almost out of 
sight of the trail.
    Next day I met lots more thru hikers and stopped to talk with any 
that were willing to chat. I was not in any particular hurry and I just 
had to call for a pickup wherever I wanted to end my hike. I took a 
brief stop in Daleville for a few snacks. At Tinker Creek I talked with 
Snail AT06 I think it was. He lives in the area. It seemed really hot at 
80* especially on the steep climbs. I don't know how I am going to make 
it in the desert since I really do not like hiking in warm weather. 
There were lots of trail improvements along the Tinker Mountain section. 
Some of the steep sawtooth portions have been slabbed on the Carvins 
Cove side with a nice dirt treadway. It was very pleasant walking. At 
Lamberts Meadow campsite I stopped and cooked a meal. I planned to load 
up with water and go up to the cliffs to camp. The meadow was so nice 
and peaceful that I just decided to spend the night there. The are has 
been cleaned up and the AT now goes straight through the meadow rather 
than up around near the blue bypass trail. Every night I was serenaded 
with a variety of Owls and a few whippoorwills that thankfully moved 
away a good bit where they were not so loud. Stopping at 4:30 is pretty 
early but I had walked just under 20 miles and I was exhausted from the 
heat.
    I slept in and did not sit foot on the trail till after 7:00. Nice 
trail improvements, added switchbacks climbing the hill from Lamberts 
shelter to scorched Earth Gap. At Campbell shelter I loaded up with 
water and decided to walk the road out to 311. I walked the AT and ran 
the AT recently on club hikes and it had been a while since I walked the 
woods road. After crossing 311 I ran into Jaybird who I had met on my 06 
hike. He was on the second half of his third yo yo and his first south 
bound winter hike that year. I completed my hike at the Tye River in Va 
near Xmas. He said he finished in March of 07 and that it was really 
hard. He was thinking of doing the CDT this year. Interestingly he hikes 
a lot at night and sleeps in the day. He said he reached Pickle Branch 
shelter at 3:00 am last night. I took a short nap and cooled off my feet 
with socks and shoes removed. When I got to 624 I took the .4 detour to 
the store for some food and a quart of Gatoraid. It was thundering and 
raining when I left the store so I just walked down the road to the 
Dragons Tooth parking lot area. I camped up the trail out of sight and 
was picked up next day. Linda and I then went for a 5 mile run.
    I forgot to mention the AT club hikers from Lancaster PA. The club 
has 400 members and they were on a week long hiking trip in VA. Some 
just day hiked each day and I met them all three days. Others did 
overnight trips backpacking.Thats a pretty neat idea for a club group to 
travel this far each year as they piece together the AT.
    I did enjoy a new to me trail meal. I ate a "Lipton noodle plus 
vegetables" dinner and it wasn't too bad. The addition of a few veggies 
really helped this off the shelf meal. It sure was nice to get out and 
hike some. I have not been hiking a lot for the last year. Those thru 
hikers with 700 miles under their belts were enthusiastic about their 
trip. One fellow said that it had been magical. I talked with several 
that had just retired for this trip. I wish them all luck.

see you at Trail Days
Chase