Journals

According to Pittsburgh:

JUNE 6, 1997 - FRIDAY
   everyone but me went to breakfast. i had emails, journals, and phone calls to finish up. we all hit the trail at US 220 at different times. this was my latest start so far, 10am. the trail winds around through some tall grasses for a while, crosses under I-81, then to US 11. somewhere in there, a large COW was laying down, blocking my path onto a footbridge over a stream. i decided to find another way across the stream, but to no avail. my choices were to either move the cow, or wait her out. i am not cow protocol literate, so i decided to chide her into moving. she did stand up, but remained in my way. i began looking for something to throw at her, but could find nothing but GRASS and COW SHIT. another fellow (non-hiker) came across the footbridge from the other direction, and the cow moved out of his way. it turns out that it was his cow. the cow then turned her backside to me and proceeded to drop a fresh COW PATTY in my honor. i'm sure that the farmer has added this to his list of STUPID HIKER stories!!!
   at WILSON CREEK shelter, i ran into a hiker named CHESSMASTER. he had been writing some pretty disturbing register entries at the shelters over the previous week or so (registers are notebooks left in shelters by hikers into which other hikers record their thoughts). he felt that thru-hikers were the only people that should be on the trail, in the shelters, and writing in the registers. he had no use for day hikers, weekenders, section-hikers, slackpackers, blue blazers (taking side trails), yellow blazers (hitch hiking to miss sections of the trail), or switchback cutters (cutting off sections of the trail by going straight down hills)...
   in reality, CHESSMASTER is the worst kind of elitist out here, a "trail racist". he had gone way past "stating his opinion", and was using ugly language. upon comfronting him, he said that it was a joke, and had not been intended to be serious. we had a long discussion about "trail etiquette" and "hiking your own hike", and he finally came to realize that all people are welcome out here, regardless of their own particular goals or methods...
   the hike ended at the MONTVALE OVERLOOK on the BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY (mile 95.9). there is no camping permitted at the overlooks or road crossings along the parkway, so we headed to the PEAKS OF OTTER campground. the big tent was up. we ate supper and bedded down for the night...

WE HAVE NOW HIKED OVER ONE-THIRD OF THE TRAIL!!!

JUNE 7, 1997 - SATURDAY
   we were up, fed, and transported to the trail by 8:30am. it was chilly out. i generally will stop at all shelters, just to rest my weary bones, if for no other reason. BOBBLETS GAP shelter was two-tenths of a mile from the trail down a steep path, meaning a steep uphill climb upon leaving. i did not visit this shelter!!!
   i did stop at COVE MOUNTAIN shelter, and had a nice lunch with SUNSHINE, TIMMY, HOOPS, and M&M. the hike was uneventful for three or so miles after the shelter, then there was a long uphill that just took it out of me. GILAMAN was at our destination, MIDDLE CREEK - NORTH CREEK ROAD (VA 714). we loaded into the van and headed back to the PEAKS OF OTTER campground. PANTHER FAN had met with some friends of his during the day, and was nowhere to be found. SUNSHINE and i had calls to make, so we headed out to find a phone. everyone was at the campground when we returned...
   PANTHER FAN said goodbye to his friends (they will be hosting us in their home when we reach WAYNESBORO, VA), and we all went to the nearby PEAKS OF OTTER LODGE for supper. this place gets high ratings...

JUNE 8, 1997 - SUNDAY
   the ladies decided to eat and run, so GILAMAN ran them to VA 714. i took advantage of the SUNDAY BUFFET at the LODGE, and got on the trail later. the first eight or so miles of the trail were virtually uphill. the top of the climb, APPLE ORCHARD MOUNTAIN, is the highest elevation that we will reach between here and MOUNT MOOSILAUKE, in NEW HAMPSHIRE. shortly after the mountain, there is a rock formation called THE GUILLOTINE. two rocks hang precariously, seeming to defying gravity. of course, we hike right underneath!!!
   i took a long break at the THUNDER HILL shelter. TIMMY and SUNSHINE, who i thought were ahead, arrived at the shelter after me. they had taken a side trail to see a waterfall, and i did not. TIMMY had pulled a leg muscle, and was trying to walk it off. we decided to walk together for the next mile, to the road crossing. TIMMY's leg did not improve, so we all decided to call it a day. i headed down the BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY with my thumb out. my goal was to get a ride to our planned destination of the day, PETITES GAP. i ended up walking on the road for three or so miles, then getting picked up by a LAW OFFICER, with BLUE LIGHTS FLASHING!!! he was kind enough to get me to the van. PETER PAN, who had arrived earlier, and i headed back up the PARKWAY to retrieve the ladies...
   we headed to MADISON HEIGHTS, VA to eat PIZZA and rehash the day. afterwards, we headed to the OTTER CREEK campground, on the BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY. PANTHER FAN and GILAMAN had set up the large tent earlier in the day. a second tent was set up for TIMMY and PETER PAN. it had been a long and interesting day...

JUNE 9, 1997 - MONDAY
   we had a nice breakfast at the RESTAURANT at the OTTER CREEK campground, then headed to mile 74.9 on the BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, the start point for our hike. i saw PETER PAN at PETITES GAP. he was waiting there for TIMMY to pass by, so he could quiz her on how her leg was doing. SUNSHINE hiked up shortly after me. TIMMY had not arrived by the time we continued hiking, but we were confident that she was fine, and would be continuing behind us...
   the hike was mostly down hill, but the few uphills were steep. SUNSHINE and i were more than ready to take a long break at MATTS CREEK shelter. the creek has a couple of good swimming holes, but we resisted the temptation to jump in. a review of the shelter register entries indicated that many succumbed to the temptation, but warned of RATTLE SNAKES. we did see one snake sunning itself near the creek, but it looked harmless...
   the views of the JAMES RIVER from the trail were beautiful. it revealed more of itself as we descended to its banks. we crossed the river on the US 501 bridge, then headed left along VA 130 for a few hundred yards, then back into the woods. there was a steep ascent, then a fairly gentle descent to our destination, VA 812...
   back at OTTER CREEK campground, we had a delicious PASTA supper...

JUNE 10, 1997 - TUESDAY
   PETER PAN shuttled TIMMY to the trail, at VA 812, early. GILAMAN shuttled SUNSHINE and me a bit later. seven or eight of the first ten miles of the trail were uphills. i ran across a young couple, AMAZING GRACE (her) and BLIND FAITH (him), a lady from SOUTH AFRICA named CAPE TOWN JENNY, and a fellow named GRIN AND BEAR IT...
   the van met us at the mid-point of the hike, on the BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, to check on TIMMY's muscle pull, and to replenish our water. TIMMY had already come and gone before i arrived. i decided to call it a day. my HAMSTRING on the right side was irritating me a bit, and it needed a rest. SUNSHINE came and went. the guys and i headed for BUENA VISTA, VA for lunch, and then to a municipal campground. they had secured a site earlier in the day. we took our first showers in FIVE DAYS!!!
   we then headed for US 60 to wait for the ladies. there we ran across DR. D and CHESSMASTER. CHESSMASTER has really mellowed out since our face to face discussion a few days previously. he has actually become a friendly sort of fellow, and has fully repented from his earlier sins. we talked pro football. he is a KANSAS CITY CHIEFS fan, and i am, of course, a PITTSBURGH STEELER fan...
   the ladies arrived close together, TIMMY first. she had a good hike, but her leg was bothering her near the end. back to the campground we went. we set up camp, and the ladies took showeres. GILAMAN, PANTHER FAN and i headed for tomorrows destination, CRABTREE FALLS ROAD. it is a four-wheeler type of road, and we wanted to make sure that the van could navigate it. we were successful. we headed back to the campsite as darkness was falling. SUNSHINE was in the sack already, and TIMMY was looking over tomorrows hike in the guide books. they had eaten while we were gone, so we had a quick bite and hit the sack...

JUNE 11, 1997 - WEDNESDAY
   we ate, broke camp, and headed for US 60. the beginning of the hike was up, up, up. someone said that the hike in VIRGINIA was easier! OH WELL! TIMMY and i kept leap-frogging as the day progressed. i ran into GRIN AND BEAR IT, and we chatted about a few things, including FOOTBALL. he is a MINNESOTA VIKINGS fan...
   i took my big break at the SEELEY-WOODWORTH shelter. GRIN AND BEAR IT was there, and was planning on spending the night. TIMMY came in not long after. there had been zillions of FLIES all along the trail, and they had followed us into the shelter. you could actually hear the din of their buzzing if you kept quiet. the register entries indicated that the shelter was overrun by mice. this, plus the flies, made GRIN AND BEAR IT rethink his decision to stay. i invited him to walk another six miles with TIMMY and i, to our destination, and enjoy a group meal and some verbal abuse. he readily agreed...
   my right knee has been teasing me with occasional aches lately. near the end of the hike, it began to announce itself. this is the first time in two summers of hiking that a body part is failing me. i will be hiking out tomorrow with a knee brace...

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