Starting mile 789.8
This morning I got up and moving a little before 6. I was on trail and moving by 6:05. When I left Numbers was moving in the shelter and I figured he would catch somewhere on the 3000 foot climb that we had coming out of the James River Valley. The initial climb up to Little Rocky Row was about 1500 feet over 2 miles. The climb went back and fourth between a steep climb and switchbacks. I was very happy when I hit the switchbacks, they make the climb so much easier.
Just shy of 7 I made it to the top of Little Rocky Row. When I got to the amazing view at the top I ran into a couple who were doing a couple of nights out and spent last night at one of the great campsites up along the ridge. They were enjoying their breakfast while they admired the view of the James River down below us. As usually happens when I meet regular people on trail they ask me a lot of questions about my trip. I got through the regular questions when Numbers came up behind us. He joined us for some second breakfast and a break.
I ended up spending about half an hour admiring the view. I wasn’t planning on staying that long, but I had a great time talking with couple and then with Numbers when he showed up. It was time to get going so Numbers and I said goodbye to the couple that had camped up here and headed down the trail. We had another 1500 feet of elevation gain over the next 5.5 miles to the dop of Bluff Mountain. After Bluff Mountain it was going to be mainly downhill for the rest of the day.
Numbers and I hiked the rest of the morning together climbing up over Bluff Mountain and making our way down to Punch Bowl Shelter where we took our lunch break. After several days of being by myself it was really great to hike with someone for the morning. We had a lot of great discussions about Trail Days, which Numbers had gone to, and other trails that we have hiked in the past. It made the morning fly by.
We got some water, had some lunch and took off again. It was going to be another hot day out and we had a lot more miles to do today. We hiked together for another hour as we headed toward the Lynchburg Reservoir. I had to stop to visit my favorite tree and I told Numbers not to worry about waiting for me. It was really starting to get hot and I was slowing down. I didn’t want to slow him down.
I got down to the Pedlar River Bridge and took another break on the other side of the river. It felt great to strip down and jump in the river. I drank another liter of water while relaxing the shade of the bridge and took off. I was hoping to get a little bit of the next big climb in today. That would cut off 1000 feet of gain tomorrow. As I worked my way around the reservoir I noticeably slowed down due to the heat. I was taking a lot more breaks than normal and the breaks were all longer than normal.
I finally made it to the Brown Mountain Creek Shelter a little after 4. Numbers was relaxing in the shelter and was trying to decide if he was going to keep moving. Marthanon, a young kid who had passed us earlier in the day had moved on and was going to try to get the next climb in. While I was getting my dinner ready Numbers decided he was going to get a few more miles in today. I said goodbye assuming I would see him again. He was only going to Harpers Ferry where he will have finished his Triple Crown for the second time.
While I was eating I decided that I would stay at the shelter tonight and get up and moving early tomorrow as I have another 3000 foot climb to start the day as I make my way up and over Cole Mountain. As I was finishing up my dinner I see Shaggy coming up to the shelter. I was shocked, I figured he was a day or two ahead of me. Come to find out that he had to get off trail for a couple of days because he got sick. He was feeling better today and caught up to me. I was really happy to see Shaggy again because he is also only going to Harpers Ferry to finish his thru hike that he started several years ago.
We spent the next couple hours just chatting and catching up. I really enjoyed the last day having people to talk to again. With Trail Days over the weekend the last several days the trail seemed really empty. I barely saw anyone on the trail and had campsites more or less to myself. I hope that I’ll start seeing more people now that everyone is back on trail.
I ended up doing 18.3 miles today with about 4500 feet of elevation gain. Tomorrow will be another early morning.
Ending mile 808.1
Comments
One response
Curious Do you have a trail name? If so
You’ve never mentioned it.