I was the first awake this morning at Johnny K's, and Fins trail magic event. The birds woke me at 6:02. They slept in. I almost did, I forgot to reset my alarm after town. I eat and brake camp every one else is still in their tents or hammock though. Except Fin, who comes by me making my stuff up, then leaves for town in his car to pick up breakfast supplies.
I take off, but make sure to say goodbye to Johnny K first, who is starting to stir. He apologized for not making me a huge pancake breakfast. I say its cool, I had a raspberry cream cheese danish that I brought from town.
I feel like giving a James Brown style scream while hiking the ridge above the sleeping camp, but decide to mercifully let the hikers sleep.
The trail magic was perfectly timed for me, right at the end of a twenty eight mile day. Another hikers, also named Penguin told me about it minutes before, when I passed him on the trail. The kind trail magicians were set up for four nights already. A large fire greeted me with a dozen smiling faces. A beer was quickly handed to me, and invites to chill at the fire, oxymoron, I know. I set up my tent nearby and enjoyed the festivities. Last to bed first up, that's me.
Today I really want to do a thirty mile day. Thirty miles would set me up nice tomorrow with a twenty two mile day into Buena Vista, Va. where there is a Chinese restaurant. I'm not sure if it's a buffet or not, but I'm definitely going. Then its just 55 more miles, an overnight to the Ming Garden Buffet in Waynesboro.
Im rocking this current 80 mile stretch that I'm cruising through in just two nights.
The miles go fast, soon I'm at a twenty person two story shelter, where I have a snack. After that the miles blur by as I gain elevation but still get ten miles down by noon. As the saying goes, "if you can do ten by noon and twenty by for, then you've got a thirty in the bag.
The long green tunnel opens occasionally allowing awesome views off the Blue Ridge, which I climbed onto again today. The trail crosses it numerous times in the roughly one hundred miles it parallels this famous road. Perfect weather makes for a great day.
About five o'clock, the clouds that were providing nice shade start threatening rain. I don't believe it will happen though, and gallantly hike on, defiant to the rumblings of thunder overhead. The sky opens up, though just barely. I use my Go-Lite umbrella for half an hour, then the sky clears.
There is a wide river meandering amongst mountains below me that I will soon cross, the James river. The descent is brutal after already doing a marathon today, but that's trail life. There are shelters on either end of the low stretch of trail near the James river three point eight miles apart. I'm shooting for the second one, securing my thirty today. Actually it will turn out to be thirty point three miles.
The first shelter has a tent in half of it, with a garland nailed across half the front. Protection against the gentle thunderstorm from this evening. There is a family of three there, so I day hello and let them know another hikers will be coming by shortly wanting to camp there.
I pass by and am soon hiking along the wide James river. The longest foot bridge on the trail crosses it. This bridge would be an excellent spot to camp if it was an hour later. The cool breezes off the water, one hundred feet from either shore would be welcome in the humid night. There are people fishing at the far end, which is near a road and several canoes in the water.
I push on eager to see the upcoming shelter. There is a group here but only three are staying in the shelter, the rest are tenting to avoid bugs. A trail magician, Many Waters is here and hands me a beer. A mile back at a road crossing he left cold Sunkist soda. The group of us hang out for a half hour, dark, then people head for there tents. Two shelterers decide to tent to avoid bugs, so I get to share it with only one other hikers.
Oh and this phone rocks. I love getting 3G service at shelters. Thanks Mom and Dad.
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