So, this of course started with the NCAA basketball championship. UK lost, sadly, but what a heck of a run. Now we just wait to see who's sticking around. On the plus side for me, one less distraction, now that the season is over.
Those of you who know me realize that I love to read. It's pretty much an addiction. Once I start a book I have trouble doing anything until it's finished. As vices go it's pretty mild, I suppose, but it can be inconvenient. I hadn't read a complete book since I started the trail, and I was getting antsy. The book I chose was over a thousand pages though, so probably a couple of days.
Couple that with the fact that I'd covered 40+ miles over the previous two days, I decided to zero at the Black Bear Hostel the day after the game. The Kincora hostel was right up the road, and it was free, but it was also very busy. I just wanted to have a quiet day and read, which was why I chose the Black Bear. Very pretty setup there, with an extremely friendly family running it. Highly recommend. Very highly. I had the bunkhouse completely to myself for most of the day, until 4 Fingers showed up in the evening. He's calling himself Raven now. I guess "4 Fingers" reminds him of the trauma, or something. I read, but only got through about 70% of the book (Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson, if you're curious).
The next day, Wednesday, I waited out the rain until 1100, when I hit the trail again. I had a great day, if short. Only did a little over ten miles, but I ran into Survivorman, Dinosaur, Beandip, and Quickstep. It was really great seeing friendly faces. Those long two days before the game were depressingly void of friendly faces... Really saw almost no one. Also met Dune, Mariposa, and Scorch. Scorch is a Louisville man. Nice group, they actually considered themselves a group, and they'd all met on the trail. The three of them, myself, and 4 Fing.... I mean Raven... stayed at the Watauga Lake Shelter. Got in early, and the reason I wanted such a short day was to finish my book. So of course I stayed up until 3am reading. I told you, an addiction. I kept my head under the blankets like I did while I was in middle school. Good book, and I finished it then. Hard to sleep late, though, when everyone else is getting ready. So I got up earlier than intended.
Thursday was a miserable day. I was sleep deprived, had a headache, and was dehydrated. Water sources were quite spaced out. And of course it was mostly uphill. If I could knock out twenty miles, Damascus would be only another twenty miles or so the next day. Damascus is like the Promised Land for hikers. Home of the famed Trail Days (kinda like the hiker Mardi Gras), Damascus has a nearly mythical reputation on the trail. So it's a Big Deal when you make it there. And I wanted to be there fast. But wasn't going to make it there the way I was feeling.
This is how bad it was... I'm walking up the ridge line and jumped some turkey buzzards. Big 'ol ugly things. Three took off and one just sat there glaring at me. A few minutes later, staggering uphill, a shadow passes me. I look up, and serious as a heart attack, those vultures were circling me. They circled me for over a mile and a half. I shook my poles at them but they didn't seem to mind. I didn't die though, so pretty sure they were disappointed.
I "cowboy camped" a half mile before a shelter where I knew a bunch of people were. Cowboy camping is just sleeping under the stars. I set up next to a large deadfall to block the wind, but of course later in the night the wind changed and I got some serious drafts. Slept pretty good, though, and woke up feeling much better and with a little over 26 miles into Damascus. No sweat.
Good walking, most of the day. Ran into a few people, and the trail was pretty easy. Got to Abingdon shelter in early afternoon, maybe ten miles out from Damascus. Two deer were there. Just hanging out at the shelter. Got some photographs, ate dinner, and moved on. Maybe a mile and a half past, sat down for a minute. Might have been two miles. I turn on my phone to check for messages, and I have a voicemail. I played the message, and as soon as the voice starts I hear movement just off the trail over a low ridge. Big movement. I thought it might be those two deer again, so I got to my feet as stealthy as I could (not very, with a pack on). It wasn't deer. A black bear was climbing a tree. It gets scared and takes off running while I'm saying "wait!" I fiddled with my phone but I struggled getting it off of voicemail and onto camera before it was across the hollow. I did get a recognizable shot with my actual camera, zoomed in, but still not that great. Not sure offhand of an east way to post that photo. Pretty awesome, though. Made my day. Made my hike, actually. As far as I know I'm the first person to see one this year on the trail. I know everyone back in Whitesburg is all "Big deal. One gets in my garbage everyday."
I was walking happy the rest of the day, though I did lay up a mile and a half before town, as my knee was beginning to ache. A little over 25 miles, counting side trails. New record for me, yay. The next morning, Saturday, I rambled into town early. It's interesting watching a small town wake up. I enjoyed it. Ate breakfast at the "Dairy King," and ran into Dinosaur, Beandip, Quickstep, and The Machine there. After that, we meandered over to the coffee shop, where I was meeting my dad for a quick jaunt back to Whitesburg for the weekend, my last foray into Bluegrass land for quite a while. Journeyman (who did 41 miles the day before. Crazy, huh? He was limping) joined us, and we drank smoothies until my dad showed up. And that was that. I'll update again later on. 467 miles down. A whole lot to go.
Watauga Lake
Old grave. It says "He lived alone, suffered alone, and died alone." Harsh. Nick Grindstaff. No idea who he was.
View from the Uncle Bald. Notice the snow at lower elevations where the sun hasn't melted it.
AT traffic jam.
Don't wait so long between posts. We love the posts and it's the only way we know you are okay. Enjoy. Love you.....Aunt Marty
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