Before setting out on this section, I intended for this to be a fun time in the woods. I'm going to hike and look up plants in my book, set up camp in a beautiful spot, and enjoy watching a movie at night. That's a dandy plan, but I fell asleep almost the second I climbed into my hammock last night. I slept until 7 am! 10 hours for not even ten miles of hiking. Geez, I am getting old. My hammock wasn't even hung perfectly, but my body didn't care. I pack quickly, and 40 minutes later I am hiking away from camp.
A little damp hangs in the air, but it feels so warm and comfortable. The thermometer is reading 57F. The forecast is for rain tonight, but even if I didn't know it was going to rain, I would be expecting it from the feeling in the air.
I absolutely love hiking when the woods are waking up. The sun is just starting to illuminate the trees, the birds quietly chirp here and there until they all get the memo to chime in for the chorus. The wind is gently blowing through the canopy. A woodpecker rat-a-tat-tats on a tree. A squirrel stops to its running to look at me as I walk by.
Less than one mile into my morning, I am greeted by an artful "800" made out of pinecones on the side of the trail. I imagine at this time of the year the sign isn't for the Nobos marking their progress, but rather for the Sobos counting down the miles; only 800 miles to go before you are done with this trail! I actually have to hike another two miles before I can claim 800 miles complete; my mileage is screwy with this southbound section.
Yesterday, I hiked pretty much downhill the whole day, punctuated by an incline at the end. Today is the opposite, and I am paying for the enjoyable descent of yesterday, because I start out by hiking uphill, and I still have 1300 feet of elevation gain to get to the top of Bluff Mountain
Less than one mile into my hike I stop on the edge of a turnoff on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Although it's early on a weekday, a motorcycle and a couple cars go by. I drop off the little trash I have produced since yesterday afternoon, and I enjoy the view.
I measure my water. The next stop is Punchbowl Shelter, where a stream runs near the hut. I am reticent about stopping because this is where the man with the questions and big bible is staying.
I arrive at the shelter and the man in question is indeed present and sitting at the picnic table in front of the shelter. He has an enormous bible in front of him, along with pen, pencil, and highlighter. He is definitely not out here for one night. He looks up as I come around the corner of the shelter and we exchange hellos. I sit my pack on the table seat across from him and remove my water filter and bladder. He points me in direction of the water source, which ends up being more of a muddy runnel than a stream.
We talk for a minute while I repack my belongings. The conversation is light and non-invasive. I don't get any of the creeps that the woman yesterday told me she felt. The conversation turns to food and the man asks if I have any extra. I told him that I packed light because I am only here for a couple days, but I do have some extra Luna bars I can spare ( I love Luna bars but I am a little sick of them at this point). He takes the proffered food and thanks me before I take off.
The man is obviously living at the shelter. As far as unhoused individuals living on the trail, he seemed pretty harmless. I'm not saying it isn't possible for someone who is mentally unhinged and violent to be living out here, but everyone I have met so far who is taking advantage of shelter in the woods has been nice enough. It's prudent to be on one's guard, though.
An hour later I crest Bluff Mountain, having walked up a narrow trail on switchbacks lined with rhododendron and laurel. Just below the summit, I pass two women, one of whom is heavily pregnant, with a young child and a dog in tow, and a baby in a backpack on the back of the non-pregnant woman. This hike is steep and not easy!
At the top, we enjoy the view and chat about the trail. I eat some nuts, jerky, and a fruit bar. From here I can see two towns, one I am certain is Buena Vista to the north and another I believe to be Glasgow to the south. I am super sweaty after the hike up and the wind is chilling me to the bone. I put on my down puffy while we talk. The ladies mention that it's supposed to rain, and I turn on my cellular data to check the weather. It is indeed going to rain tonight, so I plan on being snug in my hammock before that happens! We say goodbye and I continue on my hike.
I find a plaque marking the spot where Ottie Kline Powell's body was found in 1891. The boy went missing after wandering off from his school during recess. The story of the little boy is remarkable because the school was located SEVEN miles away and Ottie wasn't even five years old at the time. Searchers looked for days for the child, and a tracking dog took off toward Bluff Mountain, but none of the searchers considered the child could have walked that far in the cold. His body was found the following spring in this spot.
The hike down the ridge is fairly easy and not too steep, but the dirt is loose and I need to mind my step. So of course I lollygag and get complacent and hit a patch of soft dirt when my forward foot slides and I almost do the splits before falling. Ouch! I think I pulled a muscle in my groin. I need to be more careful and focus!
I pass a gentleman at a gap who just took off his pack and another hikes past while I stop for a snack, and we exchange quick hellos. The views from this ridge are magnificent, but the trees are too leafed out to get many of them. This would be an amazing hike in the colder months.
I crest a small rise in the ridge and I am rewarded by my hard work with a fabulous view to the southwest. I see the James River in the valley below, with mountain ridges in the background. I sit and appreciate the view.
I continue on and the next view affords me with a more southerly perspective, and I can see Thunder Ridge and Apple Orchard Mountain, which I hiked last week. I love looking at the mountains and ridges already travelled. I know it's better to be forward thinking in general, but seeing mountains I have climbed, and the effort that went into the hike, I can appreciate what it takes to get up to the summits... And it makes me feel more badass.
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| James River to the South |
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| Apple Orchard Mountain, 20 AT Miles Away |
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| Can You See the Apple Orchard Mountain Weather Station on Top? |
I leave the gorgeous views behind to descend the ridge. I have a couple hours before the weather whips up. I can easily hike out to the James River tonight, but it will be too late to drive home. I would either need to get a hotel room or stay at the hostel. Or I can stay at the shelter at the bottom of the mountain for the night and get picked up tomorrow as planned. I would have to hike in the rain tomorrow, but that's not a big deal. Then I can drive home in the morning.
I decide to stay at the shelter tonight. I would rather spend another night in my hammock than a hotel room or hostel. I have enough food, and I still have the movie to watch! I text Rory to check on the shuttle situation in the morning. He asks if I can be there by 8 am, and I text back to confirm.
I get set up, staking out my tarp tightly in case the wind picks up later. The rain has held off for a while, thankfully. I eat my dinner at the picnic table and big, fat raindrops start falling just as I shovel the last bite into my mouth. I retreat to the confines of my hammock and finish the movie, tucking in early.
Today's Stats: 10.3 miles, 2247 feet ascent, 3438 feet descent
Trail Stats: 807 miles, 183K feet climbing, 187K descent
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