I wake fairly early, but don't want to wake anyone, so I sit in my hammock and read for a little while. I finally get up and start packing as quietly as possible. By the time I leave the shelter area, most of the tenters are up and about.
The trail initially descends on a really nice path. I cross a stream and top off my water, because today will be the longest water carry of SNP, and the day promises to be a warm one. My joy at hiking in the beautiful spring forest is short-lived, because after I cross a forest road, I start ascending.
I am glad for the early start, because I will have 3,000 feet of gain today, so I am happy to be hiking up the first hill in the cooler morning air. I check my cell phone, and I'm thrilled to have one bar. I call home and I talk to my youngest daughter for a little while until I crest the hill and lose service.
The azaleas are blooming and so pretty. As I pass by a bush close to the trail, I smell the most lovely floral scent, and I stop to take a tentative sniff of the azalea blossoms, not believing at first that they were the source. I get the most delicious, delicate scent! For the last 30 years I hiked this region, I never once realized the azaleas smell so nice. Now I must stop and smell the pretty pink and white flowers frequently.
I emerge from the wood to cross Skyline Drive, the first of many for today. A sign announces I am at Sawmill Run Overlook. I walk across the empty car turnout to take in the view of Waynesboro Valley.
The trail continues up for the next three miles. I am rewarded for my effort by a really lovely trail through the woods. SNP has over 500 miles of hiking trails within the park boundary, and today I pass several trail junctions. Although the trails are well signed at the junctions, I always double check for a white blaze after passing one, making sure I remain on the A.T..
I am at the last road crossing of the day when I see a bunch of hikers at the bottom of a hill. One of them calls out "hello again!", and I realize it's the Six-Pack! I'm surprised I saw them again, since they got off the trail so early yesterday. They are really tired, since they walked the whole way from Waynesboro this morning, over 20 miles, in this heat. I asked if they enjoyed their shower, and the oldest daughter happily says their parents surprised them with a hotel room.
I hike up the hill, but they quickly surpass me. I am surprised at how fast they hike in this heat after such a long day, but we are almost to camp for the day. They are planning on camping on top of Blackrock Mountain for the views, but I am stopping just before the summit at Blackrock Hut.
When I get to the hut, I see the father and two of the kids are filtering water for the entire group. We chat for a moment while they attach the full water bags to their packs. I wave goodbye as they head up the steep hill to catch up with the rest of the family, who went ahead to set up the tents.
I set up my tarp and hammock, filter water, and cook my dinner at the shelter picnic table. The black flies are swarming me and biting me frequently until more hikers show up and divert their attention. A young man comes in carrying a huge pack. His name is Martian and he started in February. He was really sick and had to stay in Waynesboro for four days while recuperating. He isn't sure if it was bad water or Lyme disease, and while he feels better, he says the 20 mile hike here was too much effort for where he is in his recovery.
Space, Z-Dog, and their dad arrive next. Their dad is spent, and throws down his pack in the shelter and lays there, unable to move and breathing hard. After resting for a while, he asks when I arrived, and although I have been here for well over two hours, I'm vague and tell him I arrived a short time ago. "After all, I left the last shelter at least an hour before you did," I reason.
We chat for a while, and Martian pulls out some playing cards and teaches us how to play King in the Corner, an easy game similar to Solitaire. At dusk I say goodnight and retire to my hammock. I change into my sleeping woolies when I hear a lot of activity in the dead leaves just outside my hammock, and I see a dozen deer milling about, maybe 25 feet away. They see me but are nonplussed. They don't get hunted here, obviously, and have no fear of humans.
Today's Stats: 13 Miles, 2641 feet ascent, 2992 feet descent
Trail Stats: 885 Miles, 198K ascent, 203 K descent
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