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Published: September 6th 2006
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Sam "Rock Hunter" Wells
Wonderful 2000-miler who shuttled me! I'll start at the end and then go back to the beginning so you can hear the whole story. It is not all a bad story, although it does have a short end. I did see a doctor at the emergency room of Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital in Pearisburg, VA. The diagnosis on my discharge papers is subpatellar bursitis...also known as severe pain in the knee when you bend or straighten your leg. Fine for sitting. Fine for standing. Not so great for walking (the doc said I'll be walking like Frankenstein for several more days). Abysmal for going up and down hills. And the good ol' doc said no hiking "for several weeks." As I was leaving, he gently tapped me shoulder and asked, "Excuse me, but did you recently have chemotherapy?" Humor in the E.R. as I told him that my head looks like that "on purpose." What an answer!
So now....from the beginning! I'm long-winded, so if you want to get a cup of coffee or glass of wine, now may be the time. What I'll do is type from my journal and add to it as I enter it here.
8.31.06, 7 p.m. Chestnut Knob Shelter, 4.6 miles
Here I am again...but not alone. "Anglase," a 70-ish man from England, southbounder is here. He had injuries, so skipped a LOT of Maine to Harper's Ferry. Friendly guy. Good to not be alone.
Long travelling. 8:10 a.m. flight yesterday morning from Phoenix to Chicago to D.C. I met two wonderful women on the plane from Phoenix to Chicago and we spent the time talking about goals, dreams, excellence and many other things. Quite a remarkable conversation!!!! Transfer in Chicago went very well and arrived to overcast skies and drizzle in Washington. Picked up my pack out of baggage and schlepped the long way through Reagan Airport to the metro station. Not the best airport I've ever been to. Crossing the Potomac, there were a couple of glimpses of the Washington, Lincoln & Jefferson monuments and the Capitol building.
Then came the LONG wait at the train and bus stations for the 2:15 a.m. bus to Richmond--many panhandlers. Dozed/slept on the D.C. to Richmond and Richmond-Wytheville buses. Sam Wells ("Rock Hunter") gave me a wonderful shuttle. He picked me up at the Wytheville bus station and took me for stove fuel, the post office, to DQ for lunch and then straight to the trail. The skies were pretty overcast and some drizzling.
Now for the trail. Welcome back to fog, wind and rain. It was already after 2 p.m. when we reached the trailhead at USFS 222, so while I put my pack cover on, I didn't immediately put on my rain jacket or gaiters. It didn't take long before I put the rain jacket on, but I lazily opted out of the gaiters. I would pay for this decision.
These 4.6 miles were all straight up....about 2500 feet elevation gain, mostly in the first 2 miles. The trail wound through the woods and the rain continued to fall harder. Glasses fog up or have spots on them...or I take them off and everything is blurry. Everything becomes drenched to the skin and I don't know when I'll be dry again. Lots of high briars to push between--more wet--and with stickers. And look out for poison ivy. There's a lot to be said for early spring hikes: A LOT!!!! Well, the wind and rain kept the bugs down! I felt preetty good except for fatigue from little sleep and being wet. According to Anglase and the shelter register, there have been some dry creeks. Both of us now believe that's a problem in the past.
The top of the hill was mostly meadow with above mentioned briars. The shelter is phenomenal!!!! It is a 4 sided stone building that used to house a fire ranger. Too bad they plastered in the fireplace, though it's be pretty impossible to find wood on this bald, let alone dry wood. My info says that these windows used to be boarded up, but have been replaced with plexiglass to let in some light. The former nickname for it was "The Cave." The wind and the rain are pretty heavy now. Good thing I like the sound of rain on a tin roof! For now it's a quick pee break outside...find the privy in the morning. Anglase said there were fearsome thunderstorms last night. Tonight, just wind and rain. And coyotes howling. It is so good to be in a rarely found FOUR sided shelter. Feels quite snug. My new sleeping bag is toasty and I'm currently dry for the night.
I am grateful for 4 sided shelters, for Mike putting my sleeping bag in a plastic bag and for enough stamina to get here!
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carol in Phoenix
non-member comment
keep smiling
Shari I am so sorry to read about your poor ole knee, what a bummer hey? Still I am glad that you are safe and that once you get over your disappointment and your knee hills you will be hiking again sans pack. good job tho and your adventure sounded wonderful, I dont think I would do well in the forest all those kreepy crawler, yikes I cant even look at a worm in my back yard. My training going well, not as advanced as this time last year but will be ready by Nov. Call me when you get home. lOve and lots of xxxoooxxx Carol