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Friday, August 6, 2004 - Harper’s Creek Shelter to Seeley-Woodworth Shelter
I walked 13 miles today. We left Harper’s Creek at 6:45 a.m. We got to the Tye river crossing suspension bridge and
hiked up the Priest Mountain, a 3500 foot climb. It was a long up at 4.2 miles but a few nice views made it enjoyable.
There was a big cold front that came with the hard rain last night. We had 30-40 M.P.H. winds and it cleared. At 7:
00p.m. It is 53 degrees. I made it to the Priest Shelter at noon and it had a nice spring and the shelter was on a
pleasant setting. I walked up to Spy Rock which is a 360 degree view. It was absolutely beautiful. Made it to Sealy
Woodworth shelter , built in 1984.The weather and view have been starting to cooperate finally. I hope it keeps on
being mostly nice.
Saturday, August 7, 2004 - Seeley Woodworth Shelter to Cow Camp Gap Shelter
I left Sealy Woodworth Shelter late after a brutally cold night in a fleece sleeping bag designed for 50 degrees. It got
to 47. I had everything I had with me on and I was still cold. I walked 10.2 miles to Cow Camp Gap Shelter. It was a
pleasant side trail to the shelter but well worth it. I had been told the water source was terrible but I found a nice
spring out back with a very clean looking stream out front. I hiked with Fred most of the day and we really enjoyed
the Cold Mountain grassy bald area. There were a lot of horses using the trail in this area and when three passed
us one of the horses bolted and reared up. A rattlesnake immediately started buzzing very close to us. It was in the
tall grass and we left it alone. There were many fine views today and an area worth coming back to someday. Cold
Mountain was 2 miles on a wide grassy ridge. The fields on top were mowed and you could see for 60 miles. I am
alone here tonight after a man and his dog left after a lone break earlier. Fred wanted to keep hiking so he went to
the next shelter. Everyone needs solitude every now and then. Fred and I stopped and ate many blackberries on
the trail today. A couple hiking the trail to the north stopped and took pictures of Fred and me and was tickled at
how we scarfed them down. A bear and a goat eating blackberries together.
Sunday, August 8, 2004 - Cow Camp Gap Shelter to 1.3 miles north of Punchbowl Shelter
I walked in the woods all day. I left the shelter at 6:30a.m. and I walked through Brown Mountain Creek area with lots
of old stone walls and foundations. Freed slaves lived there after the civil war. In the 1920’s the U.S. Forest Service
bought the land for water shed area for the town of Lynchburg Virginia. I stopped several times and looked at the
beautiful walls and old building sites which were very well constructed. I stopped by Brown Creek Shelter for a lunch
break and walked around dam and reservoir. I had tried to hitch into Buena Vista Va. this morning and could not get
a ride. After one half hour I hiked on. Two minutes down trail I met a man and wife really happy to give up some food
weight since they were getting off the trail at the road. They gave me 2 oranges, 8oz. carrots, 8 oz. of almonds and
one pound of cheese. They gave me a huge can of chicken and beans, 28 oz. I was very grateful. It will give me
enough food to get me to Glasgow in a few days. In the area of the stone walls I met a former thru-hiking couple,
Flash and Hot Flash. They thru-hiked with the man who the Foote bridge was named after going over the James
river. Mr. Foote died of cancer and the trail clubs built the bridge and named it after him. What a fitting memorial for
a person who did so much for the trail in this area. Flash and Hot Flash were very nice to talk to and they seemed
interested in my second hike. Later in the day trail magic found me when Flash and Hot Flash met me at Little Irish
Creek and gave me a lot of goodies. They gave me bottled water, peanut butter, gorp, 2 power bars, and I gave
them a hearty thank you. Twice in one day was unexpected but appreciated. Rags to Riches. I left them for the
second time and ran into Triumph 5 minutes later. I had been reading his entries since we last saw each other. He
had not been feeling well and I was concerned but he seems better now. I tried to make it to Punchbowl Shelter but
was just too tired. I camped about 1.5 miles north of the shelter on a little flat mossy spot just perfect to cowboy
camp. I built a nice little fire and cooked that big can of chicken and beans given to me in the morning. It was some
of the best canned beans I have ever eaten. It is 7p.m. and I am really tired. I will sleep well tonight. My right shin is
hurting a lot and it is because of the bigger miles lately. I took a break after leaving Triumph today by a spring and
left my spoon. I still have a fork so I will be fine for now. I found a red bandana today too and a small long rope for a
clothes line. We always seem to lose a little and find a lot on the trail. “I carried the red bandanna for 1500 miles
where I replaced it with another one I found. I left the old one at the Barn Hostel in Gorham N.H. 2 years later!” The
one I found was also red.
Monday, August 9, 2004 - 1.3 miles north of Punchbowl Shelter to John’s Hollow Shelter
I left my cowboy camp at 6:30a.m. After a good nights sleep out in the open, I hiked up to Punchbowl Shelter and
had breakfast at the picnic table. There was a hiker asleep in the shelter and I tried not to disturb him. This shelter
has a nice spring nearby and a pond on a pretty setting. I believe I was here in 1981 too. It was a steep climb after
leaving the shelter and got great views of the James River valley below. I met a former thru-hiker from 1977, G-Man.
He hiked with the same type pack I did in 1981, left the same day I did in 1981 and finished 4 days later than I did.
He was hiking the A.T. again in a south to north direction with the same pack, just like me. G-Man is one month
younger than me. We talked and laughed for 45 minutes on the trail and went our separate ways. We really mirrored
each other and understood each other. Freddy Bear and G-Man stayed in the same shelter last night at John’s
Hollow and Freddy Bear said we would get a kick out of each other! We did! The hike down to John’s Hollow was
steep over the 2.5 miles and 2000 foot drop. My shin is still hurting but tomorrow is a short resupply day so that will
help. I will shelter hop for a few days and let it rest a little. While at the shelter I washed out clothes and dried them in
the sun while I enjoyed the sun and heat. The gnats are bad here. I stayed here in 1981 with Tom and Emily Myers.
They had two sons Named John and Matt. They stayed at both shelters so they could tell their boys and so did I,
both trips.