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Thursday, August 19, 2004 - Four Pines Hostel to Pickle Branch Shelter
We all got up at 4:00a.m. It will get hot today and we have a big climb up to Dragon’s Tooth. We had eggs, bacon,
cheese,tomatoes,and coffee for breakfast. I left hostel 15 minutes ahead of others to call Virginia at nearby store
and we all met back up at the trail at the road. We hiked up the first 35-45 minutes in the dark and got beautiful
views early from up on top of Dragon’s Tooth. I hardly ever hike with more than one person at a time but on this day
Freddy Bear ,Bonny and Clyde were with me all day. We had fun all day. We were tired at times but had fun. We
made it to Pickle Branch Shelter after six miles and it seemed like 9 to me. The shelter is .6 off the trail but it was a
pleasant hike to there with little elevation change. Bonny got a nice fire going and then I broke out my big surprise. I
had gotten a 3 pound venison tenderloin out of the freezer and had carried it to this shelter for dinner. We had
carried up peppers and tomatoes also and it was soo good this nice evening. The water source here was way down
but had a big spring in the creek under an old big tree. Excellent cool water was to be had here on this day. We sat
around the fire till a lot later than usual but got a good nice sleep until Clyde had a nightmare and started moaning
that the INDIANS were gitting him. He jumped up and ran around the shelter and finally woke up and said ‘Man that
was a bad trip!’ We then were all wide awake and laughing really hard. I thought Freddy Bear was having a heart
attack.
Friday, August 20, 2004 - Pickle Branch Hostel to Niday Shelter
This is the first day of the second month for me on this trip. I was up early as usual. I left the shelter at 7:00a.m. I
walked down to Trout Creek and had a soda from the creek that trail angels leave occasionally. I had a Dr. Pepper. I
made good time over Brushy Mountain with a sugar buzz. I stopped on top to visit the Audy Murphy Memorial. He
was killed here in 1971. He was born in 1924. He was the most decorated World War Two veteran. He got 24 metals
and also became an actor. It is sad to go through such a brutal war only to get killed at home in a small airplane.
Freddy Bear came to the memorial before I left and we sat for a while. I left the site near where Murphy got killed and
walked down to another road which was really beautiful. At the road was there was another creek with sodas in it
also. Fred and I both drank one there. It is quite possible that a trail angel named Super Dave is leaving the sodas
in the creeks. It is sure appreciated on a hotter than usual day. Fred and I walked another 1.6 miles to Niday Shelter
where I was done for the day. Freddy Bear went on to the next shelter. I cleaned up around the shelter and burned
some paper left behind and had Dinner. At around 5:00 p.m. Bonny and Clyde showed up and spent the night here
too. It rained a little in the late afternoon with more possible later. We are 50 miles from Pearisburg Va. I will try to
get there in 5 days or so. There are no mice here yet which is a good sign because they have been bad lately. My
leg is feeling better as of late but it is heating up a bit so I don’t like to hike over 10 miles a day. I will try for 12.4
tomorrow though since the shelter is there. I will leave early as to beat the heat.
Saturday, August 21, 2004 - Niday Shelter to Laurel Shelter
I left Niday Shelter at 6:25 a.m. with all but me still asleep. Clyde had not been feeling very well and was going to the
doctor today. It would be the last time I would see Bonny and Clyde. It rained a little 5 minutes after I left the shelter
but it stopped soon after and I didn’t get wet. It was a 1500 foot climb up the first hill. There was suppose to be a
spring .7 up but I missed it somehow so I would be with little water for a while. It was an overcast day so I needed
little water anyway. It was a pretty ridge walk once I got on top with many pretty and well made stone walls from
bygone days of farming. When I got to the next shelter it was too soon to stop for the day but the water was down at
the shelter .3 miles straight down the mountain. I went down and was not disappointed. This shelter is named Sarver
Hollow. It is a fairly new shelter built on an old homestead with apple trees nearby and old foundations very close to
explore. The spring is a small one in a big boxed in area. I can imagine it was a bit bigger in flow in earlier years. The
stones are 5-6 hundred pounds each, some smaller but a lot of work went into building it. There are some chimneys
still standing without a stone out of place. The shelter has a covered porch with a picknick table under it. This
shelter is a must to see even if one does not stay here. There were still several places with expertly notched square
logs tied together with no need for nails. I often wondered who lived here. There were grave stones in the general
area also. I spent about 2 hours exploring this area and wish I had stayed the night to see more. This is one place I
will return someday. After leaving the shelter I climbed back up to the top and passed several interesting piles of
neatly stacked stones. Someone took pride in even stacking these. Wow, I even saw a bear while looking at all of
this. I found two more places to drink sodas today, left in the creeks. It sure gives you quick energy. I can get by
drinking the sugar because I keep walking. It doesn’t affect my diabetes a bit. No one else here at 6:30 p.m. at the
shelter this shelter had some trail magic left hanging in a sack. Super Dave had left these too. The last 3-4 miles I
had to hike in the rain. It was not too hard so it was pleasant hiking in the rain for a change. I met a jogger or trail
runner and he stopped to talk to me for 5 minutes. He had worked for the company who built the Bryant Ridge
shelter near Jennings creek. They built it in the valley and took it back apart and reconstructed it up at the site. It
was post and beam construction. I felt honored to have met him. When I got to the shelter, Laurel Creek, I washed
out some wet clothes and now I at least have clean wet clothes. I had Lipton Rice dinner for supper with tea and
coffee for it is a bit chilly. Virginia sent me an extra pot at last mail drop and it is nice to have another light pot to
heat up water with and still eat out of another one. One mile before the shelter I passed an old house which is called
the Blair Witch house by other hikers. It is an old house which could be turned into a shelter very easily but is
running down quick now. It is used often by hikers caught out in the rain with the shelter full nearby. I also passed
the Keffer oak today which is suppose to be the biggest oak tree on the entire A.T. It was beautiful on the edge of a
field near a small creek.
Sunday, August 22, 2004 - Laurel Creek Shelter to Campsite one mile north of Wind Rock
I was up early and gone after breakfast at 6:20 a.m. After a nice rest and no mice showed up. It was a pretty hike for
5.8 miles up to War Spur Shelter. I stayed at War Branch in 1981 and the trail seems to be relocated since then. My
tendon is acting up a lot today so I stopped a little early. I slightly kicked a rock and that is all it took to make me
lame. I may camp out tonight on top of this mountain. I need to go up 2000 feet over 2.5 miles. I am taking a long
break at the shelter. I took off my boots and layyyyed on my bedroll and relaxed. This is a real nice cool day. It got
down to 53 degrees last night. I finally hiked on and am camping out about a mile north of Wind Rock. This is a nice
camping area with good water. I will leave early enough tomorrow to get an early view up on top. It shouldn’t be
much of a climb to there, since I have already gained most of the elevation needed. I have a nice fire going tonight
and hot tea near me. I have my pipe in hand and a good book and a fire. What a life. [Incident at Butler Ridge] by
Richard Wyler is the book. Tomorrow will be an easier day to hike with not a lot of elevation changes and 9 miles.
Monday August 23, 2004 - One mile north of Wind Rock to Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
I didn’t sleep very well last night because of slightly unleveled ground. I was up at 4:30 a.m. I was at Wind Gap by 7
a.m. I got a great view up on Wind Rock this morning. I stopped at Bailey Gap Shelter for lunch and since there was
no water, I did not stay too long. I went down to Stony Creek and washed up and did some laundry. It was suppose
to be 2.4 miles to next shelter and the elevation was not too bad on the map. Wrong! It went up over a steep knob
and back down and I was worn out when I got to Pine Swamp Shelter by 2 p.m. Another hiker from Springer came in
at 3p.m. Commander Cruse. She just got out of the Navy. She carries a big stick that she named Aucturis. I had
mashed potatoes and tuna for lunch. I will go to Rice Field Shelter tomorrow. Mary Mankin, (Commander Cruse),
says she will run for president in 2020.