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July
1, 1983 Friday (1312.8 mtg) From
Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal
Got
up a little later today following a good nights sleep on the mattresses
that were available for our use. Ate a nectarine for breakfast and
later engulfed a salad sandwich invented by Rusty. Rusty went out
of his way to make us feel welcome. He gave me a ride out to the
Ranger station at the entrance to the Shenandoah National Park where
I got out to begin my hike. He continued on into the park to drop
Tom off a little farther down the trail. A permit is required to
journey through the park, but I had already secured one last night.
I was all set to go. The trail began a tenth of a mile up a hill
to the right.
The trail from there until Jarman Gap, about eight miles farther
down the trail proved to be rough and rocky, and hard to follow.
At Beagle Gap I met two men from Roanoak who gave me two breakfast
bars. I must have looked like I was in need of food, as they gave
me some peanut brittle a little farther on when I met them again.
I arrived at Blackrock Hut much sooner than I had expected. I guess
with the late start, and having to cover almost nineteen miles,
my pace was quickened and I had not realized it. The shelter was
nice, with an extra shelf, in addition to the main platform, to
hold four more bodies. The weather looked threatening and I had
little to do, so I gathered some firewood before the big downpour
set in. Sat around and ate cookies that I had packed and arranged
all of my edible goods into one plastic bag. With all my goodies
in the bag, I went out to the "bear pole" and shimmied
up the pole to hang them from the upper hooks. Here, as in the Smokies,
there are bears. There are no wires in fronts to the shelters, but
the site is equipped with spiked poles as a place to store your
food safely out of the bear's reach. If a park ranger catches you
not hanging your food, you may get a fine. I started the fire just
before darkness arrived. I had expected another hiker to stay at
the shelter tonight, but that was not to happen, the night would
be spent solo for the first time on the trip. I think that is
why I started the fire. It provided a little security and light
to keep me company until I fell asleep. Saw another wild turkey
today, this one was on Bear Den Mountain.
Gonzo!
Appalachian Trail Journals ©1983
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