Jim & Molly Denton Shelter
Day: 30-2002
Mileage: 947.6
07/02/02 7:54 pm
I was a bum today. Got up at 6am, got out of bed at
8:30am. Ate at Jimbo's. Got out of the room by 10:30 and
took a cab back to the trail. It was HOT, DAMN HOT and
the trail whent along a fence and in the sun too much for
a day like today. Got to the shelter at around 1pm. Took
a shower, yes a real to goodness shower! This shelter is
fantastic. Shower, separate cooking pavilion, buetiful
shelter and plenty of water! Decided to try to wake up
early tomarrow and go 10+ miles. My ankle was bugging me
a bit today, but the heat made me forget the ankle for
the most part.
Just heard a guy (not a hiker) comitted suiside in the
SNP a few days ago at an overlook. Not the most happy
news.
Dick's Dome Shelter
Day: 31-2002
Mileage: 957.8
07/03/02 8:44 pm
Whoever said this was a geodesic dome never met
Buckminister Fuller! It ain't, it is a weird shap, but
not geodesic.
Anyway, once again the day was damn hot. Hiked 5 miles to
Manassas Shelter and spent a number of hours there
sleeping and trying to stay somewhat cool. Then, after
dinner #1 I hiked on to here where I ate again. Two
locals came with cold drinks and were chatting with us
for some time (Trail majic). Rumor has it the next
shelter is dry. There is also a free bbq at Bears Den
tomarrow (July 4), so I might try an 18 mile day. Well
see. Reports also say that a cold front is supposed to go
through and drop the temp by 10 degrees. I hope that is
right! It's almost too hot to hike or sleep!!
Morgan Mill Stream
Day: 32-2002
Mileage: 969.9
07/04/02 5:23 pm
Well once again its to Damn HOT! Had to stop here,
knowing the I would not make Bear's Den and almost
passing out on the last up hill of the Virginia Roller
Coaster!
Started out wondering if my ankle would even move, it
did, and quite well, but the day was just to hot to hike.
Some people I stayed with at the last shelter went to a
store at the I-50 crossing and got a slack to Bears Den,
but I pused on so no slack. Probably for the best. Did
stop at the last shelter (Rod Hollow) and as reported it
was dry. So I broke there for lunch (and fell asleep)
then pushed on.
Best part of the day: seeing a wild turkey with her young
And a shower in Morgan Mill Stream.
Worst part: The Virginia Roller Coster in this heat!!!
07/05/02 8:36 am
Well didn't see any fireworks, but did here them in the
distance. Listening to NPR, I did here Stars and Strips
Forever and the 1812 Ovature, so I didn't miss much of
the 4th.
Well I camped so of course there was a tunderstorm. At
3:17am it started raining and lightling (my fireworks
prehaps). I survived but I did learn that my bivey is no
longer waterproof, the floor does leak!!
Well onto the Bears Den Hostle to dry this stuff off and
to clean myself up! Should be cooler today since the cold
front moved though, but I still have more than 2/3 of the
VA Roller Coaster left to ride.
Bears Den AYH
Day: 33-2002
Mileage: 976.4
07/05/02 11:20 pm
Well, I made it to the hostel after a very tuff 6.5
miles! The VA Roller Coaster IS as bad a people say (and
I still have a few more miles to go before the ride is
over). Started late since all my gear was wet. Did see
Del Doe waiting for Del Doc at 605 and talked to her
while eating some oreo cookies a trail angle left at the
road. The day was hot but not as bad, and far less humid
than the last few days, so I was able to hike the ups and
downs without too many breaks. Did stop at the shelter
for a break and lunch. Pulled in here around 4pm. Is is a
great place. Had pizza and Ben and Jerry's for dinner
along with enough soda to float a battle ship! Also
enjoyed the majician and his bag of tricks, still don't
know how he did the salt trick! It is going to be hard to
leave here, and who knows i might spend annother day,
since I have a mail drop in Happer's Ferry and would
arrive on sunday it I leave tomarrow. Well See, but I do
need to get some sleep tonight!
P.S. there were 125 people here yesterday for the free
bbq. maybe it is better I didn't make it.
Also found out not only did I miss the slack pack at rt
50, I also missed a cooler with soda, beer and other
stuff. I guess it is karma payback for Front Royal!
Blackburn A.T. Center
Day: 34-2002
Mileage: 984.2
07/06/02 10:21 pm
Boy was I in luck today. First a great breakfast at Bears
Den of bluberry pancakes, oj and coffee. Then I
procrastinated leaving until who knows when (well the
lady who needed counceling helped get me going). The last
bit of the VA Roller Coaster wasn't too bad. It even had
one nice overlook! Then, I met a day hiker who was out
from the Blackburn AT Center and said there was a picknic
of the PACT going on there. So I hiked and hiked, Bumped
into two "hikers" that started at the major road
crossing. He had a huge backpack, incluing pillow and she
was carying a sleeping bag, yes carying! They also had no
water, a fact that I learned when the arrived at the
center (and arranged a ride home. The hike seemed
endless, but I made it and got a bunk. Then found out it
was a PACT fundraiser and dinner and breakfast for $15
was too good to pass up. There was beer, rood, food and
more food and desert. They even had fireworks, with more
off in the distance (Richmond they think). This made up
for the 4th and more!
Also saw Baltimor Jack again, met Shrek and Miss Janet
who runs the hostel in Erwin Tn.
It was a GOOOOooooood Day!
** Harpers Ferry, WV **
Day: 35-2002
Mileage: 996.6
07/07/02 8:57 pm
Well, today was a Long Day. Got up early enough and had
bagles and cream cheese for breakfast. Then, in my now
typical fasion, I procrastinated getting out of the
Center. I was offered an oportunity to slack, but decided
to turn it down, I carried my pack this far why stop now.
The trail had a few ups and downs, but no were close to
the VA Roller Coaster. It just seemed like a long 12
miles. Got to the ATC but they were closing so I will
have to go back tomarrow for the hero shot there. Now in
the Hilltop House Hotel with Frank "Rael" Pardi to spit
the cost. We ate at the buffy downstairs and both ate way
too much, but hey we are hiking! Since there are no TVs
in the rooms here, I will probably turn in early, I am
VERY tired since I sayed up late last night, and others,
who were very noisy, stayed up even latter.
