Day 47 - 1st Solo Day is a Long One

Wednesday, May 20th - (At the Relax Inn) - Got up at 6:00 and finished packing. Mostly clear but chilly, around 45 degrees. Headed up to the Barn for breakfast, and chatted with a few hikers there (One Step, Rocket, others). Headed back to the Inn at 8:00, and back on the trail at 8:20 - 2 hours later than my normal/desired departure time, but OK as long as I don't dilly-dally along the way.

The day quickly cleared to a beautiful blue sky with a hint of a cloud. Lot of field walking today, through various pastures, and over a lot of cattle guards - in fact I managed to give myself a very deep bone bruise on my upper right shin when I slipped on a wobbling step on one of the guards, causing me to slam my leg into the next step up. Hurt like hell, but I massaged some of the pain out and continued on. The fields ended and the trail continued on through the woods, and I'm guessing we jumped ridgelines too, because the traffic noise from I-81 faded away as I descended into a valley and climbed back up the next hill. Highlights today included lots of flowers, including some sections where the trail wound through thousands of blooming rhododendrons. Heard (but did not see) two sets of deer crashing away, saw a rabbit, and also walked through several hatches of (I guess) tens of thousands of May Flies, many of which were landing on me for a second or two before taking back to the air.

Unfortunately my right leg was really aching, especially on the downhills (eerily similar to Mark's symptoms, even though a completely different injury). Also, water was again a bit of an issue, though there were some good sources along the way (but I try to avoid sizable streams, especially any that are draining from pastures). Did 14 miles to the first shelter (Maul Knob I think), no one there, so I signed in, got some water, and kept rolling along. The trail after Maul Knob Shelter was a heartbreaking, increasingly steep uphill 2000 foot climb with many false summits. Seemed endless, and in fact all four of us that made the shelter that evening insisted that it had to be 11 - 12 miles, not 9; it was just brutal, one of my toughest days, and not just because it was a 23 mile day or because my leg was hurting. Passed several hikers who had given up and tent-camped along the trail, but I kept going, and finally got to Chestnut Knob Shelter at 8:00. Rocket was there, and another guy, Big Tuna, plus a couple of locals and their dogs having a beer party (fortunately one was going home and the other was tent camping). Holdout showed up about half an hour later, also whipped and complaining about the distance. The shelter had been the cabin for a fire warden, and was a pretty nice, enclosed, rock cabin. Nice sunset, but clear, chilly, and windy. Beautiful stars once it got dark. Bed by 10:00 pm. A long day!