START LOCATION: Kimberling Creek Campsite
FINISH LOCATION: Sugar Run Gap/Woods Hole Hostel
TODAY'S MILEAGE: 13.9
TRIP MILEAGE: 615.9
MILES TO GO: 1,563.2
Another first last night... No sleeping bag. It was hot enough last
night that I just threw my capilene on and slept on top of my sleeping
pad. It downpoured again overnight. Thankfully, by 6:30AM, the rain
had let up. I made my move to break camp before it decided to start
back up. Got through the whole process before Smokestack and I headed
out at 9:00AM. Whew.
Knowing there wasn't much to see today and rain was forecast all day,
we hit the trail hard so we could make it to Woods Hole Hostel before
dinner. A quick stop at Wapiti Shelter at lunch and the sun began
breaking through the off-and-on rain showers.
Go to an amazing vista about 10 miles in and shot some nice pics. The
vista was an outcropping of rocks that left you exposed to 180+ degree
views of the surrounding valley. It was gorgeous. The trail got rocky
into Sugar Run Gap, but knowing a home cooked meal awaited, it was all
good.
I arrived in the driveway of Woods Hole to see Diesel, Sheryl,
Thrasher and Turkey on the front porch. I was home. Neville, the
proprietor came out and gave me a warm greeting, filled me in on the
rules, layout and schedule. I then headed to the bunkhouse where more
familiar faces were about the place... Moonpie, Little Brown, Ridley,
Panther and Scruggs. I grabbed a soda and just enjoyed the refreshment.
Neville asked if I would partake in some thru hiker Q&A from the
Blacksburg, VA Cub Scouts Pack #702. Absolutely. The scouts arrived
and we lined the wall across from the porch as the kids fired away. We
answered questions ranging from pack weight, maildrops, food planning
to how to handle bears. Panther even brought out his 35 lb pack and
let the kids try it on. Hilarious watching 80 lb boys try and put on a
pack the same size as them. Bulldog the blind thru-hiker and Hitchcock
his cameraman, rolled in before dinner and they joined in on Q&A. It
was great to have us interface with the scouts. Some were really
soaking it up. I think Diesel had the most fun showing off his
maildrop box. But, like we learned with the ponies in Grayson
Highlands last week, Diesel's a little kid at heart.
They had dinner with us as Neville and her husband Mike served salad,
beef and bean enchiladas and ice cream to over 30 little boys and
hungry hikers.
We all pitched in to help clean up after the cub scouts legt. A few of
the guys are playing bongos, guitar and banjo on the other porch.
Diesel and Sheryl are getting massages from Neville and Michael as I'm
blogging away... It such a nice relaxed atmosphere here. A very
special place. It's tempting to stay another day, but I have tons of
photos to upload at the library in Pearisburg, so I'm headed there
tomorrow to do that. The rain is letting up and giving way to temps in
the mid 80s all week. Itll make for tough hiking, but I'll be ready
with my lighter cooler sleeping bag waiting for me in Pearisburg. So
excited.
-natedog
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