Mile 497.1
Elevation 5,413
Miles Hiked 12.5
This was one of those days that people on the trail say, “Don’t let a bad day defeat you.” Easy for them to say.
The day started with an elevation gain of 3,000 feet over 5 miles. There were some awesome views because of open meadows at the higher elevations. It is quite evident that the leaves are changing color in Virginia.
As I was hiking, I met an older couple who were walking down the trail. We talked for a couple of minutes and he told me this shelter was named for a cousin of his. I thought that was interesting.
As the day progressed, I hiked down from the 3,000 foot hike, and then I went up again a thousand feet. That’s where things went sideways.
Another meadow with some wild horses appeared, so I got off the trail to take a closer look. When I continued on, I picked up a parallel path to the AT. I thought it would join the AT, but it did not. The GPS application I use to navigate showed I was way off the trail. Then I slipped on wet leaves and a rock hidden underneath the leaves. Down I went head first onto a rock. I’m surprised I didn’t get knocked out. My souvenir is a big bump over my left eye and a cracked eye glass lens.
So, this was not looking good. 1 1/2 hours to dark and I was off the trail and nowhere near the next shelter. That’s when I decided to bushwack, or climb up through a thick briar patch to pickup the trail. It was about a quarter of a mile up through a impenetrable thicket of brush, but I finally made it to the trail and the shelter. Tomorrow better not be anything like this.
