[at-l] Punchbowl to Waynesboro - Day 6

["W F Thorneloe, MD (Domain will change soon to attglobal.net)" <thornel@ibm.net>]

Day 6 10/21/99 Thursday.

It is clear! Off Cedar Cliffs the Shenandoah Valley stretches, coming to 
light as the sun rose behind me. My photos will never show what I see. I 
breakfast on hot cocoa and Poptarts, try to dry out what I can, and realize 
that I have a lot to learn about condensation and the Nomad. (Today on 
Geraldo: The Nomad and condensation - can they ever be parted?)

The pack is lighter, but I have 1 1/2 days' of food left - the extra to 
deal with emergency. Waster is easy to find at Dripping Rock, and again a 
bit north. My calves no longer moan and whimper. My breathing is not as 
heavy. I find the feet move forward unless I stop them deliberately. 
Ascents are a bother, but not a bummer.

Ant then the ascents get fun! I happen upon a 3 story granite wall with 
white blazes running up the side. What a hoot and what a sight. No problem 
for this hiker.

I saw a ski resort on a neighboring ridge. The residences look like pueblos 
strung along the mountain, and the ski runs are green swaths where the 
trees have been clear cut. Gosh, my viewshed has been violated and hike 
ruined, _NOT_.

I decided to take the blue blaze to the Humpback Rocks. A few Southbounders 
complain that the "relo" adds 3 miles, wanders around the mountain, and 
steals all the views. The relo is only a month old.

The Humpback Rocks are way cool. Several tourists are climbing them and 
taking photos of the scene. The rocks are littered in panted and chiseled 
graffiti. This is a great spot for lunch, and I prepared my favorite high 
calorie trail meal - Ramen plus Kippered herring with a fine Gatorade from 
the fall '99 harvest.

The tourists are amazed as I fire up the Whisperlite, cook and eat. I know 
what a Yellowstone bear or a North Carolina photo Indian must feel. I 
should have charged for the photo ops. "Pee Yew! Look at that guy eat! Are 
you an authentic hiker, mister?"

I descended the old AT/new Blue blaze. The reason for the relo is clear. 
The trail has been loved to death and is dangerous. A sign at the parking 
lot is locked, but shows a plan to close the trail for rehab. Apparently 
this is one of the most used areas of the At and Blue Ridge Parkway.

School kids and old folds point at me - a real genuine hike. I'm even 
stopped on a short ascent to explain that relo to an older man in an ATC 
shirt. Go figure.

But I know today is the day to leave the trail. The walk is long and the 
only slow down on the ascents is the concern over which path will lead to 
the Parkway. the road, and the real world.

The Paul Wolfe shelter is neat, lofted with windows. I leave a note, finish 
my Peanut butter and burrito wraps, and head on.

At 5:30, just as if the shift whistle had blown, I'm out by the Parkway. My 
friend is surprised too, and completes her plans and will meet me in an 
hour. I sit by the "closed for the winter" HoJo, sip a victory scotch, and 
contemplate the week.

Smiles and photos ensue. My chemist friend assure me her nose is unmoved by 
my aroma, until she begins gagging and lowers her window. She was warned, 
and my window goes down amid laughter.

Today was 12 miles. The week was over 60 miles. I scrub up pretty well, and 
take a big dinner. Peas roll around the plate with beets that crunch. A 
baked potato and a real salad send waves of texture through my pasta soaked 
palate. I really couldn't believe how good KFC is, and ate an entire box 
with the biscuit. Barbara looks as amazed as I am at the lack of debris on 
my plate. Appetite sated, I collapse in bed, looking forward to reunion 
with my wife and daughter tomorrow.

OrangeBug
Atlanta, GA
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