Project Eveningland

4/5/2023 Wednesday

I spent some time in the morning chatting with Lefty and Helium—Helium’s name was written on her dry bag, so that’s why I associated it with “bag” yesterday. The human memory is so idiosyncratic.

I was out on trail by eight. Walked a few miles of gentle downhill to a road and up through a beautiful green pasture with a small copse of fir trees. Then I began the climb up into the Grayson Highlands proper. Up and up and up. But the trail is built a bit better here, in the sense of having switchbacks and mostly sane grades. After Whitetop, where I lunched near a piped spring that was absolutely gushing, the terrain became more and more rocky, root-covered and otherwise hazardous.

Later the trail saunters down to a small parking lot amid wide open green sweeps—Elk Garden—which will soon be covered in flowers I’d guess. I had a long rest, lurking at the edge of the trees before the parking lot.

Then more climbing. Today I planned to hike a shorter day, only 12 miles. The terrain is rough and I’m still not at 100% after that medicine. Also, Wedge is getting back on trail at Massie Gap, tomorrow, he says. I’ll camp at Thomas Knob shelter area, three miles before that point, and then hike down in the morning and meet him. If I get there too soon, I can take a break. On the other hand it might be rainy and the next four miles are very exposed. Which way will it go? Let’s roll the dice folks! It’ll be nice to hike with a bud in any case.

The Thomas Knob shelter area, my endpoint for the day, is at 5400 feet. That’s quite high for the AT (though quite close to the elevation of our house in Colorado). It’s all relative. In southern Virginia, 5400 is way up there, almost tree line. You’ll understand, then, why I was shocked to discover that the forecasted low tonight is 56 degrees! That’s gotta be pretty unusual for this ecosystem, especially as early as April.

It is a scenic landscape. Ponies lurk down on the open hillsides. People keep trying to direct my attention to them. They are cool, wild ponies, but I’m too tired to be amazed tonight. Maybe tomorrow.

The trail was quiet again today. Lefty and Helium passed me early in the day, while I was stopped for water at a small spring flowing down a crevice in the hillside. Lots of weekenders and day hikers passed headed in the other direction. I did see a few possible thru-hikers go by after I’d set up my tent amid the low firs. There’s gentler tread (but no less up and down) coming. Gotta get through a few more miles of ankle-testing rocky stuff first.

The trees sway in the unceasing winds up here. It’s all piney freshness. The golden light against my tent and the warm temps give it the feel of an early summer evening. I am at mile 499.1.

One of these times I’m going to take off my shorts and that’s gonna be it. They’re just going to fall to tatters in my hands.