Sunday, May 17, 2015

Matt's Creek Shelter - Nobo 778

This post is from May 16, 2015.    The GPS data from today's hike can be found at:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/785120257

Today's 26 miles were more difficult than I thought when I left camp at 7:10am. I thought that was plenty early. Well with the heat, humidity and this elevation profile:



It took me until 8 pm to reach this shelter where I am totally alone and have pitched my tent. Maybe the trail is emptying out due to the big "Trail Days" festival occurring in Damascus right now,

Anyway, one of the delays was a few feet from the summit of Apple Orchard mountain (the highest point on today's profile).  I was so busy feeling miserable and cursing the trail designers that I had walked right by this fellow and then heard his rattle:



His head was only about 6 inches from my left foot when I had passed him:. His girth was about 2 inches in diameter in the thickest part. That is the first rattlesnake encounter I have ever had on the wild, I have a good video of him rattling which I will post on the www.bondgarden.net site when I get home.

Here is a shot of the descent down to James River.



I have not reached it yet but will cross it tomorrow on the longest foot use only bridge on the AT!!


I met ROCKY as my campsite-mate last night - a young man from Atlanta. Yesterday and today I have been leapfrogging with ROAD RUNNER, a young man from Minnesota,


1 comment:

  1. Oh, a butterfly. (Private joke.)
    Remember in the room when I pointed out to you that you would be having an elevation gain of almost 3000 feet in a day or so and you said something like "piece of cake"? Glad you made it safely, and with that heavy pack!

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