9/14/2003 4:30pm ~ 13.6 miles hiked (so far)
The shelter is totally deserted, and there is no register. If there were a register, I would probably hang around and see if anyone showed up. Cowboy said a bear approached the shelter within 30 yards. A register might tell me if this is a fluke or if the bear is a regular vistor. Also, it's too early, so I'll eat dinner and move on.
The water source here is excellent. I'll drink up and carry a little extra for morning. There are many campsites here. The mosquitoes are already biting!
9/14/2003 7pm ~ 15.3 miles hiked
It's drier and seems like better sleeping weather tonight. I suspect I'm coming up on the Ribble Trail Junction, but I'm really not sure. I'm up the mountain anyway, so now I don't have to do that first thing. I hate climbing first thing. It's much better as a last thing for me. Tomorrow I'll be in Pearisburg. I'd love to call Tino and call The Rendezvous ahead, but I haven't had a cell phone signal at all on this trip, which is really poor reception, even for me. I hope my phone works in Pearisburg or I will use the hotel phone and DAMN THE CHARGES!
There are some *very* noisy birds up here. Also, I hear a helicopter, which is odd. I wonder what's up with that? it's getting closer now, just by a little bit. I saw two southbounders today: Wheel and Elk. I also saw a pack at the falls trail head, but I didn't go down there.
Here's a great radio show I found while camped on Sugar Run Mountain.
Posted by nicole at September 14, 2003 06:52 PM