Friday may 24

Punch bowl shelter (790.8) to US route 60  (802.1)
3Rd day walking with team fortis (m80, trooper, willow) ..these are fast walking, entertaining folks. M80 is rear end Charlie, I'm on point,  trooper is behind me, willow is between mom & dad.

All the stories and pictures of timber rattlesnakes have me a bit edgy up front. I'm already focusing as hard as possible on the trail ahead..looking for any movement or variation in the usual patterns.
One day this week (yesterday?) someone left a handwritten note ON the trail, secured by a rock, that a huge rattlesnake had been spotted at 330 pm..we came across the note at 430 pm...this did not help my snake paranoia. I can't look any harder..I just can't.
We've seen a few black snakes..they are longer than I thought they'd be (why did I even HAVE an idea of the length of this snake?) I also had the uninformed opinion that I would somehow be able to hear a snake as it slithered through the dry leaves. That black snake was absolutely silent as all 5 feet of it wiggled away....ugh.
Its much cooler today after the thunderstorms last night. A refreshing change as the past few days have been hot and humid. You know how the sweat drips of your nose, eyebrows, elbows, chin, etc..? Yeah, like that. It's been hard to drink enough. I can't carry enough water. I start the day with 3 liters in my hydration bladder and 12oz in my little nalgene. I put either a "nuun" electrolyte tablet or gatorade powder in the nalgene. When we cross a stream we "camel up": drink as much as you can hold at the source...thereby saving your hydration bladder for the long stretches without a water source. I usually fill up my 2L platypus and drink through my Sawyer filter..1-1.5L if I can hold it.

We arrived at my destination at 2 pm..about an hour earlier than anticipated. Luckily, my host could come and fetch me. It was cold and windy sitting out in the exposed parking area. My "hosts" are parents of a friend, Christine. Her parents are Alan & Phyllis. Alan gave me the nickel tour of Lexington, VA. I saw stonewall Jackson's grave & family plot at the cemetery & Robert E Lee's final resting place on the campus of VMI. Alan took me by the outfitters; while unable to provide what I needed, they were as helpful as possible, even calling other local businesses to see of they could locate what I needed.
Phyllis knows how to spoil a tired & ragged hiker: she brought a glass of red wine to me and said "soak as long you want in the jetted tub...there's bubble bath, too". I hated to disappoint...so I showered and soaked and drank the wine. Then I drank another glass before dinner. Then one more with dinner.
Dinner was equally decadent: grilled steaks, fresh corn on the cob, fresh asparagus, salad with greens from the garden, baked potato....mmmmm.
I also had to sleep in a king sized bed. I wasn't sure if I could sleep with all that space..somehow I managed. After a wonderful breakfast including homemade grape jelly, Alan took me to the post office then dropped me off to continue my hike. I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with them, so I think I may visit Lexington, VA again soon. Thank you so much, Christine! Your parents are great.  I owe you.
Pics: sign in  the forest; stonewall Jackson