A stone’s throw out on either hand
From that well-ordered road we tread
And all the world is wild and strange
~Rudyard Kipling
June 18, 2021
Hike from Matt’s Creek Shelter to mile 800.0
AT miles: 14.9
Ascent: 3511’
Descent: 2418’
Weather: sunny and very warm
Sightings: a box turtle and a squirrel
High points: Playing leapfrog up the trail with about six other hikers; picking and eating my first blackberry and blueberry on trail.
Today there was no water available for most of the day. The first mile or so of today’s hike was downhill along Matt’s Creek, with multiple waterfalls.
Then we reached the James River and crossed it on the James River Foot Bridge. The longest foot-use-only bridge on the AT, this bridge was spearheaded by a man whose last name is Foot, so this structure really is a Foot Bridge and not a footbridge!
After crossing this cool bridge we refilled our water bottles at a stream, and that was the last water we saw until evening!
Then the trail climbed and climbed and climbed. It was hot work! Near the top of Little Rocky Row we stopped for a snack and posed for a picture!
After another climb we reached the summit of Big Rocky Row and had a wonderful view of the James River.
We walked through Saltlog Gap (another memorable place name) and ascended Bluff Mountain. The trail in this area was just beautiful!
At the top of Bluff Mountain there was a monument in honor of Ottie Cline Powell, a four -year-old who was sent out with other schoolchildren to look for firewood but failed to return. He died from exposure and his body was found near the top of Bluff Mountain several months later. The monument is a sobering reminder of how hard life in the mountains can be.
We saw some great views.
We were surprised by some cement blocks whose only apparent function is helping hold the mountain down!
During today’s hike we were leapfrogging along the trail with Paparazzi, Ketchup, and several other thruhikers. It was nice to see so many people on the trail!
We then descended and descended. The trail was gentle, which we appreciated because we were tired!
We had planned to stay at Punchbowl Shelter, but the pond looked stagnant and murky, there was only a trickle of running water, and the mosquitoes were atrocious. We left, hoping to find an unofficial water source that some hikers said existed a mile or so further on. Much to our delight, we did find a beautiful stream and filled our water bottles. Water is so important! Then we needed to find a campsite! Hoping to find a nice stealth site along the trail, we walked on. At exactly mile 800.0 we found a lovely site.
People tend to decorate the century miles with biodegradable art, so we found “800” in pinecones at the site!
Today is a great day for a long walk in the woods!