John and Mike Take a Hike ~ with Natalie!: Day 65 (Monday, June 16th)

Today's Miles: 20.00
Trip Miles: 800.80

Morning path

What a long end to an otherwise nice day.

It took us a while to get a ride out of Glasgow. No one was picking up hitchhikers today. Monday blahs, I guess. Ken Wallace, the shuttle driver from yesterday came by and took us back to the trail. At the lot we met Dixie Chick's husband who gave us some bananas and offered us some drinks. We accepted the bananas and asked that he save the drinks for those coming off the trail. Dixie Chick is section hiking. This year she'll be in Vermont. Best of luck, DC!

We hiked from the river over the Little and Big Rocky Rows. A return to the crazy verticals, really steep grades. A lot of chatter today, talking about everything and nothing. Everyone is feeling better, physically and mentally. We played leap frog with Tigger and Puzzle, who were in Glasgow last night. We also saw Smooth D. We passed Route Step and his wife heading SOBO. Nice folks.

We climbed Bluff Mt. and saw the memorial to Ottie Cline, a four year old boy who walked away from his school and was found seven miles away, dead from exposure. It happened about one hundred forty years ago and people still bring gifts to the memorial. Sad story.

The Buffkini

It was very hot and humid today. We were dripping wet and had wrung out our shirts on multiple occasions. I finally went shirtless and wore my lightweight sleeping shorts. Natalie made a tube top using my buff and wore her short shorts trying to keep cool. Mike was doing well in his soccer shorts and red tee. There was little water to be found; just a trickle here and there.

We stopped at the Punch Bowl Shelter. Goat was there in his tent trying to escape from the flies. We hauled out of there quickly hoping for better water and less bugs down the trail. At the parking lot for the Punch Bowl Overlook (which looked over nothing), Route Step and his wife (sorry, I can't remember her name) had left trail magic of water and soda. Thanks! We decided to stay there and have an early dinner. Smooth D came in and did the same. We stayed there until 5 and figured we'd hike until 7.

Circumstances pushed the hike past 9. There were campsites listed along a reservoir and the thought of a swim was enough to drive me forward at a good pace. The hike to the campsites took longer than we had thought and it was close to 8 when we reached some beautiful sites and the lovely signs there saying, NO CAMPING! Three different spots, same damn signs. I wish they had put some warning signs up at the parking lot.

We checked the guide and it showed nothing between us and the shelter over an hour away. We hiked on as the dark settled in. We were hiking in a gap so night came on quickly. We passed a creek with some camping areas that hadn't been listed in the guide, but they were full up with people in our same situation.

We hiked on to Brown Mountain Creek at the 800 mile mark. Everyone was exhausted from the heat and the miles. We decided to camp there at the footbridge over the creek. Not the best spot to stay, but it was getting dark and we needed to stop. There was just enough room for the tents at the base of the bridge. Some night hikers passed shortly after 10; either trying to beat the heat or caught as we were by the no camping signs. A long end to a good day.

We'll be up early because we have a big climb in the morning so I'll say 'Goodnight.'