High Tech's '02 Chuck Hike

Jim & Molly Denton Shelter
Day: 30-2002
Mileage: 947.6

Miles from Springer	Features	Elevation
972.4	Mosby Campsite, Tom Sealock Spring (1,800')	1800
974.3	Jim and Molly Denton Shelter (1,310') ?8.1mS; 5.5mN	1310

07/02/02 7:54 pm

I was a bum today. Got up at 6am, got out of bed at 8:30am. Ate at Jimbo's. Got out of the room by 10:30 and took a cab back to the trail. It was HOT, DAMN HOT and the trail whent along a fence and in the sun too much for a day like today. Got to the shelter at around 1pm. Took a shower, yes a real to goodness shower! This shelter is fantastic. Shower, separate cooking pavilion, buetiful shelter and plenty of water! Decided to try to wake up early tomarrow and go 10+ miles. My ankle was bugging me a bit today, but the heat made me forget the ankle for the most part.

Just heard a guy (not a hiker) comitted suiside in the SNP a few days ago at an overlook. Not the most happy news.

Dick's Dome Shelter
Day: 31-2002
Mileage: 957.8

Miles from Springer	Features	Elevation
975.4	Va. 638 (1,150') Linden, Va. 22642	1150
977.3	Va. 55, Manassas Gap (800') Linden, Va. 22642	800
979.8	Manassas Gap Shelter (1,655') ?5.5mS; 4.7mN	1655
981.7	Trillium Trail (1,900')	1900
984.3	Dick's Dome Shelter (1,230')?4.7mS; 8.8mN ? to be Whiskey Hollow Shelter in late spring 2016	1230

07/03/02 8:44 pm

Whoever said this was a geodesic dome never met Buckminister Fuller! It ain't, it is a weird shap, but not geodesic.

Anyway, once again the day was damn hot. Hiked 5 miles to Manassas Shelter and spent a number of hours there sleeping and trying to stay somewhat cool. Then, after dinner #1 I hiked on to here where I ate again. Two locals came with cold drinks and were chatting with us for some time (Trail majic). Rumor has it the next shelter is dry. There is also a free bbq at Bears Den tomarrow (July 4), so I might try an 18 mile day. Well see. Reports also say that a cold front is supposed to go through and drop the temp by 10 degrees. I hope that is right! It's almost too hot to hike or sleep!!

Morgan Mill Stream
Day: 32-2002
Mileage: 969.9

Miles from Springer	Features	Elevation
985.3	Spring (1,850')	1850
986.5	+Sky Meadows State Park Side Trail (1,780')	1780
989.1	U.S. 50, U.S. 17, Ashby Gap (900')Paris, Va.	900
992.7	Rod Hollow Shelter (840')?8.8mS; 7.1mN	840
996.4	Va. 605, Morgans Mill Road (1,140')	1140

07/04/02 5:23 pm

Well once again its to Damn HOT! Had to stop here, knowing the I would not make Bear's Den and almost passing out on the last up hill of the Virginia Roller Coaster!

Started out wondering if my ankle would even move, it did, and quite well, but the day was just to hot to hike. Some people I stayed with at the last shelter went to a store at the I-50 crossing and got a slack to Bears Den, but I pused on so no slack. Probably for the best. Did stop at the last shelter (Rod Hollow) and as reported it was dry. So I broke there for lunch (and fell asleep) then pushed on.

Best part of the day: seeing a wild turkey with her young And a shower in Morgan Mill Stream.

Worst part: The Virginia Roller Coster in this heat!!!

07/05/02 8:36 am

Well didn't see any fireworks, but did here them in the distance. Listening to NPR, I did here Stars and Strips Forever and the 1812 Ovature, so I didn't miss much of the 4th.

Well I camped so of course there was a tunderstorm. At 3:17am it started raining and lightling (my fireworks prehaps). I survived but I did learn that my bivey is no longer waterproof, the floor does leak!!

Well onto the Bears Den Hostle to dry this stuff off and to clean myself up! Should be cooler today since the cold front moved though, but I still have more than 2/3 of the VA Roller Coaster left to ride.

Bears Den AYH
Day: 33-2002
Mileage: 976.4

Miles from Springer	Features	Elevation
996.4	Va. 605, Morgans Mill Road (1,140')	1140
997.6	Spring (1,150')	1150
999.6	Sawmill Spring (990') Sam Moore Shelter?7.1mS; 11.2mN	990
1002.6	Bears Den Rocks, Bears Den Hostel (1,350')	1350

07/05/02 11:20 pm

Well, I made it to the hostel after a very tuff 6.5 miles! The VA Roller Coaster IS as bad a people say (and I still have a few more miles to go before the ride is over). Started late since all my gear was wet. Did see Del Doe waiting for Del Doc at 605 and talked to her while eating some oreo cookies a trail angle left at the road. The day was hot but not as bad, and far less humid than the last few days, so I was able to hike the ups and downs without too many breaks. Did stop at the shelter for a break and lunch. Pulled in here around 4pm. Is is a great place. Had pizza and Ben and Jerry's for dinner along with enough soda to float a battle ship! Also enjoyed the majician and his bag of tricks, still don't know how he did the salt trick! It is going to be hard to leave here, and who knows i might spend annother day, since I have a mail drop in Happer's Ferry and would arrive on sunday it I leave tomarrow. Well See, but I do need to get some sleep tonight!

P.S. there were 125 people here yesterday for the free bbq. maybe it is better I didn't make it.

Also found out not only did I miss the slack pack at rt 50, I also missed a cooler with soda, beer and other stuff. I guess it is karma payback for Front Royal!

Blackburn A.T. Center
Day: 34-2002
Mileage: 984.2

Miles from Springer	Features	Elevation
1003.2	Va. 7, Va. 679, Snickers Gap (1,000') Bluemont, Va. 20135 Purcellville, Va. Berryville, Va. 22611	1000
1005.4	Spring (1,083')	1083
1005.7	Virginia?West Virginia State Line (1,140')	1140
1005.8	Crescent Rock (1,312')	1312
1006.4	Sand Spring (1,150')	1150
1006.5	Devils Racecourse (1,200')?boulder field	1200
1009.4	Wilson Gap (1,380')	1380
1010.6	Blackburn Trail Center (1,650') ?11.2mS; 3.5mN	1650

07/06/02 10:21 pm

Boy was I in luck today. First a great breakfast at Bears Den of bluberry pancakes, oj and coffee. Then I procrastinated leaving until who knows when (well the lady who needed counceling helped get me going). The last bit of the VA Roller Coaster wasn't too bad. It even had one nice overlook! Then, I met a day hiker who was out from the Blackburn AT Center and said there was a picknic of the PACT going on there. So I hiked and hiked, Bumped into two "hikers" that started at the major road crossing. He had a huge backpack, incluing pillow and she was carying a sleeping bag, yes carying! They also had no water, a fact that I learned when the arrived at the center (and arranged a ride home. The hike seemed endless, but I made it and got a bunk. Then found out it was a PACT fundraiser and dinner and breakfast for $15 was too good to pass up. There was beer, rood, food and more food and desert. They even had fireworks, with more off in the distance (Richmond they think). This made up for the 4th and more!

Also saw Baltimor Jack again, met Shrek and Miss Janet who runs the hostel in Erwin Tn.

It was a GOOOOooooood Day!

** Harpers Ferry, WV **
Day: 35-2002
Mileage: 996.6

Miles from Springer	Features	Elevation
1013.8	David Lesser Memorial Shelter (1,430') ?3.5mS; 15.8mN	1430
1016.8	W. Va. 9, Keys Gap (935')	935
1018.3	Powerline (920')	920
1018.7	Campsite (1,120')	1120
1020.7	Blue Trail to Loudoun Heights Va.?W. Va. State Line (1,200')	1200
1021.4	W. Va. 32, Chestnut Hill Road (820')	820
1022.1	U.S. 340, Shenandoah River Bridge (north end) (312') Charles Town, W.Va. 25414	312
1022.4	Appalachian Trail Conservancy Side Trail (394') Harpers Ferry, W.Va. 25425	394

07/07/02 8:57 pm

Well, today was a Long Day. Got up early enough and had bagles and cream cheese for breakfast. Then, in my now typical fasion, I procrastinated getting out of the Center. I was offered an oportunity to slack, but decided to turn it down, I carried my pack this far why stop now. The trail had a few ups and downs, but no were close to the VA Roller Coaster. It just seemed like a long 12 miles. Got to the ATC but they were closing so I will have to go back tomarrow for the hero shot there. Now in the Hilltop House Hotel with Frank "Rael" Pardi to spit the cost. We ate at the buffy downstairs and both ate way too much, but hey we are hiking! Since there are no TVs in the rooms here, I will probably turn in early, I am VERY tired since I sayed up late last night, and others, who were very noisy, stayed up even latter.

'02 Hike Map