4/1/00
Day 10
Bearfence Mountain Hut
107.6 miles

April Fools Day and the "official" start date of my hike.  I guess the joke is on my feet, though I don't think they are laughing.

When I left Front Royal I hadn't decided whether to just go 3 miles in to the Tom Floyd shelter to give my feet a rest (I ended up walking around so much in Front Royal - it wasn't really a rest day) or try to go the full 13 miles to the Gravel Spring Hut.  What decided me was the weather.  It was clear and cool with a strong breeze blowing.  I knew if I hung around the shelter all day I'd just get cold, whereas I'd be warm if I kept hiking.

So 13 miles that day, 13 the next, and then a grueling 15 yesterday.  I can't help thinking about that phrase "too far, too fast, too soon. " But nothing has popped or snapped so far.  Today was a relatively "easy" 11 miles to this place.  I've had shelters to myself a couple of nights, but 2 guys showed up a while ago that put in a long day's hiking and I don't begrudge them the space.  For some reason they really want to get a fire going.  I don't quite understand the attraction.  Much easier to cook on a stove.  And to get close enough to benefit from the warmth or light means an occasional face-full of smoke.  Still, it's a tradition.  Something that harkens back to our earliest days.  I've noticed that a group of people will sit around and stare at a fire the same way they'd watch TV.  It's always the same show, but it's mesmerizing just the same.

Those little flowers I was seeing a few days ago disappeared when I entered Shenandoah.  I don't know whether it's because of the higher elevations (the highest point between Harper's and Front Royal was probably 2100', while the last few days I've been above 3000'), or maybe different soils.  The bare trees are partly a blessing because the forests have an "open" feel and you catch glimpses of the views.  On the downside, I'm actually getting sunburned on the backs of my hands because there's no shade.

The deer here in Shenandoah are noticeably calmer.  Sometimes instead of bolting away, white flags waving, they just stare at me from the side of the trail as I go by.  I know deer are nothing exotic, but I can't help admiring how much better they are adapted to living in this environment than I am.  One of the first things you notice about your basic deer is its almost complete lack of gore-tex®.  They are also appallingly deficient in any of the polyesters: coolmax, fleece, or poly-pro.  They do have an abundance of fine-grained leather, but their hooves are not shod with vibram® soles.  But they seem to get along fine, just the same.  They eat what they find along the way, and come up to the springs by the shelters to drink at dusk.