We left camp at 9am, it was a chilly morning but soon warmed up a bit once the sun broke through. We walked up to and along the ridge line we saw from Chestnut Knob yesterday for about seven miles. It had lots of small ups and downs and was quite rocky in places. We passed a large group of hikers going in the opposite direction out on an AT training hike. After about five miles we found some trail magic at a parking area, some soda cans in a cooler. Fish had told us it would be there yesterday, I believe left by local Amish people.
From the ridge line it was down to Jenkins shelter, Wall E and I missed the sign for it reading another sign about bear activity and went straight past! There was a very pretty creek spot just after the shelter. We saw our first snake today, a Common Garter Snake, it was only small about a foot and a half long. We also saw a tiny Red Bellied Woodpecker, it made a very quiet knocking sound on the tree, unlike the larger ones we can always hear most mornings but have never seen.
We went uphill again onto another ridge line for about five miles, a much easier path though. Just before descending we phoned 'Trubrit' (Nigel), an ex SAS English guy who lets campers stay on his land and provides shuttle and breakfast for a small $7 fee. He picked us up from Laurel Creek in his truck, Nigel and Milk Monster in the back, Wall E and I in the front. Five other thru hikers turned up also after us. Trubrit has a huge area of land and a five year plan to convert it into trails, wilderness survival/bush craft centre, zip lines, hiker lodges etc. We ordered pizza and salad to be delivered for dinner from Pizza Plus, I think they do quite well during hiker season and a couple of the guys drove into the nearest town to get a few supplies for everyone, beer, snacks etc. There was a large covered over seating area around a great fire pit where we sat and ate and chatted the evening away with Trubrit, his friends, dogs and the other hikers.
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