.April 21, 2006
Well, we did have to get the front brakes on the car fixed. Lynn was wonderful as always. She allowed me to stay in the motel this morning to study the maps and get caught up on my journal while she went to get the brakes done. As a result I wasn't able to get onto the trail until 12:15. Fortunately I only had 14 miles planned for today so I still had enough time.
Lynn dropped me off at Millbrook Road. There was a large group of backpackers getting ready to leave. Looks like they are heading north like me. Lynn went along with me for a few minutes before heading back. I came to a small pond and tried to get a picture of some ducks but I wasn't fast enough. I heard the large group coming. I didn't want to get stuck behind a large group so I got back onto the trail. The leader of the pack was now right behind me. About 50 feet after leaving the pond. I stopped and looked around for the next marker.
"What are you looking for." the leader of the pack asked.
"Uh, the trail."
"I think that's it," he said.
"No, that doesn't look like the trail to me."
Then I noticed where the trail turned. I headed back a few yards and proceeded on. A few of them snickered as if to say "How could he miss the trail? How silly."
Yes, I did miss the trail and maybe it was silly, but hey, I was a total stranger and they followed me.
I quickened my pace to separate myself from the pack. Within a few minutes I could no longer hear their voices.
The next few miles of trail were very smooth. I found some neat, primitive shelters that someone made although I don't think they would keep out a hard rain.
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I came across my forth 5 foot Black Racer within a week. This time I saw him in time and didn't freighten him off. Black Racers are not poisonous but still bite, so I am keeping my distance. I lay my pole as close to him as I dare so to have some type of scale to my picture.
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When I reached Blue Mountain Lakes Road I found an old-fashioned pump. I pump it a few times and got a little bit of water. It probably needs to be primed or something. The gnats were bad if I stood still, so I continued on. Hikers who have been on the trail for a few days probably really appreciate this pump, since water sources in this area seem to be somewhat scarce. It looks like there is parking here above and below the road for those who may want to start a hike from here.
The trail got rocky again after the road. I checked out a blue-blazed side trail and because the leaves were gone, I got a picture of Crater Lake.
I later got to another blue-blazed trail for Buttermilk Falls. I love checking out the side trails but the sign said the falls were 2 miles away. An extra four bonus miles were more than I wanted to tackle so I continued on. I headed downhill a while and came to a small bridge over a creek. This would be the only bridge that I would cross today. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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I got up and down the otherside without seeing any Rattlers. I came across 2 hikers heading south.
"Is there a water source on the other side of Rattlesnake Mountain?"
"Yes," I replied.
"Is it better than this one?"
I turned to see where they were talking about. A small little stream that really couldn't be called a stream with the water being almost stagnant.
"Oh, much better." I told them about the stream with the bridge over it.
They were very grateful and headed on.
I was slightly ahead of schedule for meeting Lynn so I decided to take another blue-blazed trail to the Brink Road Shelter. There were bear warning signs up and large steel bins for hikers to put their food in. The shelter was nice but small. It couldn't hold more than 4 or 5 hikers. This round trip cost me .4 bonus miles, but it was fun.
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About half an hour later I met 2 more sobos.
"Is Brink Road Shelter close?"
"About a half an hour."
"How about Rattlesnake Mountain."
I pulled out my map, calculated the distance for them, and we parted.
I later got a great view of Culvers Lake.
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~ ~ Lynn would be picking me up at Culver's Gap which was only another mile or two. I got to the gap about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. I was only there about 3 minutes when Lynn came to pick me up. Mission accomplished.
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