Our friend Billy (or to use his new trail moniker “Pearlie” [sounds more like a dentist than a doctor, doesn’t it?]) leaves camp at 6:15 a.m., hikes back up to the AT, turns right, and has ten miles to his car and the end of his hike. We are sorry to be parting company. We leave shortly after, walk back to the trail, turn left, and have (no, we won’t say 1,394 miles – we’re still dealing in bite sized pieces) 10 miles to the 800 mile mark from Springer Mountain.

Within the first mile we again cross the Blue Ridge Parkway. About five miles later we cross a swaying suspension bridge over the Pedlar River and begin circling the Lynchburg Reservoir. We meet Pat, a local trail maintainer, today just out for a pleasure hike. She stops for a longer chat on her way back as we are stopped for lunch at the Brown Mountain Creek Shelter. Hearing her description of the upcoming climb north from the Tye River, we decide we need to shorten that section on Sunday by adding a few miles to our schedule today and tomorrow.

After lunch we follow Brown Mountain Creek upstream as we gain 900′ up to US 60. An interpretive sign describes how after the Civil War, a community of formerly enslaved people settled here well into the early 1900s. Remnants of old rock walls are evident along the way. X says with the babbling brook and scenic woods, this section looked exactly as she pictured the Appalachian Trail before we started…

As we approached the highway, the increasing steepness of the trail got our attention and we were getting hot and thirsty. Without saying it, we each fantasized about a cold Pepsi or Mountain Dew waiting at the next trailhead. When we discovered a well picked over bin with both an empty Mountain Dew and Pepsi can, we instead rejoiced in the unopened cold bottle of water we found remaining, and quickly guzzled it down. At the motorist wayside on the north side of US 60, we found we had great cell service and X called to check in with our Base Camp Manager. A car pulled in and Piney (who we later discovered was a retired trail angel) got out to talk. He was on his way home from a little morning fishing trip. He said he’d had a little luck. N asked if he happened to have a cold Pepsi left over from the fishing trip. He said no, to which N replied, too bad, ’cause he could have been X’s new hero. Piney said, well he didn’t have one, but he’d be glad to go get one. And just like that N was on the five mile ride to the nearest store. On the way, he learned Piney was a trail angel way before the term was used, and had shuttled Bill Bryson around this area while he was writing “A Walk in the Woods.” Piney had AT stories on everything from the local origin of Hike Naked Day (a group of guys trying to keep their clothes dry during a rainstorm) to early thru hikers always staying at the local fire station. What a visit. And the sodas sure provided the boost to continue the afternoon’s climb back to 4,000′ elevation.

After an already great day, the views from the Cold Mountain balds were unexpected and took our collective breaths away. We could see forever, and it was hard not to linger. We met Apollo who had set up his tent just past the end of the “no camping” prohibition so he could watch the sunset on the bald. We were tempted to join him, but had decided to go on another half mile to a campsite our guide said had grassy meadows and water. What a good move on our part!

Hog Camp Gap not only had lots of level camping, but the nicest spring we’ve seen to date. X chose a particular spot because it featured a swing. Imagine that! However, the highlight of the site was two 2011 thru hikers meeting us at the road with an offer of hotdogs, chips, cold drinks and (unbroken!) cookies for dinner: “Go get yourselves set up. We’ll be here when you come back!”

Chevy and Squeaks picked this exact spot to camp a year ago and loved it. They returned from their home in Alexandria, VA, this weekend to offer Trail Magic to us hikers. Indeed, it was magic and so unexpected, but deeply appreciated. We talked and ate until dark-thirty, well after Hiker Midnight. Thanks, Chevy and Squeaks, for the perfect ending to a perfect day. The Appalachian Trail IS all about the people you meet…