Tuesday, 10 June

Destination: Ashby Hollow (999.2)
Start Location: Whiskey Hollow Shelter (987.5)
Today’s Miles: 11.7
Trip Miles: 67.9

Our campsite last night that had an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant priy. We were miles from a road and there were steps to get to the ramp?

Bob and I had a little excitement this morning. The older woman hiker who rented near us, we have given the trail name Spontaneous Combustion. She seemed a little unfamiliar with her stove at dinner. We watched from a distance as she lit her stove for breakfast and three foot flames erupted. They burned for two minutes and went out. When we sat down for breakfast we saw that she had not tightened her stove to the fuel canister and the gas was leaking and burning. It was a miracle there was no explosion.

The birds start chirping about 5:15 and wake us each morning. We tried to sleep in but Bob and I were still hiking by 7:30. We had a nice, easy start rid with sunshine and our first breezes of the trip.

We met Lightfoot, the ridge runner for this stretch of the AT. He gave us some info on the upcoming section of the trail.

Bob and I heard a bird call that he thought was a Pileated Woodpecker. Our bird app confirmed and Bob saw it fly away. The Pileated Woodpecker is the size of a crow.

We arrived at Rod Hollow, our intended stop for lunch. There was a slight change in plans, deciding to hike three and a half miles to a campsite near a stream. This change shortens tomorrow and gets us into the amenities at Bears Den Hostel a little earlier.

Spontaneous Combustion came in as we finished lunch asking where we were stopping. We are hoping she finds somewhere else to camp.

But that meant Bob and I started a section of the trail called the Roller Coaster. Thirteen miles of PUDs, Pointless Ups and Downs. Two climbs in the afternoon heat an we were at Ashby Hollow. No flat spots for tents so we will be sliding tonight. Got water and washed up before dinner.