June 12 - Pass Mountain Hut (Day 85 – milepoint 913.8)

Interesting how I was the only visitor last night to a very full Big Meadows Campground who arrived and left on foot…

“You get to know things better when they go by slow,” don’cha know?

Left early and cranked the eight miles to Skyland Lodge, arriving just before the 10:30 breakfast deadline. Thick French Toast with Mountain Blackberry syrup!

Leisurely meandered the next nine miles listening to classical music on NPR. Rain in the afternoon and I was able to find shelter in a picnic area where I “Yogi’d” cookies from some German tourists. Decided to move on in the rain, but as I approached Mary’s Rock, a popular overlook along Skyline Drive, the skies cleared and I had the entire overlook area to myself watching the clouds rising and falling, forming and deforming. Watched a red-tail hawk make a HIGH SPEED dive into the trees for dinner, and a small airplane floated by at eye level.

Enjoyed a Mountain Blackberry Ice Cream Sundae at the Panorama Wayside at Thornton Gap, where Bulldog showed up with “The Donner Party,” friends of Ren and Stimpy, day-hiking in the park. They gave Bulldog a huge slab of heavily sauced BBQ Ribs which he carried in foil up to the hut here. We prepared a bed of hot coals and threw on the ribs, I made some noodles to compliment, and we played catch with my NERF football and whistled happy tunes while the meat cooked.

Sloppily satisfied and looking forward to my morning rendevous with Privy, wonderful Privy.

-Aquaholic