Day 7 : Wedesday, June 11

(Dwight) Malin Mt. shelter was a gift from God. It saved us from getting soaked last night. No visits from black bears, alhought the shelter had multiple areas of bear scratchings, indicating territory. The walk down Marlin Mt. was wet, but the cool air. The front of the cooler weather included some hail.

Early morning hiking was thru grass covered forest service road, canopy covered ridge trail and rododendern covered low lands.

We ate lunch the Seneca Spring shelter. This is a rebuilt three sided picnic structure with a stone floor and fireplace. The spring was, cold and clear, piped from the side of the mountain. Best on the trail to date. In the afternoon we spotted a black bear. He would periodically run from us in the direction of the trail. We would eventually catch up to him and he would gallup down the trail again in a futial attempt to escape. In time, our frustrated bruin angled his way away from the trail and returned to his mountain tranquility.

We in and out of Seneca State Forest and by a timbered built picnic shelter and a decomishined steel fire tower. Then road walked for about 4 miles to where the trail merged with the Greenbrier River Trail going north.

I dont know if it was all the road walking and the gravel Greenbrier Trail, or the 20 miles, but my feet were dog tired and I was so glad we reached Cass at 5pm.

At Cass, the park houses were full, and the local lode was booked. I know I was very deflated as the lodge folks gave us the bad news. But without asking, D.W. at the rt66 Outpost (lodge) called around and got us a room at the Cass Inn, only 1/4 mile down rt 66 - perfect. Best night of sleep 'onthe trail' so far.