4/25/09 8:30 PM – Manassas Gap Shelter – 13.7 mi today – 970.3 mi total
Yesterday afternoon we went to Wegmans, which was amazing! I was so happy to be in a Rochester institution, something so familiar so far away from home. We got all the stuff I needed for resupply and steaks for dinner. Went back to the Walker’s house and I took Harley for a little walk. It was a nice relaxing zero day. We had steaks for dinner, as well as corn and grilled tomatoes. Excellent! After dinner I sewed up one of the pockets of Harley’s pack, we’ll see how long it lasts. Told trail stories to the Walkers during a nice chat on the couch. After that it was time for a last check of ESPN and then off to bed. Woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon. Had a pretty big breakfast, but not as big as the day before. Afterwards I packed my bag up, including my overly large food bag and a whole bunch of trail magic. Last night I packaged up 8 cans of soda and candy bars to deposit on the trail to other hikers. That weighed a lot. We all hopped in the van and drove back to the trail. It was hot and sunny. We managed to find the small dirt road that I had been picked up on, where I said goodbye and thank you to the Walkers. Climbed a short side trail back up to the AT and continued on my way North. Was feeling really hot under the heavy backpack and intense heat. Luckily I found a small stream within the first couple miles where I left the trail magic. Hopefully whoever finds it will appreciate the nice cold soda and candy bars. Took it pretty slow all day as we were hiking in the hottest part of the day. Harley learned a new trick—lay down in the stream in order to cool off. There were bugs everywhere. I guess you could say that spring has finally sprung. After crossing Rt 522 the trail runs along side the National Zoological Park Research Center. This is where the national zoo has their breeding grounds and sometimes you can see exotic animals on the other side of the fence. I wasn’t so lucky. Just before I got to the first shelter I passed by a group of 20 brand new young scouts. It was good to talk with them and remember what I went through back in the old days. Stopped in at Jim and Molly Denton Shelter, decided to keep moving as the heat was starting to subside. Passed under I-66 just as the NFL draft was beginning. I wonder who the Bills picked. Got to Manassas Gap Shelter and met a thru hiker in planning named Do-over and three guys from DC. Glad I got there when I did, because a thunderstorm rolled through 15 minutes later. I ate dinner. Then sat down and checked Harley for ticks. I found 8 on him. There are the first I’ve found, including one on his nose. I pulled them all out and he quickly learned to dislike the tweezers. Now he is suspicious every time I try to give him a belly rub. Wrote in the shelter log and hit the sack.
4/26/2009 8:30 PM – Sam Moore Shelter – 19.8 mi today – 990.1 mi total
Woke up at sunrise and was on the trail by 7:45. Spring has finally sprung on the AT, especially at the lower elevations. Flowers are in bloom(lots of trillium today), the trees are budding, and the insects are out. It is a welcome change from the lack of greenery that I’ve had until this point. The temperature started out cool but rapidly increased as the day went on. I took a short break at Dick’s Dome Shelter, which has an interesting shape. I decided to try and get to the next shelter 9 miles north by lunchtime in order to avoid the worst heat of the day. Harley again took the opportunity to lie in the streambed and cool off along the way. We went through Sky Meadow State Park on the way, which is a nice state park with well-maintained trails. Got to Rod Hollow Shelter at 12:30. The temperature was 88 degrees in the shade. Harley and I took a 3-hour lunch break. I was able to relax, eat, pump water and take my first “trail shower” as there was a pipe connected to one of the springs and a bucket that allows me to dunk myself. I poured the bucket over my head three times. That felt cold and refreshing! I also noticed my shoe was starting to fall apart as the sole of my left shoe is ripping away. I tried to fix it with duct tape, but apparently duct tape is not qualified for shoe repair. With only 30 miles to Harpers Ferry I don’t think it will be that big of a problem. We left the shelter around 3:30 and began the “roller coaster” which is 10 climbs and descents in succession in a span of 13 miles. Luckily there was water available in each of the gaps, so Harley was able to drink and I was able to pump water. I think I drank about 2 gallons of water today, double what I normally drink. We got to Sam Moore Shelter at 6:30 and I took my second trail shower of the day. It felt really good. I made dinner and checked Harley for ticks. It was still hot when I unpacked my stuff so I decided to forgo the sleeping bag. Then I hit the sack. Hope to get close to Harpers Ferry tomorrow. Don't think I can get there by 4 (when the Post Office closes), so I'll wait until Tuesday to cruise into town.
4/27/2009 11:30 PM – David Lesser Shelter – mi today – total
Slept really well last night even without the sleeping bag. Got up at sunrise and the temp was in the 60s. Had breakfast, Harley and I played with the stick for a while. Got going around 8 am for the second half of the "roller coaster." Within about 15 minutes of hiking, we came across a turtle on the trail. Harley didn't even see him. I took a little video (will post later) and moved him off the trail. Second half of the roller coaster wasn't that bad, but it started to heat up quickly. Luckily there are a lot of water sources along the way. We also crossed the border from Virginia to West Virginia. I shot a video as I entered state number 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvlpnLA0TOE). Four miles later, I hit another milestone as I reached the 1,000 mile mark on the trail. It feels good to check off each accomplishment as I go. We were battling the heat as we approached the middle of the day, but thankfully reached Blackburn Trail Center at 1:00. It's a really nice facility run by the PATC (Patomac Appalachian Trail Club). The caretaker welcomed me with an orange soda. I filled up my water bladder, dunked Harley (he didn't like that but it was necessary), and had a nice long lunch on the hostel porch. I ate as much as I could because I knew that there was a big box waiting for me in Harpers Ferry. Harley took a nap as I used the payphone to call home. Everyone was happy that I made it to the 1,000 mile mark. At 4PM, I decided to hit the trail again (even though the temperature was still 85 in the shade). On my way back to the trail, I almost stepped on a Timbe Rattlesnake. Harley must have walked right by it (unscathed luckily). I walked around it. About an hour later, I stopped at David Lesser Shelter for water and decided to stay the night. It had a nice porch with an inviting Adirondack chair. I had the shelter to myself and again left my sleeping bag in my backpack. Saw a lizard while making dinner (lots of wildlife today!). After I had done all of my chores, I wandered down to the campsites to hang out with a group of guys from Winchester, VA. They were out to celebrate the return of one of their friends from the army. I had a couple drinks with them and enjoyed the campfire. Nice group. When I finally returned to the shelter, the lens popped out of my glasses. Luckily, I was able to fix it with my Leatherman (in the dark!). Looking forward to Harpers Ferry tomorrow. Hope I can get up and moving in the morning despite the late night.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Waynesboro, VA to Front Royal, VA 4/18/2009-4/24/2009
Photos: http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2360642510104728652QPzdhF
4/18/2009 - 10:15 PM - Waynesboro, VA - 0.0 mi today - 852.5 mi total
Busy zero day! Showered at the YMCA at 7AM (first person in the building...Mum would be proud). When I was all cleaned up, we all (Chert, Grizzly, Wally, Pacman, and I) headed over to the pancake breakfast. Yum! Ate 9 pancakes and 5 sausages. OJ and milk went down well too. Next, we went to the Post Office, then laundry. Afterwards, I hit Kroger for a couple odds and ends. Updated the blog at the library and went back to camp. The other guys decided to hit the trail today, but I had more stuff to do and chose to stay. Called home and contacted Trail Angel Norman for a ride in the morning back to the trail. Splinter (a guy I had met in Damascus) cme into town and we got a ride from a local youth minister who told us about a time he got mugged and then gave the guy a hug...interesting character. He dropped us off at Ruby Tuesday which was a good 2 miles away from camp and gave us the most confusing set of directions for how to get back. I had the Colossal Burger. Yum! Got a taxi back as it was getting dark and we didn't think we would have much of a chance hitching without our backpacks. I just managed to sew a new sleeve for Harley's pack using just my headlamp for light. Quite pleased with myself, but we'll see how long it lasts. Now to bed. Good day of rest. Looking forward to Shenandoah.
4/19/2009 - 8:45 PM - Blackrock Hut - 19.9 mi today - 872.4 mi total
Got up at 7:30 and started to pack. Cloudy and muggy all day, but no rain. Started to walk to Kroger, but met Norman on his way out of church. He gave me a ride to the trail. Started hiking at 10AM. Filled out a backcountry permit at the Shenandoah National Park entrance station. Pretty easy hiking all day. Had lunch at Calf Mountain Shelter. As I was walking in the afternoon, a tree fell over about 25 yards to my left. It made a lot of noise and was a reminder that anything can happen in the woods. Glad that I had my SPOT with me just in case. Harley is supposed to be on a leash in the park, but having been off leash for the past month or so, he's not too happy about having to stay within six feet of me(and I don't like being tugged in every direction or tripped by the leash). I'm trying to work around it as best I can. I think I will just try to keep him close and clip him in when we get near Skyline Drive or a campsite. We crossed Skyline Drive 7 times today and will cross it 21 more times before we leave Shenandoah National Park. Got to Blackrock Hut at 6:45 and met 6 section hikers. All of them liked having a dog around. Pumped water and had dinner. The bear bag hangers here are pretty annoying. They are twelve foot tall poles with hooks at the top and you have to use another long pole to lift your bag to the top, but the two poles are chained together, so you don't have much range of motion. When your food bag is as heavy as mine usually is, it can be quite troublesome. I almost took my head off. Looks like an easy 20 tomorrow. Might be rainy though. Nice little fire tonight, though it didn't last long.
4/20/2009 - 8:30 PM - Hightop Hut - 21.4 mi today - 893.8 mi total
Got up around 7 and retrieved my wet food bag from the bear pole. Rained solidly all last night and looked like it wasn't going to stop all day. I begrudgingly put on all my rain gear. Took a break at Loft Mountain Campground with a couple from Richmond. It was nice to get out of the rain for a snack break. Pushed on to Pinefield Shelter for lunch. Met another thruhiker named Primitive. He started a week before me and I have been a couple days behind him the whole way. He's slowing down now as his girlfriend joined him in Waynesboro for the rest of the trip. Really like the wraps for lunch (cheese, summer sausage, and honey). From there it was 8 miles to Hightop Hut. Decided to shed my rain pants about three miles before the shelter as I was getting hot and sweaty and the rain had lifted. Big mistake. When I was one mile away from the shelter, all of a sudden there was a thunderclap and a huge downpour. I threw my jacket back on and made a charge for the shelter. It was no use. I was soaked to the skin by the time I got there. Harley was scared of the thunder and mopey from being wet. There were already 8 people at the shelter huddled together out of the rain. They were all very nice and made room for me and the wet dog. I dried Harley off as best as I could and then he went and snuggled on someone's sleeping bag (luckily they were dog lovers). Started to do my other chores and the rain broke and the sun came out. Virginia weather is getting to be more and more like Rochester weather! One of the section hikers (Trailname is "I'll Try") works for the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy) and told me that I am in the first 20 thruhikers of this year and the first one with a dog. Woohoo! We'll have to see what number I am when I get to Harpers Ferry and have my picture taken at the ATC headquarters. We were able to get a fire going, so I dried out my clothes and socks. Crustless Pizza was awesome for dinner (came out more like a stew, but tasted like pizza). All of the other hikers were jealous of my home cooked meal. Forecast doesn't look good for tomorrow (Somebody had a Blackberry). May pull a short day tomorrow. I'm not in any rush.
4/21/2009 - 8:00 PM - Rock Spring Hut - 23.9 mi today - 917.7 mi total
Two months ago today, I began my journey at Springer Mountain in Georgia. I've come a long way since then (so has my beard!). Was the last out of bed this morning. Felt a bit lazy and let everyone else pack up so I had more space to manuever (it gets pretty cramped with so many people in a shelter). Left camp at 9AM, but had passed everyone within the first three miles. Stopped for a snack break at the 900 mile mark and ran into "Bluegrass", a NOBO thruhiker turned flip-flopper (EXPLANATION: He hiked Northbound (trail lingo = NOBO) from Georgia to southern Virginia, and then got off the trail to go to a Grateful Dead concert somewhere near the trail. After the concert, he couldn't get a ride back to the trail, so followed the band to Washington DC where he caught the train to Harpers Ferry, WV. From there he is hiking south until he gets to wherever he got off the trail. "Flip-flopping" is when you hike half the trail in one direction (the "flip") and then "flop" the other way. Most "flip-floppers" start or end both of their sections in Harpers Ferry, WV as that is pretty much the halfway point of the trail. Hope that all made sense. I realize that I use a lot of trail lingo in this blog and should probably explain myself a but more. If you're confused, write me a comment and I'll try to clarify next time). Nice guy, but he had a case of the "Virginia Blues" as he hasn't seen many thruhikers in a while (EXPLANATION: "Virginia Blues" is a pandemic that usually hits thruhikers somewhere in the middle of Virginia. Basically, a lot of people leave the trail in Virginia just because it is long (over 500 miles) and they start to get frustrated and depressed as it seems that you will never get out of the state. Having personally experienced the "Virginia Blues," I can tell you that you feel homesick, you wonder why you ever decided to hike this trail, your feet complain every step of the way, the weather is bad, etc... It's a bad state of mind to be in when you are hiking.). Cruised on through and had lunch at Bearfence Mountain Hut. The beautiful morning weather turned cloudy and eventually rainy over lunch. I decided to try to push through it as I knew there was a little restaurant at Big Meadows Wayside where I might be able to eat some real food. Rain came harder and I picked up the pac. Got to Big Meadows and must have walked right past the wayside without realizing it. By the time I realized where I was, it was too late to double back as they were closed (one of the downfalls of not carrying a map). Very dissappointing. I was soaking wet and would have paid anything to stay at the Big Meadows Lodge and just get out of the rain. It was closed for the season. Cue the "Virginia Blues." I didn't have much of an option, so I kept walking to Rock Spring Hut and the sun finally came out and the rain stopped. What a relief! I found the shelter empty and happily hung a laundry line to try to dry my clothes. Cooked dinner (Chicken and couscous) and watched a beautiful sunset over the valley. Funny how a crappy rainy day can get you down, but a couple hours later you can be on top of the world. Now just looking at the city lights in the valley. Harley is having an intense dream. Let's see if he growls at me tonight (last night he growled at me when I tried to move him so I could get in my sleeping bag. He very quickly realized that I'm the boss!).
4/22/2009 - 8:30 PM - Pass Mountain Hut - 15.3 mi today - 933.0 mi total
Got up at 7, but took my time getting ready much to Harley's chagrine (He likes to get moving in the morning). It was cold last night! Glad I still have my winter gear. Left camp at 9 under partly cloudy skies. Wasn't in a rush as I had planned to hike a short day. Got to Skyland Lodge (one of the attractions along Skyline Drive) at 11AM and found that the breakfast buffet had ended at 10:30 and lunch didn't start until 12. Frustrating! I ordered a box lunch for $12 (ouch) but it was good. First time I have had a sandwich with real bread in a long time. The cookie was delicious. It started to snow as I left. Cue the "Virginia Blues." I can't wait to get out of this state. Pretty easy walk from there. Found a note at Bird Nest #3 Hut from The Walkers, family friends, offering to have me to their house for a night or two. That was exciting. Found another note a couple miles later (They had left notes for along the trail near road crossings). Found a payphone at a road crossing and tried to call, but it went through to voicemail. Will try again tomorrow from Elkwallow Wayside. Looking forward to seeing them and spending a night off the trail (especially with the weather of late). Also tried calling home to no avail. From there it was only one mile to Pass Mountain Hu. Arrived at 4:30 to find an empty shelter and made dinner (lasagne...mmmmmm!). Thought about moving on so that I could get to a payphone earlier in the morning, but decided that I didn't trust the clouds and wanted to avoid a wet tent and dog if possible. Built a nice fire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVyQRbg9i54) which cured the "Virginia Blues." Off to bed now and an early morning tomorrow so I can meet Mrs. Walker at Tom Floyd Wayside tomorrow.
4/23/2009 - 10:00 PM - The Walker's House, VA - 23.6 mi today - 956.6 mi total
Alarm went off at 6 this morning. Harley didn't want to get up. Had breakfast and hit the trail at 7. It did rain a bit last night, so I am glad that I stayed in the shelter. It was still partly cloudy when I left, but it cleared as the morning progressed. I was really moving as I was motivated by the thought of a night off the trail and real food. Got to Elkwallow Wayside at 9:30 and found that the grill was open. Ordered a bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a blackberry milkshake (it's never too early for a burger!). Called Mrs. Walker and decided on a time and place to meet. She mentioned that they lived near to a Wegmans and I was overjoyed. It's been too long since I was last at a Wegmans! I hit the trail again at 10:15 and felt like I was floating along. The combination of friendship, milkshake, and good weather boosted me along the trail. Stopped at Gravel Springs Hut for my second lunch of the day. Ate my normal portion as the burger had gone down without touching the sides. Crossed Skyline Drive a couple more times in the afternoon and finally exited Shenandoah National Park at Possum Rest Overlook. Shenandoah is a really nice park, but due to a combination of the Virginia Blues and some bad foggy weather, I don't think I was able to fully appreciate its beauty. I hope to come back here someday and hike the park again and also drive the length of Skyline Drive. It is a bit wierd as a hiker, though, because you walk along in the trees lost in your thoughts, and all of a sudden you hear a car zoom by about 30 yards to your right. Personally I prefer the backcountry where the nearest road is miles away. There is something to be said for a mountaintop view when the only way to get there is by hiking. It kind of takes something away from the view when you look down and see a road overlook 20 yards below you with car tourists scattered everywhere. Alright enough rambling. Got to Tom Floyd Wayside with 15 minutes to spare and quickly signed the shelter log. The shelter looked really nice and even had a porch area with seats. I hear that the shelters between here and Harpers Ferry are nice. Look forward to checking them out. Found the side trail to VA 601 and follow it to the "parking lot" which was a pulloff on the side of a dead end single lane dirt road in a rural neighborhood. Decided to walk down the road to the nearest intersection in hopes that Mrs. Walker would be able to find it more easily. Good thing I did because she had trouble finding me. Harley and I were very happy to see her and jump in the minivan. She had brought me orange juice, clementines, grapes, and a load of candy for the car ride to the house. I was in heaven! It was kind of wierd to be hurtling down an interstate, but it was a nice break from the trail. We stopped in at the Giant grocery store to pick up stuff for breakfast and then went to the house. I took a shower and threw my laundry in the machine, and then enjoyed a nice dinner with Dr. and Mrs. Walker. I made sure there weren't any leftovers. Called home and got my ESPN fix. The NFL draft is this weekend, which I will obviously be missing. Last year, I was in New York City and attended it in person. Guess I'll just get the full report on Monday or Tuesday when I get to Harpers Ferry. Really glad to be here. Its a little bit of home away from home. After a day of rest tomorrow, I think I will be ready to tackle that last bit of Virginia (I only have 50 more miles in Virginia) and keep heading North.
4/24/2009 - 12:00 PM - The Walker's House - 0.0 mi today - 956.6 mi total
Enjoying a nice zero day here at the Walker's House. I got up early this morning (it's hard to break the early morning habit) and enjoyed a huge cooked breakfast. I think I had 8 eggs, 10 pieces of bacon, two potatoes worth of hash browns, a yogurt, two pieces of toast, and three glasses of orange juice. That should hold me over until lunch time. My body is a metabolic machine right now! I have spent a while updating my blog and adding pictures and videos. I have added a picture link to each of my blog posts so you know which pictures correspond to which entries. I have so many pictures online now, it is starting to get a bit confusing. Here is the link to my "bookmark page" which breaks the album up into different sections: http://community.webshots.com/user/HarleyandMe/bookmarks. Also, if you want to check out the ATC interactive map, check out the link here: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4850633/k.9733/Interactive_Map.htm. This afternoon, I look forward to visiting Wegmans and taking the dog for a walk around the neighborhood. Now it's time for lunch. Please feel free to leave comments below (I love reading them) or shoot me an email at harveysgwilliams@gmail.com
4/18/2009 - 10:15 PM - Waynesboro, VA - 0.0 mi today - 852.5 mi total
Busy zero day! Showered at the YMCA at 7AM (first person in the building...Mum would be proud). When I was all cleaned up, we all (Chert, Grizzly, Wally, Pacman, and I) headed over to the pancake breakfast. Yum! Ate 9 pancakes and 5 sausages. OJ and milk went down well too. Next, we went to the Post Office, then laundry. Afterwards, I hit Kroger for a couple odds and ends. Updated the blog at the library and went back to camp. The other guys decided to hit the trail today, but I had more stuff to do and chose to stay. Called home and contacted Trail Angel Norman for a ride in the morning back to the trail. Splinter (a guy I had met in Damascus) cme into town and we got a ride from a local youth minister who told us about a time he got mugged and then gave the guy a hug...interesting character. He dropped us off at Ruby Tuesday which was a good 2 miles away from camp and gave us the most confusing set of directions for how to get back. I had the Colossal Burger. Yum! Got a taxi back as it was getting dark and we didn't think we would have much of a chance hitching without our backpacks. I just managed to sew a new sleeve for Harley's pack using just my headlamp for light. Quite pleased with myself, but we'll see how long it lasts. Now to bed. Good day of rest. Looking forward to Shenandoah.
4/19/2009 - 8:45 PM - Blackrock Hut - 19.9 mi today - 872.4 mi total
Got up at 7:30 and started to pack. Cloudy and muggy all day, but no rain. Started to walk to Kroger, but met Norman on his way out of church. He gave me a ride to the trail. Started hiking at 10AM. Filled out a backcountry permit at the Shenandoah National Park entrance station. Pretty easy hiking all day. Had lunch at Calf Mountain Shelter. As I was walking in the afternoon, a tree fell over about 25 yards to my left. It made a lot of noise and was a reminder that anything can happen in the woods. Glad that I had my SPOT with me just in case. Harley is supposed to be on a leash in the park, but having been off leash for the past month or so, he's not too happy about having to stay within six feet of me(and I don't like being tugged in every direction or tripped by the leash). I'm trying to work around it as best I can. I think I will just try to keep him close and clip him in when we get near Skyline Drive or a campsite. We crossed Skyline Drive 7 times today and will cross it 21 more times before we leave Shenandoah National Park. Got to Blackrock Hut at 6:45 and met 6 section hikers. All of them liked having a dog around. Pumped water and had dinner. The bear bag hangers here are pretty annoying. They are twelve foot tall poles with hooks at the top and you have to use another long pole to lift your bag to the top, but the two poles are chained together, so you don't have much range of motion. When your food bag is as heavy as mine usually is, it can be quite troublesome. I almost took my head off. Looks like an easy 20 tomorrow. Might be rainy though. Nice little fire tonight, though it didn't last long.
4/20/2009 - 8:30 PM - Hightop Hut - 21.4 mi today - 893.8 mi total
Got up around 7 and retrieved my wet food bag from the bear pole. Rained solidly all last night and looked like it wasn't going to stop all day. I begrudgingly put on all my rain gear. Took a break at Loft Mountain Campground with a couple from Richmond. It was nice to get out of the rain for a snack break. Pushed on to Pinefield Shelter for lunch. Met another thruhiker named Primitive. He started a week before me and I have been a couple days behind him the whole way. He's slowing down now as his girlfriend joined him in Waynesboro for the rest of the trip. Really like the wraps for lunch (cheese, summer sausage, and honey). From there it was 8 miles to Hightop Hut. Decided to shed my rain pants about three miles before the shelter as I was getting hot and sweaty and the rain had lifted. Big mistake. When I was one mile away from the shelter, all of a sudden there was a thunderclap and a huge downpour. I threw my jacket back on and made a charge for the shelter. It was no use. I was soaked to the skin by the time I got there. Harley was scared of the thunder and mopey from being wet. There were already 8 people at the shelter huddled together out of the rain. They were all very nice and made room for me and the wet dog. I dried Harley off as best as I could and then he went and snuggled on someone's sleeping bag (luckily they were dog lovers). Started to do my other chores and the rain broke and the sun came out. Virginia weather is getting to be more and more like Rochester weather! One of the section hikers (Trailname is "I'll Try") works for the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy) and told me that I am in the first 20 thruhikers of this year and the first one with a dog. Woohoo! We'll have to see what number I am when I get to Harpers Ferry and have my picture taken at the ATC headquarters. We were able to get a fire going, so I dried out my clothes and socks. Crustless Pizza was awesome for dinner (came out more like a stew, but tasted like pizza). All of the other hikers were jealous of my home cooked meal. Forecast doesn't look good for tomorrow (Somebody had a Blackberry). May pull a short day tomorrow. I'm not in any rush.
4/21/2009 - 8:00 PM - Rock Spring Hut - 23.9 mi today - 917.7 mi total
Two months ago today, I began my journey at Springer Mountain in Georgia. I've come a long way since then (so has my beard!). Was the last out of bed this morning. Felt a bit lazy and let everyone else pack up so I had more space to manuever (it gets pretty cramped with so many people in a shelter). Left camp at 9AM, but had passed everyone within the first three miles. Stopped for a snack break at the 900 mile mark and ran into "Bluegrass", a NOBO thruhiker turned flip-flopper (EXPLANATION: He hiked Northbound (trail lingo = NOBO) from Georgia to southern Virginia, and then got off the trail to go to a Grateful Dead concert somewhere near the trail. After the concert, he couldn't get a ride back to the trail, so followed the band to Washington DC where he caught the train to Harpers Ferry, WV. From there he is hiking south until he gets to wherever he got off the trail. "Flip-flopping" is when you hike half the trail in one direction (the "flip") and then "flop" the other way. Most "flip-floppers" start or end both of their sections in Harpers Ferry, WV as that is pretty much the halfway point of the trail. Hope that all made sense. I realize that I use a lot of trail lingo in this blog and should probably explain myself a but more. If you're confused, write me a comment and I'll try to clarify next time). Nice guy, but he had a case of the "Virginia Blues" as he hasn't seen many thruhikers in a while (EXPLANATION: "Virginia Blues" is a pandemic that usually hits thruhikers somewhere in the middle of Virginia. Basically, a lot of people leave the trail in Virginia just because it is long (over 500 miles) and they start to get frustrated and depressed as it seems that you will never get out of the state. Having personally experienced the "Virginia Blues," I can tell you that you feel homesick, you wonder why you ever decided to hike this trail, your feet complain every step of the way, the weather is bad, etc... It's a bad state of mind to be in when you are hiking.). Cruised on through and had lunch at Bearfence Mountain Hut. The beautiful morning weather turned cloudy and eventually rainy over lunch. I decided to try to push through it as I knew there was a little restaurant at Big Meadows Wayside where I might be able to eat some real food. Rain came harder and I picked up the pac. Got to Big Meadows and must have walked right past the wayside without realizing it. By the time I realized where I was, it was too late to double back as they were closed (one of the downfalls of not carrying a map). Very dissappointing. I was soaking wet and would have paid anything to stay at the Big Meadows Lodge and just get out of the rain. It was closed for the season. Cue the "Virginia Blues." I didn't have much of an option, so I kept walking to Rock Spring Hut and the sun finally came out and the rain stopped. What a relief! I found the shelter empty and happily hung a laundry line to try to dry my clothes. Cooked dinner (Chicken and couscous) and watched a beautiful sunset over the valley. Funny how a crappy rainy day can get you down, but a couple hours later you can be on top of the world. Now just looking at the city lights in the valley. Harley is having an intense dream. Let's see if he growls at me tonight (last night he growled at me when I tried to move him so I could get in my sleeping bag. He very quickly realized that I'm the boss!).
4/22/2009 - 8:30 PM - Pass Mountain Hut - 15.3 mi today - 933.0 mi total
Got up at 7, but took my time getting ready much to Harley's chagrine (He likes to get moving in the morning). It was cold last night! Glad I still have my winter gear. Left camp at 9 under partly cloudy skies. Wasn't in a rush as I had planned to hike a short day. Got to Skyland Lodge (one of the attractions along Skyline Drive) at 11AM and found that the breakfast buffet had ended at 10:30 and lunch didn't start until 12. Frustrating! I ordered a box lunch for $12 (ouch) but it was good. First time I have had a sandwich with real bread in a long time. The cookie was delicious. It started to snow as I left. Cue the "Virginia Blues." I can't wait to get out of this state. Pretty easy walk from there. Found a note at Bird Nest #3 Hut from The Walkers, family friends, offering to have me to their house for a night or two. That was exciting. Found another note a couple miles later (They had left notes for along the trail near road crossings). Found a payphone at a road crossing and tried to call, but it went through to voicemail. Will try again tomorrow from Elkwallow Wayside. Looking forward to seeing them and spending a night off the trail (especially with the weather of late). Also tried calling home to no avail. From there it was only one mile to Pass Mountain Hu. Arrived at 4:30 to find an empty shelter and made dinner (lasagne...mmmmmm!). Thought about moving on so that I could get to a payphone earlier in the morning, but decided that I didn't trust the clouds and wanted to avoid a wet tent and dog if possible. Built a nice fire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVyQRbg9i54) which cured the "Virginia Blues." Off to bed now and an early morning tomorrow so I can meet Mrs. Walker at Tom Floyd Wayside tomorrow.
4/23/2009 - 10:00 PM - The Walker's House, VA - 23.6 mi today - 956.6 mi total
Alarm went off at 6 this morning. Harley didn't want to get up. Had breakfast and hit the trail at 7. It did rain a bit last night, so I am glad that I stayed in the shelter. It was still partly cloudy when I left, but it cleared as the morning progressed. I was really moving as I was motivated by the thought of a night off the trail and real food. Got to Elkwallow Wayside at 9:30 and found that the grill was open. Ordered a bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a blackberry milkshake (it's never too early for a burger!). Called Mrs. Walker and decided on a time and place to meet. She mentioned that they lived near to a Wegmans and I was overjoyed. It's been too long since I was last at a Wegmans! I hit the trail again at 10:15 and felt like I was floating along. The combination of friendship, milkshake, and good weather boosted me along the trail. Stopped at Gravel Springs Hut for my second lunch of the day. Ate my normal portion as the burger had gone down without touching the sides. Crossed Skyline Drive a couple more times in the afternoon and finally exited Shenandoah National Park at Possum Rest Overlook. Shenandoah is a really nice park, but due to a combination of the Virginia Blues and some bad foggy weather, I don't think I was able to fully appreciate its beauty. I hope to come back here someday and hike the park again and also drive the length of Skyline Drive. It is a bit wierd as a hiker, though, because you walk along in the trees lost in your thoughts, and all of a sudden you hear a car zoom by about 30 yards to your right. Personally I prefer the backcountry where the nearest road is miles away. There is something to be said for a mountaintop view when the only way to get there is by hiking. It kind of takes something away from the view when you look down and see a road overlook 20 yards below you with car tourists scattered everywhere. Alright enough rambling. Got to Tom Floyd Wayside with 15 minutes to spare and quickly signed the shelter log. The shelter looked really nice and even had a porch area with seats. I hear that the shelters between here and Harpers Ferry are nice. Look forward to checking them out. Found the side trail to VA 601 and follow it to the "parking lot" which was a pulloff on the side of a dead end single lane dirt road in a rural neighborhood. Decided to walk down the road to the nearest intersection in hopes that Mrs. Walker would be able to find it more easily. Good thing I did because she had trouble finding me. Harley and I were very happy to see her and jump in the minivan. She had brought me orange juice, clementines, grapes, and a load of candy for the car ride to the house. I was in heaven! It was kind of wierd to be hurtling down an interstate, but it was a nice break from the trail. We stopped in at the Giant grocery store to pick up stuff for breakfast and then went to the house. I took a shower and threw my laundry in the machine, and then enjoyed a nice dinner with Dr. and Mrs. Walker. I made sure there weren't any leftovers. Called home and got my ESPN fix. The NFL draft is this weekend, which I will obviously be missing. Last year, I was in New York City and attended it in person. Guess I'll just get the full report on Monday or Tuesday when I get to Harpers Ferry. Really glad to be here. Its a little bit of home away from home. After a day of rest tomorrow, I think I will be ready to tackle that last bit of Virginia (I only have 50 more miles in Virginia) and keep heading North.
4/24/2009 - 12:00 PM - The Walker's House - 0.0 mi today - 956.6 mi total
Enjoying a nice zero day here at the Walker's House. I got up early this morning (it's hard to break the early morning habit) and enjoyed a huge cooked breakfast. I think I had 8 eggs, 10 pieces of bacon, two potatoes worth of hash browns, a yogurt, two pieces of toast, and three glasses of orange juice. That should hold me over until lunch time. My body is a metabolic machine right now! I have spent a while updating my blog and adding pictures and videos. I have added a picture link to each of my blog posts so you know which pictures correspond to which entries. I have so many pictures online now, it is starting to get a bit confusing. Here is the link to my "bookmark page" which breaks the album up into different sections: http://community.webshots.com/user/HarleyandMe/bookmarks. Also, if you want to check out the ATC interactive map, check out the link here: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4850633/k.9733/Interactive_Map.htm. This afternoon, I look forward to visiting Wegmans and taking the dog for a walk around the neighborhood. Now it's time for lunch. Please feel free to leave comments below (I love reading them) or shoot me an email at harveysgwilliams@gmail.com
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Black Horse Gap to Waynesboro, VA 4/13/2009-4/17/2009
Thanks everyone for following my blog. I'm getting pretty close to the halfway point (Harpers Ferry, WV) which is a big milestone on the AT. If you enjoy reading about my adventures, please consider making a donation to the Red Cross through my site (Just click on the "Donate!" button on the right side of this page) or scheduling a blood donation. Thanks very much to those who have already contributed. I hope that the spring time weather gives everyone a chance to get outside and shake those winter blues!
Photos: http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2491622930104728652fYCBUt
4/13/2009 - 8:35 PM - Bryant Ridge Shelter - 17.4 mi today - 750.4 mi total
Woke up at 7AM and started organizing my food and packing my bag in the hotel room. It all fits in much better now that I have switched out the Ridgerest for the new Thermarest that Dad bought. The hotel breakfast was excellent. I had mini-omelettes, pancakes, sausage, a bagel, yogurt, and orange juice. We definitely got our moneys worth. Finally got packed up and decided to go to the outfitter to buy a pair of Superfeet (aftermarket insoles...they make a huge difference!), but they were closed. My socks weren't quite dry after washing them in the sink last night, so we hung them out the window of the car as we drove around town. That drew a couple funny looks. Went to the coffee shop and decided to go to Walmart to pick up a couple odds and ends. Got a couple dry sacks, carabiners, webbing and more Easter candy. Cadbury Mini-eggs are my guilty pleasure. Finally hit the trail at 11 after Dad made an adjustment to Harley's pack. Said our goodbyes and I started to crank out the miles. Took a picture at Harveys Knob Overlook. Stopped for lunch at Bobblets Gap Shelter (nice privy!). Felt a bit homesick after saying goodbye to Dad. We did have a really good time on the trail together. Hit the trail again at 1:30. Cruised most of the day. Met a couple ladies that thru-hiked in 2007. Got to the shelter at 6:30 and decided to stay. This shelter is massive (built for 20) but I am the only person here. Cooked dinner, pumped water, and got ready for tomorrow. Hoping to do big miles so I can catch up to the "Fearless Five minus one." Set my alarm for 6:30. Hopefully I'll hit the trail at 7. Thermarest is very comfy. Harley is sleeping on the Ridgerest until I can catch up with Pacman (He may switch his out as his has a puncture). Feeling a bit lonely and homesick. Tonight is the first night that I have been alone.
4/14/2009 - 9:20 PM - Johns Hollow Shelter - 26.6 mi today - 777.0 mi total
Alarm went off at 6:30, but there was no way I was getting up. Thermarest was way too comfy. Woke up an hour later when a turkey hunter stopped by the shelter and asked me if I had seen any "gobblers" around (I'm still in my sleeping bag, dude...). A little too early in the morning for me to comprehend that there were more people like him running around in the forest clucking like turkeys with rifles over their shoulders (he demonstrated his turkey cluck). That was pretty good breakfast entertainment. Left the shelter at 8:30. Made sure Harley stayed close to me all day. Foggy and rainy, so no views today. Somehow, Harley caught a chipmunk about 5 miles in. Since then he has been sniffing every downed tree and hole in the ground. Pretty major hill climbing this morning. Had lunch at Thunder Hill Shelter after walking under the Guillotine (a rock that is precariously stuck between two boulders... of course the trail goes right underneath it). Got to Marble Spring at 4:45 and decided to kick it up a notch so I could push mast Matts Creek Shelter to Johns Hollow Shelter. Shins started to hurt on one of the downhill switchbacks. Tried to stretch them out and took some vitamin I. Met a trail maintainer from New Jersey at Matts Creek. I asked him how the trail was to the next shelter and he gave me a detailed description through Burlington, Vermont including where I should resupply along the way. James River had an almost perfect reflection when I crossed it. No wind at all today. Made for humid conditions. Fearless Five are only 9 miles ahead I think. Maybe catch them tomorrow. Probably the next day. Harley is snoring again.
4/15/2009 - 9:45 PM - Salt Log Gap - 28.6 mi today - 805.6 mi total
Got up at 6:45 and was on the trail at 7:30. The section hiker I shared the shelter with packed out my trash. Started with a pretty good climb and again found myself in the fog. Not too many views today. Had lunch at Punchbowl Shelter where I met a work crew from the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club installing a brand new privy. I was the first to use it. Never before have I had my picture taken or hand shaken just for doing my business. (Check out the picture here: http://mikerieleyspics.shutterfly.com/231) I also got some trail magic (an apple). Nice to eat some fresh fruit. In the shelter log, I found that the Fearless Five left me a challenge... I have to get to Pizza Hut in Waynesboro for dinner on Friday night. Little do they know that I am right on their tail and was already planning to get to Waynesboro on Friday. Still is a long hike. Decided to eat dinner early so I wouldn't have to cook in the dark at the end of the day. Had mac and cheese at Brown Mountain Shelter and pumped water too. Major climb from there to Bald Knob. Had a bit of a view on the way up, but not much. Decided to bypass Cow Camp Gap Shelter as it is .6 miles off the trail. Walked for about an hour in the dark with my headlamp before I decided that it was too foggy and wet to continue. Set up the tent in Salt Log Gap and ate some GORP and Mini-eggs to fill my tummy. Now just about to brush my teeth and go to bed. Shooting for Maupin Field Shelter tomorrow (26 miles). Hope to catch the guys there as I think I am only 5 miles behind. Looking forward to better weather.
4/16/2009 - 9:30 PM - Maupin Field Shelter - 26.1 mi today - 831.7 mi total
Alarm went off at 6:15. Caught a nice sunrise at 6:45 and hit the trail at 7:15. Was pretty flat to start. Had a snack at Seeley Woodworth Shelter and met a group that had stayed with the Fearless Five last night. Told me that I was only about an hour behind them. Checked out the view at Spy Rock and ate lunch at the Priest Shelter. Nice spot and beautiful weather. Enjoyed the sunshine. Nice to have a clear day after three days of fog. Big downhill off of the Priest. Got to a trail intersection where I could have cut off 4 miles and potentially got ahead of the other guys. I thought about it for a half second, and then continued on the AT. I guess I am a purist. I'm not going to yellow blaze like that. Once you break the rule once, its much easier to break it again. Had a snack break at Harpers Creek Shelter and met a section hiker named Steps. Big climb to finish the day with some nice views. Took a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDhpMdSMXVM
Rolled into Maupin Field Shelter at sunset to wild applause from Chert, Grizzly Adams, Wally, and Pacman. Glad to see everyone again. We all exchanged stories and got caught up on the latest trail news over dinner. Waynesboro tomorrow. Glad to be back with the crew.
4/17/2009 - 10:15 PM - Waynesboro, VA - 20.8 mi today - 852.5 total
Got up at 7:15 and on the trail by 8:30. Was able to take a late start as we only had 20 miles to hike today. (Can't believe I just said that!) Still was a tough day as the other guys hike at a faster pace than I usually do. Struggled to keep up in the morning. Harley had no problem. Had lunch at Humpback Rocks. Tried to clear out my foodbag to make room for the maildrop I will be getting from the Post Office. Still have a little Easter Candy stashed away. Afternoon flew by. Hiked fast to Paul Wolfe Shelter, took a nice hour long break, and then hiked fast to Rockfish Gap. Arrived at 5:30. Called a local trail angel for a ride. Checked in at the YMCA (they let us camp on their grounds and shower for free!). Set up the tent and wandered into town. As I was setting up the tent, I took my shirt off for a bit. It was so covered in sweat that it stood up in its original shape all my itself. Yikes! Decided to eat at the Ming Garden Chinese Buffet because the Pizza Hut was only AYCE(all you can eat) salad, not pizza. That was not your average buffet! They had crablegs, sushi, shrimp and mussels in addition to an impressive spread of other foods. We all thoroughly stuffed ourselves (21 plates between 5 people). Chert and I almost ate too much (both of us were sweating pretty good). Only cost $14 per person. Amazing! Here's a video of us waling back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5EaVsrli3g
We strolled back to the campsite and I split off to call home from the payphone in the YMCA lobby. There were kids everywhere running around screaming. Gave me a headache after a while. Now just getting ready for bed. Lots to do tomorrow (shower, library, Post Office, laundry, etc.). Not sure if I will zero or not. Depends on how long the chores take. Apparently the local Kiwanis Club is having a $5 pancake breakfast tomorrow at a church down the street (Jackpot!). Don't want to think about food now, but tomorrow morning, I should be in the mood again.
Photos: http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2491622930104728652fYCBUt
4/13/2009 - 8:35 PM - Bryant Ridge Shelter - 17.4 mi today - 750.4 mi total
Woke up at 7AM and started organizing my food and packing my bag in the hotel room. It all fits in much better now that I have switched out the Ridgerest for the new Thermarest that Dad bought. The hotel breakfast was excellent. I had mini-omelettes, pancakes, sausage, a bagel, yogurt, and orange juice. We definitely got our moneys worth. Finally got packed up and decided to go to the outfitter to buy a pair of Superfeet (aftermarket insoles...they make a huge difference!), but they were closed. My socks weren't quite dry after washing them in the sink last night, so we hung them out the window of the car as we drove around town. That drew a couple funny looks. Went to the coffee shop and decided to go to Walmart to pick up a couple odds and ends. Got a couple dry sacks, carabiners, webbing and more Easter candy. Cadbury Mini-eggs are my guilty pleasure. Finally hit the trail at 11 after Dad made an adjustment to Harley's pack. Said our goodbyes and I started to crank out the miles. Took a picture at Harveys Knob Overlook. Stopped for lunch at Bobblets Gap Shelter (nice privy!). Felt a bit homesick after saying goodbye to Dad. We did have a really good time on the trail together. Hit the trail again at 1:30. Cruised most of the day. Met a couple ladies that thru-hiked in 2007. Got to the shelter at 6:30 and decided to stay. This shelter is massive (built for 20) but I am the only person here. Cooked dinner, pumped water, and got ready for tomorrow. Hoping to do big miles so I can catch up to the "Fearless Five minus one." Set my alarm for 6:30. Hopefully I'll hit the trail at 7. Thermarest is very comfy. Harley is sleeping on the Ridgerest until I can catch up with Pacman (He may switch his out as his has a puncture). Feeling a bit lonely and homesick. Tonight is the first night that I have been alone.
4/14/2009 - 9:20 PM - Johns Hollow Shelter - 26.6 mi today - 777.0 mi total
Alarm went off at 6:30, but there was no way I was getting up. Thermarest was way too comfy. Woke up an hour later when a turkey hunter stopped by the shelter and asked me if I had seen any "gobblers" around (I'm still in my sleeping bag, dude...). A little too early in the morning for me to comprehend that there were more people like him running around in the forest clucking like turkeys with rifles over their shoulders (he demonstrated his turkey cluck). That was pretty good breakfast entertainment. Left the shelter at 8:30. Made sure Harley stayed close to me all day. Foggy and rainy, so no views today. Somehow, Harley caught a chipmunk about 5 miles in. Since then he has been sniffing every downed tree and hole in the ground. Pretty major hill climbing this morning. Had lunch at Thunder Hill Shelter after walking under the Guillotine (a rock that is precariously stuck between two boulders... of course the trail goes right underneath it). Got to Marble Spring at 4:45 and decided to kick it up a notch so I could push mast Matts Creek Shelter to Johns Hollow Shelter. Shins started to hurt on one of the downhill switchbacks. Tried to stretch them out and took some vitamin I. Met a trail maintainer from New Jersey at Matts Creek. I asked him how the trail was to the next shelter and he gave me a detailed description through Burlington, Vermont including where I should resupply along the way. James River had an almost perfect reflection when I crossed it. No wind at all today. Made for humid conditions. Fearless Five are only 9 miles ahead I think. Maybe catch them tomorrow. Probably the next day. Harley is snoring again.
4/15/2009 - 9:45 PM - Salt Log Gap - 28.6 mi today - 805.6 mi total
Got up at 6:45 and was on the trail at 7:30. The section hiker I shared the shelter with packed out my trash. Started with a pretty good climb and again found myself in the fog. Not too many views today. Had lunch at Punchbowl Shelter where I met a work crew from the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club installing a brand new privy. I was the first to use it. Never before have I had my picture taken or hand shaken just for doing my business. (Check out the picture here: http://mikerieleyspics.shutterfly.com/231) I also got some trail magic (an apple). Nice to eat some fresh fruit. In the shelter log, I found that the Fearless Five left me a challenge... I have to get to Pizza Hut in Waynesboro for dinner on Friday night. Little do they know that I am right on their tail and was already planning to get to Waynesboro on Friday. Still is a long hike. Decided to eat dinner early so I wouldn't have to cook in the dark at the end of the day. Had mac and cheese at Brown Mountain Shelter and pumped water too. Major climb from there to Bald Knob. Had a bit of a view on the way up, but not much. Decided to bypass Cow Camp Gap Shelter as it is .6 miles off the trail. Walked for about an hour in the dark with my headlamp before I decided that it was too foggy and wet to continue. Set up the tent in Salt Log Gap and ate some GORP and Mini-eggs to fill my tummy. Now just about to brush my teeth and go to bed. Shooting for Maupin Field Shelter tomorrow (26 miles). Hope to catch the guys there as I think I am only 5 miles behind. Looking forward to better weather.
4/16/2009 - 9:30 PM - Maupin Field Shelter - 26.1 mi today - 831.7 mi total
Alarm went off at 6:15. Caught a nice sunrise at 6:45 and hit the trail at 7:15. Was pretty flat to start. Had a snack at Seeley Woodworth Shelter and met a group that had stayed with the Fearless Five last night. Told me that I was only about an hour behind them. Checked out the view at Spy Rock and ate lunch at the Priest Shelter. Nice spot and beautiful weather. Enjoyed the sunshine. Nice to have a clear day after three days of fog. Big downhill off of the Priest. Got to a trail intersection where I could have cut off 4 miles and potentially got ahead of the other guys. I thought about it for a half second, and then continued on the AT. I guess I am a purist. I'm not going to yellow blaze like that. Once you break the rule once, its much easier to break it again. Had a snack break at Harpers Creek Shelter and met a section hiker named Steps. Big climb to finish the day with some nice views. Took a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDhpMdSMXVM
Rolled into Maupin Field Shelter at sunset to wild applause from Chert, Grizzly Adams, Wally, and Pacman. Glad to see everyone again. We all exchanged stories and got caught up on the latest trail news over dinner. Waynesboro tomorrow. Glad to be back with the crew.
4/17/2009 - 10:15 PM - Waynesboro, VA - 20.8 mi today - 852.5 total
Got up at 7:15 and on the trail by 8:30. Was able to take a late start as we only had 20 miles to hike today. (Can't believe I just said that!) Still was a tough day as the other guys hike at a faster pace than I usually do. Struggled to keep up in the morning. Harley had no problem. Had lunch at Humpback Rocks. Tried to clear out my foodbag to make room for the maildrop I will be getting from the Post Office. Still have a little Easter Candy stashed away. Afternoon flew by. Hiked fast to Paul Wolfe Shelter, took a nice hour long break, and then hiked fast to Rockfish Gap. Arrived at 5:30. Called a local trail angel for a ride. Checked in at the YMCA (they let us camp on their grounds and shower for free!). Set up the tent and wandered into town. As I was setting up the tent, I took my shirt off for a bit. It was so covered in sweat that it stood up in its original shape all my itself. Yikes! Decided to eat at the Ming Garden Chinese Buffet because the Pizza Hut was only AYCE(all you can eat) salad, not pizza. That was not your average buffet! They had crablegs, sushi, shrimp and mussels in addition to an impressive spread of other foods. We all thoroughly stuffed ourselves (21 plates between 5 people). Chert and I almost ate too much (both of us were sweating pretty good). Only cost $14 per person. Amazing! Here's a video of us waling back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5EaVsrli3g
We strolled back to the campsite and I split off to call home from the payphone in the YMCA lobby. There were kids everywhere running around screaming. Gave me a headache after a while. Now just getting ready for bed. Lots to do tomorrow (shower, library, Post Office, laundry, etc.). Not sure if I will zero or not. Depends on how long the chores take. Apparently the local Kiwanis Club is having a $5 pancake breakfast tomorrow at a church down the street (Jackpot!). Don't want to think about food now, but tomorrow morning, I should be in the mood again.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Pearisburg, VA to Black Horse Gap, VA 4/6/2009-4/12/2009
Photos: http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2775015860104728652QtuTZw
4/6/2009 - 9:00 PM - Bailey Gap Shelter - 23.2 mi today - 649.1 mi total
Woke up an had granola. Got all my stuff packed quickly as I wanted to hit the trail. Everyone else was planning a short hike, but I wanted to get some mileage done before I met my Dad. Paid for the room and said my goodbyes. Hit the trail at 9:15. First couple miles were ugly. The trail passes by a chemical company and then a landfill. Not very nice scenery. Pretty good climb out of Pearisburg, then it was flat ridgewalking for miles. Weather was raining off and on most of the day. I had lunch by myself at Rice Field Shelter, and just as I was about to leave, Stumblefoot arrived walking the other direction. She's a really nice lady. She's 66 and has section hiked about half of the AT over the past 16 years. Pretty impressive that she can do 12 miles days regularly. From there to Pine Swamp Branch Shelter was a breeze. Got there at 5:15 and started cooking dinner. Met a couple thruhiking with their dog. They started in early February, but didn't seem to know too many other thruhikers. Ate and decided to push for Bailey Gap Shelter as I still had daylight and it was only 4 more miles. Pumped water on the way. Finished with a 1000 foot climb in the sleet. Got here to find someone in a huge Coleman dome tent in the shelter...obviously not a thru-hiker. We'll see who emerges in the morning. This guy might be a bum. Hope it doesn't get too cold tonight. Supposed to snow tomorrow, so we'll see what happens. Already a thin layer on the ground. Time to snuggle with Harley.
4/7/2009 - 9:00 PM - Sarver Hollow Shelter - 21.0 mi today - 670.1 mi total
Woke up to a winter wonderland. Harley was not impressed. Temp was in the 20's. I wrapped him in the sleeping bag while I packed everything else. The bum complained about having to walk 1.5 miles in the snow down to the road. Pretty sure he was trying to sound like a hiker and wasn't actually planning on moving all day (later confirmed by some of my friends). Hit the trail at 9:15 and was slow going. Was quite rocky most of the morning along the ridgeline. Had lunch at War Spur Shelter after taking four hours to hike 9 miles. Privy had an April 2009 golf magazine! Took a long lunch. Saw Stumblefoot for the third day in a row and she told me that my friends had decided to take a zero in Pearisburg yesterday to avoid the weather. I left a message in the shelter log calling them the "Fearless Five" and then changed it to "Feeble Five." I told them that I was planning on going to the AYCE in Catawba and that they should get moving if they wanted to make it to Southern BBQ night. Got going again at 2:30. Precarious stream crossing to start with. Harley almost fell off the poorly constructed bridge. Pretty long climb back into the snowy hills. Hit Laurel Creek Shelter at 5 and decided to continue against the dog's wishes. There were a lot of fence crossings near the two roads. Walked through a couple farm fields. One had a mule that did not like Harley and chased him around the field. I broke for the fence in a panic and the dog ran in a terrified circle around the mule and met me at the gate. Once we were both safe on the other side of the fence I had a good laugh. It was scary at the time, but hilarious afterwards. Wish I had a video of that! Harley was not amused. Later we saw Keffer Oak which was massive! It's about 300 years old and 18 feet around. Very impressive. Got a video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooAS90WagA4
As we walked the final mile along the ridgeline, it began to snow again. I had to laugh because the sun was shining, but it was still snowing. Kind of made me miss Rochester weather. Got to the shelter at 7:30. Nice and new with a covered eating area. Met two section hikers (Think Tank and Becky) who are getting up early tomorrow. I'll probably pass them at lunch. Dinner was good and now to bed. Hoping tonight won't be as cold as last night for Harley's sake.
4/8/2009 - 7:45PM - Pickle Branch Shelter - 16.1 mi today - 686.2 mi total
Woke up today at sunrise. Think Tank and Becky were already moving. Ate my granola and took my time as I knew it was going to be an easy day. Still managed to hit the trail at 9. A bit rocky to start. The sun started to heat everything up pretty well. Passed Think Tank and Becky on the way to Niday Shelter. Had peanut butter and imitation crabmeat in m wraps. Tasted really good! Tried to eat up most of my lunch supplies so I can pig out at Homeplace AYCE in Catawba tomorrow. Really looking forward to that. After Niday, there was a pretty big climb up to the next ridgeline, then flat for a long time. Passed a monument for Audie Murphy, the most decorated WWII vet who died nearby in a plane crash. Kind of made me realize that even though I am so disconnected from everything, the world is still turning and stuff is happening. I wonder what President Obama did today. There were a ton of leaves on the ridgeline, so I took off Harley's pack and let him roll around in them. Got a video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ7mStDKn-Y
Got to the shelter at 5 PM. Harley was happy with the short mileage. Pumped water and a thruhiking couple arrived (Adam and Melissa). I've leapfrogged them a couple of times, so it was nice to finally get to talk to them. Adam is from Buffalo, so we talked about the Bills and TO. Still can't believe he is on the Bills. Had dinner and got ready for tomorrow. Hoping to get a good jump on the day and get to Catawba in the early afternoon so I can make my phone calls before Dad's arrival. Dragons Tooth is supposed to be pretty perilous. Hope Harley does okay with it. Looking forward to AYCE and seeing Dad.
4/9/2009 - 8:30 PM - Campbell Shelter - 17.0 mi today - 703.2 mi total
Got up at 7 and made breakfast. Everyone was excited for AYCE. Left camp at 8 and began the long ascent to Dragons Tooth. I had heard a lot about it through the shelter logs, so the anticipation was mounting. Each time I saw some rocks, I got my camera ready, only to discover that it was just a dragon molar (this happened about five times). Finally I got there and found that the "tooth" was down a blue-blazed side trail. Checked it out and took some pictures. Guess I had built it up too much in my mind because I wasn't overly impressed with it. Took an early lunch, but didn't eat much (I didn't want to spoil my appetite for AYCE). The descent from Dragons Tooth was really cool. Very steep and quite precarious. There were even a couple rocks that had ladders bolted in. The dog had no problem getting down and jumped from rock to rock. From there I tried to pick up the pace so I could get to town and use the payphone. Reached the parking lot at 2PM and tried to get a ride the the general store one mile down the road. The lady in the parking lot didn't pick up on my subtle hints that I needed a ride. Decided to try hitching, but it was a busy road and I nobody pulled over until I was about two thirds the way there. I was thankful all the same. Got Harley some water while I ate a grilled cheese, Mountain Dew, and ice cream sandwich to hold me over until the restaurant opened at 4. Called Dad and found to my dismay that he was much closer than expected and would be ready to hit the trail shortly after 4PM. After a 10 hour car ride, he wasn't really in the mood to stuff himself with Southern BBQ. He told me to go ahead anyways, but the timing didn't work out. At 4:15, the shuttle rolled up and took me back to the trailhead, away from the sweet smells of Homeplace. Glen and Pam (two of my Dad's friends) were getting their packs on as we rolled back into the parking lot. Hit the trail again at 4:30 after almost getting run over crossing the road. Glen dropped his water bottle in the road and dad left his in the car. Regrouped at the shelter one mile down the trail. Dad didn't have any water and I hadn't pumped since this morning, so we shared what little I had left. Decided to check out the view from McAfee Knob as the forecast for tomorrow looked grim. The view was absolutely amazing. Probably the best of the trip so far. I got a video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcQMDLxS_No
Zak (another thruhiker) caught up with us there and warned me that Chert, Grizzly, Wally and Pacman were on the hunt for me as they had taken my "Feeble Five" statement as a challenge. They had done mega miles to catch up and meet me for dinner, and of course I was on the trail instead of at the restaurant! I feel bad that I missed them, and I am sure they will give me crap for it tomorrow when they do catch up. The view did make up for the lack of BBQ. Got to Campbell Shelter and set up the tents. Pumped water (double dose) and cooked dinner in the dark. Dad accidently grabbed the wrong dinners (singles instead of doubles) so we had to cook dinner twice. We made the best of it and enjoyed Mum's home cooking (peanut butter chicken for Dad and Keelbassa stir fry for me... YUM!). Mum's dinners are getting better every time. She should start a business. Even so, I wish that my belly was more full. Hope the weather doesn't turn sour tomorrow.
4/10/2009 - 8:00 PM - Hay Rock, Tinker Ridge - 11.4 mi today - 714.6 mi total
Got up at 7 and started making breakfast. Dad wanted oatmeal, so I got the water boiling for him. He also bummed some coffee off of Glen. Glen hit the trail first, Pam followed shortly. Dad and I took our time packing up. It was nice to take the day slowly and not rush anywhere. About 2 miles before we stopped for lunch, Grizzly, Chert, Wally and Pacman caught us and started to roast me. I got a lot of crap for laying down a challenge and then standing them up at the restaurant. They made sure to describe just how good that dinner tasted. I gave them my box of Cheez-its to appease them. Laughs all around. Had some great views from Tinker Cliffs. Ate lunch at Lamberts Meadow Shelter with everyone. Started to rain on and off. Dad and I pumped water and Pam treated her big blisters. Got going again around 2 after a long filling lunch. Took it easy in the afternoon also. Found a pretty good spot to camp under a huge rock about 4 miles before Daleville. Glen had to set up his hammock in a windy spot, but our tents were well protected under the rock. May have thunderstorms tonight. Mixed two different pastas for dinner, and it turned out really well. Mum's food is getting better by the day. Dad lent me his ipod so I listened to three of my favorite songs in the hopes that the stupid "CC's Cat" song would be banished forever. It's a curse! Looking forward to eating by the thruway tomorrow. Great day on the trail with Papa Jolly today. Hope tomorrow is just as good.
4/11/2009 - 8:00 PM - Fullhardt Knob Shelter - 9.0 mi today - 723.6 mi total
Got up at 7 to a nice sunrise. Clouds were cool colors. Glen was already packed up by the time Dad and I got out of our sleeping bags. Guess he had a windy night. I left my tent door open so I could watch the lightning. The rock protected me well all night. Had breakfast and slowly descended into town. Got to the car around 11 and found everyone else in the parking lot. Glen and Pam had already chowed down on Wendy's and were moving on to Bojangles. Chert, Grizzly, Wally, and Pacman had hit the outfitters and then went to Krogers for food resupply. At one point we had the car surrounded with 8 backpacks as everyone was off doing their errands. I sorted through the food boxes while Dad went to get coffee. The coffee shop aalso filled up our water bladders with ice water. Once everyone had done all the town chores and I had taken care of Dad's micro-blister, it was food time. Glen and Pam were set, so they hit the trail again. The rest of us headed to the Mexican restaurant and Dad treated us all to a great lunch. It was the first time the Brits had tried Mexican. The dessert was amazing. Some kind of fried cheesecake creation (xango?). After lunch, Dad hit the trail while I shuttled the guys to Dollar General and the Post Office. Hit the trail again at 2:45. Easy 5 miles to the shelter, but my left foot was hurting more. Felt like it was falling asleep, so maybe I just have the laces done up too tight. Will adjust tomorrow. Got a nice fire going (sitting by the coals now) and cooked dinner. Another great day on the trail. Hoping the weather holds tomorrow too. PLanning to camp near the Blue Ridge Parkway for an easy pick-up on Monday morning. Really enjoying my hike with Dad, Glen, and Pam.
4-12-2009 - 11:30 PM - Comfort Inn - 9.4 mi today - 733.0 mi total
Woke up at sunrise to temps in the high teens. Got up and made oatmeal for breakfast. The fire coals were still hot, but it was too much effort to get them going again. Hit the trail around 9 and had a nice easy walk to start. First hour was a breeze. The closer we got to lunch, the more steep the hills became. Dad had some trouble with his knees, but managed to push through it. Got to Wilson Creek Shelter for lunch around noon. I went down the hill to pump water while Dad took care of his knees and played around with his layering system. Rehydrated a hummus mix for lunch and ate it with rice crackers. Yum! Also finished up some jerky and pepperoni. It was a nice little cocktail party. Dad wrote in the shelter log, and after a nice long two hour lunch, we pushed on. At Black Horse Gap, the trail meets the Blue Ridge Parkway, which it parallels for the next 200 miles. At the Taylors Mountain Overlook, we decided to call it quits. It was only about 4:00, so instead of camping in the woods, we called a local trail angel named Del for a shuttle back to where the car was parked in Daleville. He was a really nice guy, though I had trouble understanding what he was saying through his accent. I did learn that a couple of my thru-hiking friends have unfortunately fallen off the trail. Aparently SpiritFingers is battling some ort of illness that has taken him off the trail. I hope he is feeling better and is able to continue his hike. Also, one of the guys I met in Damascus (Splinter) has developed a staph infection and is headed home to recover. I send my best to both of those guys, as well as Steamboat, who should hopefully be returning to the trail soon. When we got to the parking lot, we decided on Wendy's for dinner. Dad and I had a triple stack cheeseburger each with a large order of fries. MMMMM that went down well. After a filling dinner, we decided that we would rather spend a night in a motel than camp on the ridgeline, so we headed to Comfort Inn and paid the "hiker-corporate" rate of $40 for a double room. After playing around with my gear, uploading my photos and videos, I am finally ready for bed. Be sure to check out my Webshots account as all of my pictures have been uploaded. I have also inserted the new videos into my older blog entries. Tomorrow, Harley and I will hit the trail with an overflowing food bag as Dad, Glen, and Pam head back to Rochester. This has been a nice change of pace, but I am ready to get back on the saddle and crank out some miles. I am hoping to get to Waynesboro by Friday or Saturday. Look for my next update then.
4/6/2009 - 9:00 PM - Bailey Gap Shelter - 23.2 mi today - 649.1 mi total
Woke up an had granola. Got all my stuff packed quickly as I wanted to hit the trail. Everyone else was planning a short hike, but I wanted to get some mileage done before I met my Dad. Paid for the room and said my goodbyes. Hit the trail at 9:15. First couple miles were ugly. The trail passes by a chemical company and then a landfill. Not very nice scenery. Pretty good climb out of Pearisburg, then it was flat ridgewalking for miles. Weather was raining off and on most of the day. I had lunch by myself at Rice Field Shelter, and just as I was about to leave, Stumblefoot arrived walking the other direction. She's a really nice lady. She's 66 and has section hiked about half of the AT over the past 16 years. Pretty impressive that she can do 12 miles days regularly. From there to Pine Swamp Branch Shelter was a breeze. Got there at 5:15 and started cooking dinner. Met a couple thruhiking with their dog. They started in early February, but didn't seem to know too many other thruhikers. Ate and decided to push for Bailey Gap Shelter as I still had daylight and it was only 4 more miles. Pumped water on the way. Finished with a 1000 foot climb in the sleet. Got here to find someone in a huge Coleman dome tent in the shelter...obviously not a thru-hiker. We'll see who emerges in the morning. This guy might be a bum. Hope it doesn't get too cold tonight. Supposed to snow tomorrow, so we'll see what happens. Already a thin layer on the ground. Time to snuggle with Harley.
4/7/2009 - 9:00 PM - Sarver Hollow Shelter - 21.0 mi today - 670.1 mi total
Woke up to a winter wonderland. Harley was not impressed. Temp was in the 20's. I wrapped him in the sleeping bag while I packed everything else. The bum complained about having to walk 1.5 miles in the snow down to the road. Pretty sure he was trying to sound like a hiker and wasn't actually planning on moving all day (later confirmed by some of my friends). Hit the trail at 9:15 and was slow going. Was quite rocky most of the morning along the ridgeline. Had lunch at War Spur Shelter after taking four hours to hike 9 miles. Privy had an April 2009 golf magazine! Took a long lunch. Saw Stumblefoot for the third day in a row and she told me that my friends had decided to take a zero in Pearisburg yesterday to avoid the weather. I left a message in the shelter log calling them the "Fearless Five" and then changed it to "Feeble Five." I told them that I was planning on going to the AYCE in Catawba and that they should get moving if they wanted to make it to Southern BBQ night. Got going again at 2:30. Precarious stream crossing to start with. Harley almost fell off the poorly constructed bridge. Pretty long climb back into the snowy hills. Hit Laurel Creek Shelter at 5 and decided to continue against the dog's wishes. There were a lot of fence crossings near the two roads. Walked through a couple farm fields. One had a mule that did not like Harley and chased him around the field. I broke for the fence in a panic and the dog ran in a terrified circle around the mule and met me at the gate. Once we were both safe on the other side of the fence I had a good laugh. It was scary at the time, but hilarious afterwards. Wish I had a video of that! Harley was not amused. Later we saw Keffer Oak which was massive! It's about 300 years old and 18 feet around. Very impressive. Got a video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooAS90WagA4
As we walked the final mile along the ridgeline, it began to snow again. I had to laugh because the sun was shining, but it was still snowing. Kind of made me miss Rochester weather. Got to the shelter at 7:30. Nice and new with a covered eating area. Met two section hikers (Think Tank and Becky) who are getting up early tomorrow. I'll probably pass them at lunch. Dinner was good and now to bed. Hoping tonight won't be as cold as last night for Harley's sake.
4/8/2009 - 7:45PM - Pickle Branch Shelter - 16.1 mi today - 686.2 mi total
Woke up today at sunrise. Think Tank and Becky were already moving. Ate my granola and took my time as I knew it was going to be an easy day. Still managed to hit the trail at 9. A bit rocky to start. The sun started to heat everything up pretty well. Passed Think Tank and Becky on the way to Niday Shelter. Had peanut butter and imitation crabmeat in m wraps. Tasted really good! Tried to eat up most of my lunch supplies so I can pig out at Homeplace AYCE in Catawba tomorrow. Really looking forward to that. After Niday, there was a pretty big climb up to the next ridgeline, then flat for a long time. Passed a monument for Audie Murphy, the most decorated WWII vet who died nearby in a plane crash. Kind of made me realize that even though I am so disconnected from everything, the world is still turning and stuff is happening. I wonder what President Obama did today. There were a ton of leaves on the ridgeline, so I took off Harley's pack and let him roll around in them. Got a video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ7mStDKn-Y
Got to the shelter at 5 PM. Harley was happy with the short mileage. Pumped water and a thruhiking couple arrived (Adam and Melissa). I've leapfrogged them a couple of times, so it was nice to finally get to talk to them. Adam is from Buffalo, so we talked about the Bills and TO. Still can't believe he is on the Bills. Had dinner and got ready for tomorrow. Hoping to get a good jump on the day and get to Catawba in the early afternoon so I can make my phone calls before Dad's arrival. Dragons Tooth is supposed to be pretty perilous. Hope Harley does okay with it. Looking forward to AYCE and seeing Dad.
4/9/2009 - 8:30 PM - Campbell Shelter - 17.0 mi today - 703.2 mi total
Got up at 7 and made breakfast. Everyone was excited for AYCE. Left camp at 8 and began the long ascent to Dragons Tooth. I had heard a lot about it through the shelter logs, so the anticipation was mounting. Each time I saw some rocks, I got my camera ready, only to discover that it was just a dragon molar (this happened about five times). Finally I got there and found that the "tooth" was down a blue-blazed side trail. Checked it out and took some pictures. Guess I had built it up too much in my mind because I wasn't overly impressed with it. Took an early lunch, but didn't eat much (I didn't want to spoil my appetite for AYCE). The descent from Dragons Tooth was really cool. Very steep and quite precarious. There were even a couple rocks that had ladders bolted in. The dog had no problem getting down and jumped from rock to rock. From there I tried to pick up the pace so I could get to town and use the payphone. Reached the parking lot at 2PM and tried to get a ride the the general store one mile down the road. The lady in the parking lot didn't pick up on my subtle hints that I needed a ride. Decided to try hitching, but it was a busy road and I nobody pulled over until I was about two thirds the way there. I was thankful all the same. Got Harley some water while I ate a grilled cheese, Mountain Dew, and ice cream sandwich to hold me over until the restaurant opened at 4. Called Dad and found to my dismay that he was much closer than expected and would be ready to hit the trail shortly after 4PM. After a 10 hour car ride, he wasn't really in the mood to stuff himself with Southern BBQ. He told me to go ahead anyways, but the timing didn't work out. At 4:15, the shuttle rolled up and took me back to the trailhead, away from the sweet smells of Homeplace. Glen and Pam (two of my Dad's friends) were getting their packs on as we rolled back into the parking lot. Hit the trail again at 4:30 after almost getting run over crossing the road. Glen dropped his water bottle in the road and dad left his in the car. Regrouped at the shelter one mile down the trail. Dad didn't have any water and I hadn't pumped since this morning, so we shared what little I had left. Decided to check out the view from McAfee Knob as the forecast for tomorrow looked grim. The view was absolutely amazing. Probably the best of the trip so far. I got a video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcQMDLxS_No
Zak (another thruhiker) caught up with us there and warned me that Chert, Grizzly, Wally and Pacman were on the hunt for me as they had taken my "Feeble Five" statement as a challenge. They had done mega miles to catch up and meet me for dinner, and of course I was on the trail instead of at the restaurant! I feel bad that I missed them, and I am sure they will give me crap for it tomorrow when they do catch up. The view did make up for the lack of BBQ. Got to Campbell Shelter and set up the tents. Pumped water (double dose) and cooked dinner in the dark. Dad accidently grabbed the wrong dinners (singles instead of doubles) so we had to cook dinner twice. We made the best of it and enjoyed Mum's home cooking (peanut butter chicken for Dad and Keelbassa stir fry for me... YUM!). Mum's dinners are getting better every time. She should start a business. Even so, I wish that my belly was more full. Hope the weather doesn't turn sour tomorrow.
4/10/2009 - 8:00 PM - Hay Rock, Tinker Ridge - 11.4 mi today - 714.6 mi total
Got up at 7 and started making breakfast. Dad wanted oatmeal, so I got the water boiling for him. He also bummed some coffee off of Glen. Glen hit the trail first, Pam followed shortly. Dad and I took our time packing up. It was nice to take the day slowly and not rush anywhere. About 2 miles before we stopped for lunch, Grizzly, Chert, Wally and Pacman caught us and started to roast me. I got a lot of crap for laying down a challenge and then standing them up at the restaurant. They made sure to describe just how good that dinner tasted. I gave them my box of Cheez-its to appease them. Laughs all around. Had some great views from Tinker Cliffs. Ate lunch at Lamberts Meadow Shelter with everyone. Started to rain on and off. Dad and I pumped water and Pam treated her big blisters. Got going again around 2 after a long filling lunch. Took it easy in the afternoon also. Found a pretty good spot to camp under a huge rock about 4 miles before Daleville. Glen had to set up his hammock in a windy spot, but our tents were well protected under the rock. May have thunderstorms tonight. Mixed two different pastas for dinner, and it turned out really well. Mum's food is getting better by the day. Dad lent me his ipod so I listened to three of my favorite songs in the hopes that the stupid "CC's Cat" song would be banished forever. It's a curse! Looking forward to eating by the thruway tomorrow. Great day on the trail with Papa Jolly today. Hope tomorrow is just as good.
4/11/2009 - 8:00 PM - Fullhardt Knob Shelter - 9.0 mi today - 723.6 mi total
Got up at 7 to a nice sunrise. Clouds were cool colors. Glen was already packed up by the time Dad and I got out of our sleeping bags. Guess he had a windy night. I left my tent door open so I could watch the lightning. The rock protected me well all night. Had breakfast and slowly descended into town. Got to the car around 11 and found everyone else in the parking lot. Glen and Pam had already chowed down on Wendy's and were moving on to Bojangles. Chert, Grizzly, Wally, and Pacman had hit the outfitters and then went to Krogers for food resupply. At one point we had the car surrounded with 8 backpacks as everyone was off doing their errands. I sorted through the food boxes while Dad went to get coffee. The coffee shop aalso filled up our water bladders with ice water. Once everyone had done all the town chores and I had taken care of Dad's micro-blister, it was food time. Glen and Pam were set, so they hit the trail again. The rest of us headed to the Mexican restaurant and Dad treated us all to a great lunch. It was the first time the Brits had tried Mexican. The dessert was amazing. Some kind of fried cheesecake creation (xango?). After lunch, Dad hit the trail while I shuttled the guys to Dollar General and the Post Office. Hit the trail again at 2:45. Easy 5 miles to the shelter, but my left foot was hurting more. Felt like it was falling asleep, so maybe I just have the laces done up too tight. Will adjust tomorrow. Got a nice fire going (sitting by the coals now) and cooked dinner. Another great day on the trail. Hoping the weather holds tomorrow too. PLanning to camp near the Blue Ridge Parkway for an easy pick-up on Monday morning. Really enjoying my hike with Dad, Glen, and Pam.
4-12-2009 - 11:30 PM - Comfort Inn - 9.4 mi today - 733.0 mi total
Woke up at sunrise to temps in the high teens. Got up and made oatmeal for breakfast. The fire coals were still hot, but it was too much effort to get them going again. Hit the trail around 9 and had a nice easy walk to start. First hour was a breeze. The closer we got to lunch, the more steep the hills became. Dad had some trouble with his knees, but managed to push through it. Got to Wilson Creek Shelter for lunch around noon. I went down the hill to pump water while Dad took care of his knees and played around with his layering system. Rehydrated a hummus mix for lunch and ate it with rice crackers. Yum! Also finished up some jerky and pepperoni. It was a nice little cocktail party. Dad wrote in the shelter log, and after a nice long two hour lunch, we pushed on. At Black Horse Gap, the trail meets the Blue Ridge Parkway, which it parallels for the next 200 miles. At the Taylors Mountain Overlook, we decided to call it quits. It was only about 4:00, so instead of camping in the woods, we called a local trail angel named Del for a shuttle back to where the car was parked in Daleville. He was a really nice guy, though I had trouble understanding what he was saying through his accent. I did learn that a couple of my thru-hiking friends have unfortunately fallen off the trail. Aparently SpiritFingers is battling some ort of illness that has taken him off the trail. I hope he is feeling better and is able to continue his hike. Also, one of the guys I met in Damascus (Splinter) has developed a staph infection and is headed home to recover. I send my best to both of those guys, as well as Steamboat, who should hopefully be returning to the trail soon. When we got to the parking lot, we decided on Wendy's for dinner. Dad and I had a triple stack cheeseburger each with a large order of fries. MMMMM that went down well. After a filling dinner, we decided that we would rather spend a night in a motel than camp on the ridgeline, so we headed to Comfort Inn and paid the "hiker-corporate" rate of $40 for a double room. After playing around with my gear, uploading my photos and videos, I am finally ready for bed. Be sure to check out my Webshots account as all of my pictures have been uploaded. I have also inserted the new videos into my older blog entries. Tomorrow, Harley and I will hit the trail with an overflowing food bag as Dad, Glen, and Pam head back to Rochester. This has been a nice change of pace, but I am ready to get back on the saddle and crank out some miles. I am hoping to get to Waynesboro by Friday or Saturday. Look for my next update then.
Atkins, VA to Pearisburg, VA 4/2/2009-4/5/2009
Photos: http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2455432780104728652bSQWdZ
4/2/2009 - 9:00PM - Chesnut Knob Shelter - 23.0 mi today - 561.3 mi total
Woke up to the smell of bacon at 7 AM. Breakfast was excellent! We ate all the French toast, eggs, bacon, and hash browns we could take. Finished it off with chocolate cake. After breakfast, it was time to take care of Harley and pack my bag. Loaded up the truck and van and hit the trail at 9:15. Cloudy, but dry to start. That changed. It soon got foggy and wet. Pretty boring walk due to the crappy weather. Quite hilly (for Virginia) most of the way. Harley managed to climb over one of the fence crossings. He couldn't repeat the feat, so it must have been beginners luck. Lunch at Knot Maul Branch Shelter. Tried to eat a lot. Got pretty wet during the last 9 miles. Had to pump water a mile before the shelter because there is no water source here. The pond water clogged my filter and made it hard to pump. This shelter is fully enclosed as it used to be a firewarden's cabin. I really appreciate that as it looks like we are in for a big storm. Weather is supposed to be bad tomorrow as well. Shame because this shelter is supposed to have a beautiful view. The shelter I am heading for tomorrow only sleeps 6, and it looks like we'll have 7. Need to get there early to claim a spot. Not looking forward to the rain. Harley is snoring loud tonight.
4/3/2009 - 8:30 PM - Helveys Mill Shelter - 24.0 mi today - 585.3 mi total
Last night was the worst on the trail by far. If that wasn't rock bottom then I don't want to know what is. I woke up at one point to go to the bathroom. When I came back, I decided to move to the concrete floor because I was feeling cramped on the overcrowded sleeping platform. Good thing I did, because not too long afterwards, I awoke to the sound and smell of Harley vomiting on the side of my sleeping bag six inches from my face. To be honest, it was probably my fault. Rambunny gave me some bacon and leftover bacon grease to mix in with his food yesterday morning. I knew I shouldn't have given it to him, but I felt bad for making him sleep out in the barn on his own all night. I'm sure that is what threw his digestive system for a loop. No more people food. Period. So I spent about a half hour in the dark cleaning up the mess and comforting the dog. I used my entire 10 pack of tissues and my green bandanna. When I finally got back to bed, I tried to put things in perspective and thought to myself "At least I have a roof over my head and I am warm and dry." Ten minutes later, just as I am about to drift off to sleep, the storm picks up and we discover that the roof is leaky, and of course it starts to drip on my face. I moved for the third time, and finally got some sleep. Got out of bed at 7 and we all laughed about the eventful evening. It was really foggy and windy out, so much so that the pivy had a major updraft. If you timed it wrong, then you had to duck so the TP didn't come back to hit you in the face. Trail life is certainly entertaining. Eventually, I dragged myself out of the shelter and headed North. I was feeling sluggish due to the lack of sleep and sore legs. Usually, I speed up after the first hour, but not today. It took me almost five hours to walk ten miles. I was really feeling down about the trail. It certainly is a roller coaster of emotion. The dog did his best to cheer me up. I had a big lunch and gave myself a peptalk. Hit the trail again at 2:30 with a fresh outlook. Felt much better and was finally able to get up to speed. Crossed over yet another Brushy Mountain. Whoever is on the naming committee in this area needs to get more creative. I have climbed 5 "Brushy Mountains" in 3 days. Found a trash can at Laurel Creek and bid farewell to my green bandanna and Harley's mess (Leave No Trace!). Also found an empty trail magic cooler. Bummer. From there it was a very windy walk. Crossing I-77 was not fun. You walk along a road for over a mile. Finally got to the shelter at 7:30 and was glad to meet up with my friends. Today started out terribly, but I was able to dig deep and turn it into something. I'm proud of myself and Harley for pushing so far today. Hopefully he feels better and tonight will be without incident. The sleeping bag doesn't smell as bad as I thought it would, but I am planning on washing it in Pearisburg.
4/4/2009 - 8:30 PM - Wapiti Shelter - 24.0 mi today - 609.3 mi total
Woke up to a great sunrise. Didn't even have to get out of my sleeping bag. Ate my granola and fed the dog. He didn't quite have his appetite back yet. Pretty easy walk in the morning. Made it to Jenny Knob Shelter by noon. Had some pretty intense food fantasies along the way (Garbage plates and Dinosaur BBQ and french bread with slices of brie cheese...). I can't remember the last time I had fresh bread. Pumped water after lunch and hit the trail again. There was a grocery store a half mile away from the trail. I decided it was worth the extra mile roundtrip. Almost got a ride, but the lady had pet allergies. Bought two grilled cheese sandwiches, a coke, York Peppermint Patty, and beer for dinner. That was a nice treat. Sailed through the last 8 miles and met up with Grizzly, Chert, Wally, Pacman, and Spirit Fingers at the shelter. Weather was great today which made for fast happy hiking. Made chili for dinner (yum) and got into bed. Harley had his appetite back. Hitting Pearisburg tomorrow and looking forward to AYCE Chinese. We're going to put them out of business!
4/5/2009 - 11:30 PM - Rendezvous Motel - 16.6 mi today - 625.9 mi total
Woke up and had granola for breakfast. Harley was feeling especially lazy this morning. Last night I woke up to find myself sharing the pillow with him and getting a full blast of dogbreath every time he exhaled. He also went for a midnight stroll and came back 5 minutes later. There was no way that I was going to get out of my bag to follow him. He's a funny dog. Foot was hurting a bit to begin. Had a pretty good climb to start with. Got some excellent views from the ridgeline. Weather was wonderful (sunny and 70's). Had lunch at Doc's Knob Shelter with everyone. Descent into Pearisburg was major. Lots of switchbacks. There were a lot of day and section hikers out due to the nice weekend weather. One of them kept talking to me for about ten minutes, and then when we saw another hiker approaching, he complained about how its so hard to find "peace and tranquility" out here with so many people on the trail! Got to the motel, and they agreed to let all six of us stay in one room with two double beds! It will only cost $9 a person. Showered and watched the weather channel...not good. Once everyone was ready, we decided to hit up the Chinese place. Luckily, a section hiker named Stumblefoot let us borrow her car so we didn't have to walk a mile there. I drove for the first time in six weeks. I love driving, so it was a nice treat. Had 3 heaped plates of Chinese plus a plate of desert. Only cost $9. Amazing! Afterwards, we went to Food Lion and Dollar General to resupply. I bought a pack of fun size Snickers to give to Stumblefoot as a thank you. Started the laundry and watched some late night tv. I called home and found out that my SPOT hadn't sent up a message in two days. Mom was panicking and about to call the police. I put in new batteries, so we should be all set to Harpers Ferry. Looks like I will meet Dad in Catawba on Thursday. There is an AYCE place there that I hope to hit up while I wait for him to arrive. Also found out that Steamboat is off the trail for two weeks because of his shin injury. Hope he is feeling better. Everyone was bummed to hear that. It can happen to anyone. I'll try to listen to my body more from here on. No sense in risking the hike for a couple extra miles.
4/2/2009 - 9:00PM - Chesnut Knob Shelter - 23.0 mi today - 561.3 mi total
Woke up to the smell of bacon at 7 AM. Breakfast was excellent! We ate all the French toast, eggs, bacon, and hash browns we could take. Finished it off with chocolate cake. After breakfast, it was time to take care of Harley and pack my bag. Loaded up the truck and van and hit the trail at 9:15. Cloudy, but dry to start. That changed. It soon got foggy and wet. Pretty boring walk due to the crappy weather. Quite hilly (for Virginia) most of the way. Harley managed to climb over one of the fence crossings. He couldn't repeat the feat, so it must have been beginners luck. Lunch at Knot Maul Branch Shelter. Tried to eat a lot. Got pretty wet during the last 9 miles. Had to pump water a mile before the shelter because there is no water source here. The pond water clogged my filter and made it hard to pump. This shelter is fully enclosed as it used to be a firewarden's cabin. I really appreciate that as it looks like we are in for a big storm. Weather is supposed to be bad tomorrow as well. Shame because this shelter is supposed to have a beautiful view. The shelter I am heading for tomorrow only sleeps 6, and it looks like we'll have 7. Need to get there early to claim a spot. Not looking forward to the rain. Harley is snoring loud tonight.
4/3/2009 - 8:30 PM - Helveys Mill Shelter - 24.0 mi today - 585.3 mi total
Last night was the worst on the trail by far. If that wasn't rock bottom then I don't want to know what is. I woke up at one point to go to the bathroom. When I came back, I decided to move to the concrete floor because I was feeling cramped on the overcrowded sleeping platform. Good thing I did, because not too long afterwards, I awoke to the sound and smell of Harley vomiting on the side of my sleeping bag six inches from my face. To be honest, it was probably my fault. Rambunny gave me some bacon and leftover bacon grease to mix in with his food yesterday morning. I knew I shouldn't have given it to him, but I felt bad for making him sleep out in the barn on his own all night. I'm sure that is what threw his digestive system for a loop. No more people food. Period. So I spent about a half hour in the dark cleaning up the mess and comforting the dog. I used my entire 10 pack of tissues and my green bandanna. When I finally got back to bed, I tried to put things in perspective and thought to myself "At least I have a roof over my head and I am warm and dry." Ten minutes later, just as I am about to drift off to sleep, the storm picks up and we discover that the roof is leaky, and of course it starts to drip on my face. I moved for the third time, and finally got some sleep. Got out of bed at 7 and we all laughed about the eventful evening. It was really foggy and windy out, so much so that the pivy had a major updraft. If you timed it wrong, then you had to duck so the TP didn't come back to hit you in the face. Trail life is certainly entertaining. Eventually, I dragged myself out of the shelter and headed North. I was feeling sluggish due to the lack of sleep and sore legs. Usually, I speed up after the first hour, but not today. It took me almost five hours to walk ten miles. I was really feeling down about the trail. It certainly is a roller coaster of emotion. The dog did his best to cheer me up. I had a big lunch and gave myself a peptalk. Hit the trail again at 2:30 with a fresh outlook. Felt much better and was finally able to get up to speed. Crossed over yet another Brushy Mountain. Whoever is on the naming committee in this area needs to get more creative. I have climbed 5 "Brushy Mountains" in 3 days. Found a trash can at Laurel Creek and bid farewell to my green bandanna and Harley's mess (Leave No Trace!). Also found an empty trail magic cooler. Bummer. From there it was a very windy walk. Crossing I-77 was not fun. You walk along a road for over a mile. Finally got to the shelter at 7:30 and was glad to meet up with my friends. Today started out terribly, but I was able to dig deep and turn it into something. I'm proud of myself and Harley for pushing so far today. Hopefully he feels better and tonight will be without incident. The sleeping bag doesn't smell as bad as I thought it would, but I am planning on washing it in Pearisburg.
4/4/2009 - 8:30 PM - Wapiti Shelter - 24.0 mi today - 609.3 mi total
Woke up to a great sunrise. Didn't even have to get out of my sleeping bag. Ate my granola and fed the dog. He didn't quite have his appetite back yet. Pretty easy walk in the morning. Made it to Jenny Knob Shelter by noon. Had some pretty intense food fantasies along the way (Garbage plates and Dinosaur BBQ and french bread with slices of brie cheese...). I can't remember the last time I had fresh bread. Pumped water after lunch and hit the trail again. There was a grocery store a half mile away from the trail. I decided it was worth the extra mile roundtrip. Almost got a ride, but the lady had pet allergies. Bought two grilled cheese sandwiches, a coke, York Peppermint Patty, and beer for dinner. That was a nice treat. Sailed through the last 8 miles and met up with Grizzly, Chert, Wally, Pacman, and Spirit Fingers at the shelter. Weather was great today which made for fast happy hiking. Made chili for dinner (yum) and got into bed. Harley had his appetite back. Hitting Pearisburg tomorrow and looking forward to AYCE Chinese. We're going to put them out of business!
4/5/2009 - 11:30 PM - Rendezvous Motel - 16.6 mi today - 625.9 mi total
Woke up and had granola for breakfast. Harley was feeling especially lazy this morning. Last night I woke up to find myself sharing the pillow with him and getting a full blast of dogbreath every time he exhaled. He also went for a midnight stroll and came back 5 minutes later. There was no way that I was going to get out of my bag to follow him. He's a funny dog. Foot was hurting a bit to begin. Had a pretty good climb to start with. Got some excellent views from the ridgeline. Weather was wonderful (sunny and 70's). Had lunch at Doc's Knob Shelter with everyone. Descent into Pearisburg was major. Lots of switchbacks. There were a lot of day and section hikers out due to the nice weekend weather. One of them kept talking to me for about ten minutes, and then when we saw another hiker approaching, he complained about how its so hard to find "peace and tranquility" out here with so many people on the trail! Got to the motel, and they agreed to let all six of us stay in one room with two double beds! It will only cost $9 a person. Showered and watched the weather channel...not good. Once everyone was ready, we decided to hit up the Chinese place. Luckily, a section hiker named Stumblefoot let us borrow her car so we didn't have to walk a mile there. I drove for the first time in six weeks. I love driving, so it was a nice treat. Had 3 heaped plates of Chinese plus a plate of desert. Only cost $9. Amazing! Afterwards, we went to Food Lion and Dollar General to resupply. I bought a pack of fun size Snickers to give to Stumblefoot as a thank you. Started the laundry and watched some late night tv. I called home and found out that my SPOT hadn't sent up a message in two days. Mom was panicking and about to call the police. I put in new batteries, so we should be all set to Harpers Ferry. Looks like I will meet Dad in Catawba on Thursday. There is an AYCE place there that I hope to hit up while I wait for him to arrive. Also found out that Steamboat is off the trail for two weeks because of his shin injury. Hope he is feeling better. Everyone was bummed to hear that. It can happen to anyone. I'll try to listen to my body more from here on. No sense in risking the hike for a couple extra miles.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Update from Catawba VA 4/9/09
Hello!
Unfortunately I have not been able to access a computer recently, and do not have time now to update my blog. Just wanted to let you all know that I am happy and healthy on the AT! My dad and some friends are joining me to hike for the next couple of days which should be fun, and then I am off to Waynesboro where I will hopefully get the chance to catch up with my blog and add some more pictures to the album. Thanks for following me and supporting my journey, happy reading!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Damascus, VA to Atkins, VA 3/28/2009-4/1/2009
Photos: http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2793970840104728652VnLVGR
3/28/2009 - 11:30 PM - Damascus, VA - 0 mi today - 463.0 mi total
Busy zero day! Woke up at 8:30 and had leftover pizza for breakfast. Hit the Post Office at 9:00 and got my bounce box. Sent it on to Pearisburg. Next went to the library to update the blog. Ran out of time and the librarian wouldn't let me back on even though there was nobody waiting. (Maybe I should have chatted her up and mentioned that my Mum works at a library!) Did the laundry and called home. Got a milkshake and went back to the hostel. Hung on the porch with everyone until dinner time. Two other thruhikers came in (Splinter and Endor). Nice guys. Had dinner at Fatty's Diner. One pound burger was filling! Some local firefighter attempted the five pound burger challenge, but only ate about half of it. I bet a thru-hiker completes the challenge in the not so distant future. Had desert back at the hostel and hung on the porch some more. Going to bed now. Looking forward to hitting the trail again. Harley is ready to go too. He's not a big fan of towns.
3/29/2009 - 7:00 PM - Lost Mountain Shelter - 15.8 mi today - 478.8 mi total
Got up at 8 this morning. Let Harley out and gave him breakfast. He did not want to spend anymore time in town. He wanted to get back on the trail and off the leash. Took my time packing my stuff and chatting with Steamboat. He decided o take another zero in Damascus as his shin is killing him. The medical center was closed for the weekend, so I think he is going to drop by there on Monday morning. Hope he is feeling better. Went to the only restaurant open on a Sunday morning (all the other ones were closed for church). It was pretty good. Got an omellette and orange juice. Harley had to stay outside so he pouted and gave me dirty looks through the window. Finally hit the trail around 10:45 with Wally, Pacman, and Spirit Fingers. Said goodbye to Steamboat, but I am sure that I will see him soon (according to his SPOT, he is back on the trail!) It's going to be wierd to not hike with him for a while. We've shared a shelter almost every night since Springer. Still, I have to hike my own hike, and that means that it is time for Harley and I to move on. Started out slowly. Pack felt heavy with 5 days of food. The trail follows the Virginia Creeper Trail (an old railway line) for a while, but then diverges and runs parallel through the woods for about ten miles. It was quite frustrating to hike up and down the hills and look to the right and see a nice well graded, gently sloped trail meandering by the river. The switchbacks in Virginia seem very gradual compared to the three previous states. Had lunch at Saunders Shelter with Wally, Pacman, and Spiritfingers. Tried honey and tortilla. Yum! Got cold and moved on. Trail was pretty easy. Follows the Virginia Creeper for a bit which was a nice break. Chert, Grizzly Adams, Wally, Pacman, and WizKid were all at the shelter when I arrived. Spirit Fingers followed, but he moved on after dinner. Harley was asleep on the ground when I went to pump water, but when I cam e back, he had moved to my sleeping bag. Cheeky dog! Snowed a bit during dinner (St Patricks Stew... yum!). It's going to be cold tonight! Snow is already starting to accumulate a bit. Trying to plan out the next couple days based on how much food I have. Of course, I packed in too much! Hope Harley stays warm tonight. He's under his blanket now. Looking forward to orange juice in the morning (I packed it in as a special treat!).
3/30/2009 - 8:30 PM - Old Orchard Shelter - 23.2 mi today - 502.0 mi total
Great day on the trail! Woke up to E.L.O. (Wiz Kid couldn't find his cell phone in time to shut off the alarm. I didn't mind because it got a new song stuck in my head. I was sick of the stupid "CC's cat" version of "Jessie's Girl!"). There was a light coating of snow on the ground. Temp was pretty cold. I quickly packed up and had breakfast (Poptarts and real OJ!). Was on the trail at 8:15. Took a load of picture of the snow and Harley. Climb up Whitetop Mountain was long. I felt like I was in a time warp at one point as I started to think that I recognized trees that I had passed fifteen minutes before. As I approached the summit, the trees thinned out and offered some great views. Temp was in the 20's with a strong wind. Got a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz65ScDQAtk
Walked in a big group for a while. When we got to Elk Garden, everyone stopped for lunch, but I decided to keep going. Saw that Grumpy had signed in today on one of the trail registers (there are a lot in this stretch). He's doing a day hike with his wife. I tried to catch him, but never did. Hopefully, I will see him up the trail. Pretty walk with the snow everywhere. Wind was knocking it off the trees so it covered the ground and looked like coconut shavings. Met up with Spirit Fingers at Thomas Knob Shelter. He is pushing hard to meet his Dad tomorrow. Said he walked over Whitetop at 9 last night and was knocked over by the wind! The wind was bad at the shelter too. It stole one of my tortillas and fed it to a puddle. Ugh! Other guys caught up and moved on while I ate. Walk from there to Wise shelter was really cool! There was a tunnl that we had to squeeze through (called Fat Man Squeeze Tunnel). Harley navigated it with ease. I had more trouble. This area is also known for wild ponies. Harley and I saw a total of nine. He was very well behaved around them which was a pleasant surprise. Two of the ponies came up to me and licked my hands. I think they wanted food as they were sniffing the pocket where I keep Harley's treats. They let me pet them too. Got some really cool pictures and a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwo2A6iSV9Q
Caught up with everyone at Wise Shelter. Also met a section hiker from Maine. Cooked dinner and decided to move on as I still had energy and daylight. Cranked out the last 6 miles to reach Old Orchard Shelter before dark. It's a six person shelter, so I decided to tent with the dog. He goes crazy everytime I set it up. He loves it for some reason. I toweled him off before I let him in and now he is lying on his back between my legs asleep (literally like a hot dog!). I got a picture of it. Really enjoy having him here. Nothing like a great day of hiking with your best friend!
3/31/2009 - 8:30 PM - Partnership Shelter - 24.7 mi today - 526.7 mi total
Got up around 7:30 this morning. Went to pump water and found a tiny leak in my Camelbak. Not the way I wanted to start my day! Packed up the tent and hit the trail at 9 after everyone. Took my lunch break at 10:30, which was early. Not too many interesting sights today. Allowed me to get through the miles quickly. Reached Trimpi Shelter at 2 PM and caught Wally and Pacman. About a mile after the shelter, I found the abandoned yellow bus in the field that had been featured in the movie Trek. If anyone wants to know what it is like to hike the AT, watch Trek. I saw it before I left, and it gave me a good preview of what life would be like out here. Took a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ_cQYVMrPY
Nice to knock off another landmark. Reached Partnership Shelter at 6PM. I average 3mph today! Definitely have my trail legs now. From here, you can order pizza from Atkins, which we did. I ate a large pepperoni and split a 2 liter of Coke with Wiz Kid. Yum! Harley cleaned all the pizza boxes. Nice to be able to relax after a long day and still have some daylight. Wiz kid let me use his special glue on my Camelbak. Hopefully it will plug the hole. We'll see tomorrow. Dog is sleeping on me hot dog style again. Living the dream! Will hit Atkins tomorrow, but not sure about the hostel. Might just shower and move on. Have to pick up my packages from the Barn Restaurant.
4/1/2009 - 8:15 PM - Happy Hiker Hollow Hostel - 11.6 mi today - 538.3 mi total
Heard the rain last night and a coyote howl at one point. Pacman sat bolt upright, but Harley barely stirred. Harley was a bit sluggish this morning. We had breakfast in bed, and then he decided to take a nap on my sleeping bag as I was trying to pack it up. I didn't mind as I was feeling lazy too. Finally got on the trail at 9:30. After a mile, I realized that I had left my SPOT at the shelter! Harley and I dropped our packs and walked back to get it (2 miles of walking that don't count towards the total!). Got going again at 10:30. Had lunch at Chatfield Shelter and tried to finish off my lunch supplies as I knew there would be a load waiting for me in town. Caught up with everyone else outside a shut down Exxon station. Everyone was debating their options. I nipped across the street to pick up my package(s) from the Barn Restaurant. I had three! The guys were laughing at me as I came out fully loaded (turns out that one was for me, one was for Harley, and the other was trail magic for everyone from Rachel). We called the Happy Hiker Hollow and they came out to pick us up. Somehow managed to cram seven people, one dog, and seven packs in the old minivan. We were riding low! Got to the hostel and relaxed. The dog is outside in a little barn. He slept almost all afternoon. He's not happy with me because I left him out there on his own all day. I unpacked my boxes and got it all portioned into my stuff sacks. I'm going to do a straight seven day run from here until my Dad meets me next Thursday morning (April 9th). We'll see how far I get. I have enough food for seven days. Took a shower and tried to upload photos to Webshots. Dinner was amazing. They had a full spread out for us. We had turkey, gravy, bbq chicken, salad, stew, dinner rolls, and of course cake to finish it off. They looked a little disappointed when we didn't finish both cakes they had ready. Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow (French toast, bacon, and eggs!). About to go call home and then hit the sack. I feel weel rested and ready to tackle a long stretch of trail.
3/28/2009 - 11:30 PM - Damascus, VA - 0 mi today - 463.0 mi total
Busy zero day! Woke up at 8:30 and had leftover pizza for breakfast. Hit the Post Office at 9:00 and got my bounce box. Sent it on to Pearisburg. Next went to the library to update the blog. Ran out of time and the librarian wouldn't let me back on even though there was nobody waiting. (Maybe I should have chatted her up and mentioned that my Mum works at a library!) Did the laundry and called home. Got a milkshake and went back to the hostel. Hung on the porch with everyone until dinner time. Two other thruhikers came in (Splinter and Endor). Nice guys. Had dinner at Fatty's Diner. One pound burger was filling! Some local firefighter attempted the five pound burger challenge, but only ate about half of it. I bet a thru-hiker completes the challenge in the not so distant future. Had desert back at the hostel and hung on the porch some more. Going to bed now. Looking forward to hitting the trail again. Harley is ready to go too. He's not a big fan of towns.
3/29/2009 - 7:00 PM - Lost Mountain Shelter - 15.8 mi today - 478.8 mi total
Got up at 8 this morning. Let Harley out and gave him breakfast. He did not want to spend anymore time in town. He wanted to get back on the trail and off the leash. Took my time packing my stuff and chatting with Steamboat. He decided o take another zero in Damascus as his shin is killing him. The medical center was closed for the weekend, so I think he is going to drop by there on Monday morning. Hope he is feeling better. Went to the only restaurant open on a Sunday morning (all the other ones were closed for church). It was pretty good. Got an omellette and orange juice. Harley had to stay outside so he pouted and gave me dirty looks through the window. Finally hit the trail around 10:45 with Wally, Pacman, and Spirit Fingers. Said goodbye to Steamboat, but I am sure that I will see him soon (according to his SPOT, he is back on the trail!) It's going to be wierd to not hike with him for a while. We've shared a shelter almost every night since Springer. Still, I have to hike my own hike, and that means that it is time for Harley and I to move on. Started out slowly. Pack felt heavy with 5 days of food. The trail follows the Virginia Creeper Trail (an old railway line) for a while, but then diverges and runs parallel through the woods for about ten miles. It was quite frustrating to hike up and down the hills and look to the right and see a nice well graded, gently sloped trail meandering by the river. The switchbacks in Virginia seem very gradual compared to the three previous states. Had lunch at Saunders Shelter with Wally, Pacman, and Spiritfingers. Tried honey and tortilla. Yum! Got cold and moved on. Trail was pretty easy. Follows the Virginia Creeper for a bit which was a nice break. Chert, Grizzly Adams, Wally, Pacman, and WizKid were all at the shelter when I arrived. Spirit Fingers followed, but he moved on after dinner. Harley was asleep on the ground when I went to pump water, but when I cam e back, he had moved to my sleeping bag. Cheeky dog! Snowed a bit during dinner (St Patricks Stew... yum!). It's going to be cold tonight! Snow is already starting to accumulate a bit. Trying to plan out the next couple days based on how much food I have. Of course, I packed in too much! Hope Harley stays warm tonight. He's under his blanket now. Looking forward to orange juice in the morning (I packed it in as a special treat!).
3/30/2009 - 8:30 PM - Old Orchard Shelter - 23.2 mi today - 502.0 mi total
Great day on the trail! Woke up to E.L.O. (Wiz Kid couldn't find his cell phone in time to shut off the alarm. I didn't mind because it got a new song stuck in my head. I was sick of the stupid "CC's cat" version of "Jessie's Girl!"). There was a light coating of snow on the ground. Temp was pretty cold. I quickly packed up and had breakfast (Poptarts and real OJ!). Was on the trail at 8:15. Took a load of picture of the snow and Harley. Climb up Whitetop Mountain was long. I felt like I was in a time warp at one point as I started to think that I recognized trees that I had passed fifteen minutes before. As I approached the summit, the trees thinned out and offered some great views. Temp was in the 20's with a strong wind. Got a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz65ScDQAtk
Walked in a big group for a while. When we got to Elk Garden, everyone stopped for lunch, but I decided to keep going. Saw that Grumpy had signed in today on one of the trail registers (there are a lot in this stretch). He's doing a day hike with his wife. I tried to catch him, but never did. Hopefully, I will see him up the trail. Pretty walk with the snow everywhere. Wind was knocking it off the trees so it covered the ground and looked like coconut shavings. Met up with Spirit Fingers at Thomas Knob Shelter. He is pushing hard to meet his Dad tomorrow. Said he walked over Whitetop at 9 last night and was knocked over by the wind! The wind was bad at the shelter too. It stole one of my tortillas and fed it to a puddle. Ugh! Other guys caught up and moved on while I ate. Walk from there to Wise shelter was really cool! There was a tunnl that we had to squeeze through (called Fat Man Squeeze Tunnel). Harley navigated it with ease. I had more trouble. This area is also known for wild ponies. Harley and I saw a total of nine. He was very well behaved around them which was a pleasant surprise. Two of the ponies came up to me and licked my hands. I think they wanted food as they were sniffing the pocket where I keep Harley's treats. They let me pet them too. Got some really cool pictures and a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwo2A6iSV9Q
Caught up with everyone at Wise Shelter. Also met a section hiker from Maine. Cooked dinner and decided to move on as I still had energy and daylight. Cranked out the last 6 miles to reach Old Orchard Shelter before dark. It's a six person shelter, so I decided to tent with the dog. He goes crazy everytime I set it up. He loves it for some reason. I toweled him off before I let him in and now he is lying on his back between my legs asleep (literally like a hot dog!). I got a picture of it. Really enjoy having him here. Nothing like a great day of hiking with your best friend!
3/31/2009 - 8:30 PM - Partnership Shelter - 24.7 mi today - 526.7 mi total
Got up around 7:30 this morning. Went to pump water and found a tiny leak in my Camelbak. Not the way I wanted to start my day! Packed up the tent and hit the trail at 9 after everyone. Took my lunch break at 10:30, which was early. Not too many interesting sights today. Allowed me to get through the miles quickly. Reached Trimpi Shelter at 2 PM and caught Wally and Pacman. About a mile after the shelter, I found the abandoned yellow bus in the field that had been featured in the movie Trek. If anyone wants to know what it is like to hike the AT, watch Trek. I saw it before I left, and it gave me a good preview of what life would be like out here. Took a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ_cQYVMrPY
Nice to knock off another landmark. Reached Partnership Shelter at 6PM. I average 3mph today! Definitely have my trail legs now. From here, you can order pizza from Atkins, which we did. I ate a large pepperoni and split a 2 liter of Coke with Wiz Kid. Yum! Harley cleaned all the pizza boxes. Nice to be able to relax after a long day and still have some daylight. Wiz kid let me use his special glue on my Camelbak. Hopefully it will plug the hole. We'll see tomorrow. Dog is sleeping on me hot dog style again. Living the dream! Will hit Atkins tomorrow, but not sure about the hostel. Might just shower and move on. Have to pick up my packages from the Barn Restaurant.
4/1/2009 - 8:15 PM - Happy Hiker Hollow Hostel - 11.6 mi today - 538.3 mi total
Heard the rain last night and a coyote howl at one point. Pacman sat bolt upright, but Harley barely stirred. Harley was a bit sluggish this morning. We had breakfast in bed, and then he decided to take a nap on my sleeping bag as I was trying to pack it up. I didn't mind as I was feeling lazy too. Finally got on the trail at 9:30. After a mile, I realized that I had left my SPOT at the shelter! Harley and I dropped our packs and walked back to get it (2 miles of walking that don't count towards the total!). Got going again at 10:30. Had lunch at Chatfield Shelter and tried to finish off my lunch supplies as I knew there would be a load waiting for me in town. Caught up with everyone else outside a shut down Exxon station. Everyone was debating their options. I nipped across the street to pick up my package(s) from the Barn Restaurant. I had three! The guys were laughing at me as I came out fully loaded (turns out that one was for me, one was for Harley, and the other was trail magic for everyone from Rachel). We called the Happy Hiker Hollow and they came out to pick us up. Somehow managed to cram seven people, one dog, and seven packs in the old minivan. We were riding low! Got to the hostel and relaxed. The dog is outside in a little barn. He slept almost all afternoon. He's not happy with me because I left him out there on his own all day. I unpacked my boxes and got it all portioned into my stuff sacks. I'm going to do a straight seven day run from here until my Dad meets me next Thursday morning (April 9th). We'll see how far I get. I have enough food for seven days. Took a shower and tried to upload photos to Webshots. Dinner was amazing. They had a full spread out for us. We had turkey, gravy, bbq chicken, salad, stew, dinner rolls, and of course cake to finish it off. They looked a little disappointed when we didn't finish both cakes they had ready. Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow (French toast, bacon, and eggs!). About to go call home and then hit the sack. I feel weel rested and ready to tackle a long stretch of trail.
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