Day 75: Daleville to Wilson Creek Shelter

11.2 miles

Left at 9am after breakfast. 18 miles to go today. Caught up with Shutterbug & Smiles, they have been hiking together for a few days. Saw Jeremiah, too...pretty impressive since he was partying pretty hard at the mexican restaurant yesterday. We ate a snack at the first shelter, where a group of college kids had spent the night on the first night of their section hike. They had a huge tent that must have weighed 30 pounds, gallon jugs of water, and one kid even had a trumpet.

Soon after morning break we came to a fast moving creek with no footbridge and no big rocks to hop across. This marks the first time I've had to take off my shoes to cross a stream! It is a real pain to take  shoes off/cross creek/dry feet/put shoes back on, so I'm glad I don't have to do it very often. The water was really cold but I managed not to fall in. There were a couple other creek crossings later that day, but one had rocks strategically placed across it, and the other I was able to go upstream and walk across a fallen branch. The streams are full of water because of all the rain we've had recently - there are even streams where nothing is marked in the AT Guide - nice to have water so readily available.

Saw a huge black snake slithering across the trail. It was long - probably 5 feet or so - and I gave a little yelp when I saw it. It's so surprising to see movement on the trail just a few feet from where my feet are. But I'm glad it wasn't a rattlesnake - I've been paranoid about seeing one ever since Greyhound saw a very large rattlesnake on the trail.

Started to feel like rain about 2pm, and I heard thunder about 2:30. I knew I was pretty close to the 2nd shelter so picked up my pace to get there. Literally seconds before the bottom dropped out of the sky, I reached the shelter. Jeremiah, Shutterbug, Smiles, Owl, and Phoenix are all here, waiting for the storm to pass. The storm lasted about 90 minutes, and when it was over we decided to just spend the night here. It was too late after the storm to hike another 7.4 miles to the next shelter (and we'd get there too late to have a spot in the shelter). Plus my knee has been hurting all day and locked up a few times today.

People poured into the shelter, everyone is getting back on the trail after Trail Days. M80 & Trooper are here, so is Big Yankee, Roughneck, Tahlal, lots of others. Jeremiah decided to move on, so did Rainbow Braid, Finder, and a couple others.

Day 72: Four Pines Hostel to Lambert's Meadow Shelter

16.3 miles

Woke up to a rooster crowing - really! - and sunshine. OWL already had her stuff packed but she waited for me...almost patiently. Once again she wanted to get dropped off a few miles up (where the trail met the road) - I said - I don't care what you do but I'm walking back on the trail where we left. So she walked with me.

Lots of fence stiles early, as we crossed several pastures. Not sure if I have explained these before, but fence stiles are set up to help backpackers cross barbed wire fences. They are essentially 2x4's leaned across the fence and fastened together, with boards set up as steps of varying heights. You climb up the steps on one side, turn around on the top, and climb down the steps on the other side. Some people throw their hiking poles over, but I like to keep mine dangling on my wrists so I can use them to ease myself down the last 'step' to the ground.

I am still feeling weird - like I want to go home and am not sure if this is what I really want to be doing for the next three months of my life because it's not really fun anymore - I guess this is the Virginia Blues. This phenomenon is so named because Virginia has 550+ miles of trail - more than any other state - and by the time hikers reach this area the novelty of being on the AT has worn off. Plus, the terrain is still difficult at times, except that you can't really see any views from the ridgeline because the tree leaves create a 'long green tunnel'.

Well, just because I'm able to give something a name doesn't make it any easier to get through. My very favorite part of being out here is being in my tent and waking up to complete silence in the middle of the night. The next favorite is being in town and hanging out with other hikers. Then the wonderful views. But the actual *hiking* - well that is painful. I am so tired. My ankles and knees and feet hurt, all the time, even after 800mg of ibuprofen that I'm taking twice daily (which upsets my stomach). We have been pushing for miles and it feels so hectic and rushed, and I am always worried I won't make it because I feel so tired. I am drinking lots of water - between 4-6L per day - but sweating more and have run out of water several times in the past week. 

So I guess what I'm saying is that I'm having some growing pains.

We went over McAfee Knob today. OWL sent me a text - said thunderstorms are coming in the afternoon so don't take a lunch break until you get here! I stopped to get water at the shelter just before the climb up, but kept hiking otherwise. Beautiful view there. Wish I could have stayed longer but we needed to get to Lambert Meadow Shelter to make the next day into Daleville easier. I would have much preferred to stay at McAfee Knob until sunset, and camped at the shelter less than a mile from there, and had a longer day into Daleville.

We went over Tinker Cliffs later on in the day - more beauty. As Modest Mouse sings, so much beauty it could make you cry.

But even with the great views of today, I'm still feeling frustrated and exhausted. Guess I'll take a zero in Daleville to recover. Maybe OWL will take a zero, maybe she won't. We are both getting frustrated with our differences in hiking pace. I know sometimes (like today) I feel like I am hiking HER hike, instead of my own. But I know she feels the same way about me.

Staying in the shelter tonight with Jeremiah & OWL - would prefer to tent but it is going to rain, and a wet tent fly sucks.

 

Day 67: Pearisburg to Pine Swamp Shelter

19.7 miles

So sad to leave AWE but told her - this is a joyful thing - I am so glad I got to see you and I'll be home in less than a month for our break. (OWL & AT had a 10 day vacation with family planned before we started planning our hike, so I'm taking that time to go home and relax).

OWL wanted to get dropped off at the road furthest away from Pearisburg, but I wanted to get dropped off where we got off the trail. I told her - look, I'm not exactly a purist...but if I'm going to skip sections of the AT I want to be doing something fun. (For instance, riding bikes on the Virginia Creeper trail instead of hiking that section on the AT). I don't want to take shortcuts just because we can, and I especially don't want to yellowblaze (get a ride by car); nicknamed because of the yellow lines in the middle of the road)  just so it makes our day a little easier. I think she was a little annoyed, but she got out of the car with me at Cross Ave (630.4), exactly where we left the trail.

My purist efforts had us:

  a) get lost for a block or two in Pearisburg (much to the chagrin of the neighborhood dogs)

  b) walk by some sort of weird chemical plant that smelled like hydrochloric acid and made it hard to breathe for miles

We also got to the "unnamed paved road" just as Nova's slackpack ride was driving away! So we missed the opportunity to slackpack 20+ miles. But, nothing to do about it now.

Big climb out of Pearisburg (this is usually the case when going out of a town) but it wasn't too bad. We had planned to stop for lunch at Rice Field Shelter, and just before we got to the shelter we heard a whistle through the trees above us. Sounded weird - we both heard it - but there wasn't anything around. As we were leaving the shelter we saw a glider fly overhead! It was really neat. We saw at least two different gliders, and they passed overhead about 12-15 times throughout the day.

We made consistently good time (2 mph) and got to the shelter about 6:15. I really like hiking with OWL - it keeps me consistently moving since I am trying to either keep up with her or stay ahead of her.

We are behind the group we have been hiking with because of our mini vacation. So we are here with new people tonight. Phoenix (with dyed red hair) is a colonel's wife and a cancer survivor who had a fire built and set mouse traps set around the shelter. Really nice lady. Shaman is a fellow nerd who was fun to talk to. And Professor, who liked to ask questions (much to OWL's annoyance). OWL has decided to not tell people she is a physical therapist (because they start asking her questions about their ailments). But she's not very good at being vague about it, either. Professor asked her what she did, she said "I'm currently unemployed". Then he said, well what did you do before hiking? "I worked", she replied. It was pretty funny to watch them both get frustrated with each other. (Eventually she gave in and told him).

It is supposed to get below freezing tonight. I hope I am warm enough.

 

 

 

 

Day 59: Chesnut Knob Shelter to Jenkins Shelter

10 miles

We left the shelter about 9 just as the fog was lifting. Walked with OWL until almost lunchtime. I always like hiking with somebody, and hiking with someone who knows me from home is pretty much the best. Stopped to get water and discovered that my Steripen battery was dead (and because of poor planning on my part, I didn't have an extra). The guys from "The Thru Project" were camped there and gave me some sweetwater drops to treat the water. As a bonus they showed us a video they took last night of a bear! The bear was up in a tree about 30 yards from the water source, and dropped out of the tree so fast!

Took a lunch break with GrandBob, the 2 section hikers from last night, and OWL. Then found out I had cell service, so called AWE and talked with her for an hour or so. I miss her so much, and we don't get to talk every day, so when I have the chance I try to take advantage of it.

From there it was a pretty easy walk to the shelter. At first it was just the guys from lunch, plus KFox and a dude named Animal. Then people started pouring in; Big Yankee, Mallet, Twig, Rooster, the Virginia Creepers...there must have been 30 people tenting around the shelter. We also found out there is a Dairy Queen in Bland, so we're going to try to hitch in tomorrow. (We are VERY BAD at hitchhiking so it may not work out).

GrandBob is going into town tomorrow to see a doctor so he split up his remaining food among me, OWL, and Animal. I got a snickers bar and a mountain house meal. Thanks, GrandBob!

I had heard of Animal before - he thru hiked last year (or maybe the year before) and carries all his stuff in a 5 gallon bucket. He is a forager as well, and brought us some wintergreen berries (they taste like wintergreen!) and pine tips. Pretty good! I would definitely take a foraging class from him if he ever decides to teach one.

Day 58: Knot Maul Shelter to Chesnut Knob Shelter

9.1 miles

Got up at 7am and took my time tearing down camp, left around 9. Talked with Loco Pony & Hummingbird for a while; they left in late February. The walk is kind of boring today; not as many wildflowers out and mostly roller coaster climbs - not steep but just constant up and down. My knee is stiff and sore but much better. I am so thankful it is ok. I am so glad to be out here. I have a real hunger to finish the trail, to summit Katahdin.

The Chestnut Knob shelter we are staying in tonight does not have a good water source, so I had to fill up at a pond about 1.8 miles before the shelter. The pack is so heavy when I have to carry 5L of water! I have been trying to "camel up" - ie, drinking a liter of water every time I get to a water source, so I don't have to carry as much water with me.

The climb up to the shelter wasn't that bad, even with the extra water weight. The open ridgeline provided really incredible views of the mountains and valleys. Got to the shelter - it sounded scary in the guidebook ("concrete block shelter, fully enclosed with door") - but turned out to be quite nice. I really like tenting and having a big of privacy. But being in the shelter is much easier, and this one has 4 walls! Here with All the way, grandbob, don's brother, owl, and 2 section hikers (one named Sammy and not sure of the other).

Day 55: Troutdale Baptist Hostel to Partnership Shelter

14.5 miles

Don's brother is trying to do an insane hitch back to Grayson Highlands - some 50 miles back. So he got up at 5am to go stand by the road and increase his chances. We took our time getting ready - it looks like it will rain outside but without cell service or anything nearby there is no way I want to stay another day.

We needed to hitch a ride back up the mountain (about 3 miles). Lots of cars and trucks passed - some people would even wave - but no one stopped. Finally a little old lady in a giant maroon truck pulled over. "I hate to ask this, but would you get in the back?", she said. "Ma'am we are so delighted to get a ride - we would love to get in the back". We rode to the top of the mountain - where we thought we wanted to get off - but once there realized it wasn't quite where we wanted to be. But, we got out anyway. She asked - is this where you wanted? and OWL said - well not quite but it isn't a problem, we'll walk from here. The lady said - well get back in the truck and we'll go! So we did.

We thanked her profusely as we left. She said - my husband...well he's deceased now...but he always would stop to pick up hikers. He always asked them to get in the back, though.

I said - Really I would prefer to ride in the back. She looked at me, kind of shocked, and said "really?". Yep, I said. I am dirty, all my stuff is dirty and I don't want to mess up anyone's truck. All I want is a ride.

She smiled - we thanked her again - and then drove off. Super sweet lady. I hope our interaction encourages her to pick up other hikers - but I understand people's apprehension of hitchhikers, especially in a town a little bit off the hiker path.

The wildflowers are absolutely gorgeous today.

Got to the Partnership Shelter - this is the Taj Mahal of shelters with a shower, a sink, and an outhouse. There is cell service from the parking lot, a dumpster for trash, PLUS there is pizza delivery and a shuttle into the town of Marion. Saw a note from OWL saying she had ordered a hawaiian pizza - my favorite!

Rango, Torch, Half and Half, and two others are staying upstairs in the shelter tonight.

The Virginia Creepers are here again tonight. I like talking with them a lot. A few of them are trail maintainers in the Shenandoah area. They also gave us some salad to go with our pizza - I'd never had lime vinegarette before but it is delicious!

OWL & I split a two liter of Sierra Mist (thinking we were being smart by ordering soda with no caffeine) - and were up until midnight riding a sugar high.

Day 52: US 58 to Thomas Knob Shelter

11.1 miles
Gypsy Dave shuttled us up the mountain. He's a cool guy who thru hiked in 2003 (the "wet" year). Then after his hike he became a truck driver ("I just couldn't take anyone telling me what to do anymore"), then moved to Damascus because he loved it...super nice guy. He told us that it seems like the men get weaker and the women get stronger as the trek goes on. I hope that is true :)

Techie was at the drop off spot (we saw him yesterday hiking up the Virginia Creeper trail). Saw HandStand waiting for a ride back down the mountain.

My new shoes are ok so far; it takes me a while to get them tightened correctly (they have some weird pull laces instead of traditional laces). We'll see how they go. Lots of ups today but they were pretty gradual. There were so many section hikers out today I thought it was Saturday!

Saw Smiley at Buzzard Rock - he is going 5 miles further than we had planned. He was trying awfully hard to talk me into pushing further but I'm not having it. This is the one section of the hike where the AWOL guide says "take your time on this scenic section of the trail", and so I am going to follow those instructions!

Lots of great views today - the top of Whitetop Mountain and then a nice spruce forest when going up Mount Rogers. It is amazing how the scenery and ecosystems change from mile to mile.

SAW PONIES OMG SO CUTE!!! There were six of them grazing right on the trail about a half mile before the shelter. They are "wild" but not afraid of humans at all. I wasn't expecting to see any ponies until tomorrow! Gypsy Dave said that the ponies were used in (mining? or logging?) this area, and when the industry shut down the companies started killing the horses. The folks who had been working with the horses for years didn't like that very much, and so they made a sanctuary for them.

Got to the shelter and there was a black pony there, licking the legs of a kid sitting on a rock. (The ponies LOVE salt). There is an entire gaggle of Boy Scouts here. Lucky for me, they camp in tents instead of sleeping in the shelters. The scouts are polite and inquisitive - one Boy Scout even took our picture!

Techie, KFox, Titan, and 2 section hikers are here. One of the section hikers, BoJangles, did a thru in 1999. The other one is kinda sketchy - had to ask him not to smoke in the shelter - but am trying to ignore him and go to sleep.

Day 48: Iron Mountain Shelter -> Abingdon Gap Shelter

16 miles

Nice and easy (but long!) day. Walked today with Shutterbug. She reminds me a lot of a younger version of one of my friends from back home. We walked through a cattle field today. Shutterbug was nervous but I was just walking. There were baby cows! Apparantly M80 & Trooper had trouble with the cow pasture because of their dog, Willow. M80 picked up Willow, who was growling and baring her teeth, and Trooper walked in front of them hitting her sticks together. Trooper said later that the cows started surrounding them and it was very scary. Yet another reason I am glad I don't have a dog on the trail!

Mom sent a nice email. I'm glad to have such a supportive family.

Just before the trail crossed a road there was a big metal box with crosses on it; trail magic by a local baptist "Girls in Action" church group. Had a first aid kit, some candy, and ice cold sodas.

Met two section hikers; Timberlake & his friend. They are both in their 70s and are section hiking parts of the AT that they like. They had two dogs with them; Max and Chobe. Timberlake said, "tell me where Chobe is and I'll give you a prize"....and I said..."on a map?" which his friend thought was hilarious. I didn't get a prize, though.

Ate lunch with M80/Trooper/Willow/Owl/Shutterbug. I really like meeting up for lunch with a group.

Took my time getting to the shelter - man my feet hurt - but was able to talk with AWE for a while. So there are some benefits to being slow. :)

At the shelter with Owl, shutterbug, big yank, and techie. M80 & Trooper are tenting (as usual), and a British guy named Smiles is tenting also. We are all very excited to get into Damascus tomorrow. Big Yank has a celebratory beer he has been carrying for 40 miles to drink at the Virginia border. And, of course, it is Owl's birthday tomorrow!

Day 47: Watauga Lake Shelter to Iron Mountain Shelter

14 miles

Another cold day so I wore pants again. My legs are doomed to be forever pale!

Today was hard even though the elevation profile looked easy. Went around the lake, then over Watauga Dam & up & down & up & down (this is what hikers call PUD's - pointless ups and downs).

Nice trail magic on the dam by Safety Bob - a worker on the dam from Wisconsin who was handing out fruit to hikers crossing the dam.

Ate lunch with Owl, shutterbug, M80 & Trooper at the Midway shelter. Saw some folks out on a section hike also. This particular shelter was covered in very funny graffiti honoring Bob Peoples the legend. Like, "Bob Peoples Doesn't Get Bit By Snakes, He Bits Them". Or, "Jesus Asks Bob Peoples for Forgiveness". Or, "When Bob Peoples sleeps here, mice bring him food". "Bob Peoples doesn't believe in the periodic table of the elements, because he only believes in the element of surprise."

Stayed at the Iron Mountain shelter with Owl, shutterbug, Big Yank, Techie, and a SOBO, "Boomerang", who pulled a 26 mile day out of Damascus today. For dinner, Boomerang had a 5 layer peanut butter & nutella sandwich, a bag of fritos, some cookies, and some other things I can't remember. He also built a fire super-fast. He was not amused by our NOBO adventures.

Day 46: Kincora to Watauga Lake Shelter

Cold today - I am wearing pants. But it is really nice to have the sun out!

It was hard to leave Kincora - very comfortable and welcoming place - but we did. There was a really cool bridge over the river - nice start to the day. We dropped down into Laurel falls - an amazing amount of water pours over those falls. Saw lots of dayhikers so it must be Saturday.

Saw the CleverGirl parade slackpacking (CleverGirl, DumpTruck, Apollo, HotDog, Whistle, and one guy I didn't recognize). They are slacking all the way into Damascus, lucky dogs!

They stopped at a small overlook so I did too - CleverGirl said "it's mile 420, on 4/20!". Sure enough there was a rock there denoting the mileage. Pretty neat (even though I don't smoke).

The ups today seemed to last forever! But I kept walking...and eventually I got to Watauga Lake. There were two donkeys in a pasture by the road - they ran up to the fence as soon as they saw me but were VERY disappointed that I didn't have anything for them to eat. (One even bared his teeth at me).

Saw a sign about a trail detour - and another about trail magic - so went to check them out. "Knock on wood" (so named because she was incredibly unlucky....she would say "hey it's awesome that it hasn't rained in a while" and a thunderstorm would start) and some friends were there with sodas, fruit, and coffee singles/candy bits. Stopped to talk with them for a while and then went on to the shelter.

The detour was an official detour (not like the Forest Service detour) due to flooding on the trail. So instead of walking the trail along the lakeshore, we walked on the road for about a quarter of a mile before going into the woods. The walk was really peaceful - I love being around water - and I got to the shelter pretty early.

Shutterbug & OWL had already set up in the shelter, so I set up too. Cooked dinner and was even able to FaceTime with AWE. There was a phone in the shelter (although it was not hooked up to anything) - pretty funny.

Half&Half came in pretty late, and M80/Trooper/Willow came in after that. M80's group did over 24 miles today...crazy!

Day 42: Clyde Smith Shelter to OverMountain Shelter

14.7 miles + .3 to shelter

Started later than I wanted to - 8:30 - but figured I would be ok for the 15 mile day. One of the guys who slept in the shelter last night puked this morning. Hope that if he had the hiker virus he did not pass it along in the night.

Pretty hard day today - lots of climbing on rocks at first (which leads to excellent views); then Roan Mountain; then 3 balds and the shelter.

Saw two trail maintainers painting white blazes on trees. Such an important task! They were super friendly and glad to be out on such a pretty day.

The guide said after summitting Roan Mountain to be careful not to miss the AT turn off the (very rocky) fire road. I was really nervous that I was going to miss it. At one point I saw a rock that had blazes on it, and what looked like a trail leading down. But there were several trees piled up on the trail, and I thought it might have been an old marker. Kept going, and saw the "real" turnoff about half a mile later.

Scared the crap out of a older guy near the Carver Gap parking lot. I'm not sure what he was doing, but he must have thought he was out there all alone. When I showed up he was visibly shaken and said I scared him. (!?) I wasn't really scared - his family was in a truck in the parking lot and they looked normal - but it was a little weird and I was very glad to see Otto & DumpTruck pull up. (They are slackpacking CleverGirl & crew while DumpTruck recovers from dislocating his shoulder). It was just nice to have people I know close by.

About a mile before the shelter, a deer crossed the trail in front of me. Pretty neat!

The shelter is pretty cool - it is an old barn renovated into a 20 person shelter. OWL is here; so are Whole Bean, UV, Rusty, and Toast. We are sleeping in the hay loft!