Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Day 46 - 5/30/10
That's a big part of hiking the trail. Smelling bad, being dirty, sore
feet, aching muscles, bugs in your face, poison ivy, unbearable
humidity, sleeping on uneven ground, and so on and so on. You have to
get comfortable with being uncomfortable or you won't make it the
whole way. I learned this early on, but have really been thinking
about it a lot recently because of the poison ivy and all. I just have
to get comfortable with it, try to treat it with whatever I have, and
keep hiking.

So that's what I did today, although I had a slow start. My body was
very tired in the morning, but I did get going by 8, after a nice
breakfast of oatmeal, a clifbar, and some coffee. Those hazelnut
instant packs you sent taste great, Mom. I had 10 miles to make it to
the trail magic, but it was pretty much all uphill, so even though it
wasn't a long distance it was still tough.

I made it to the first shelter at 10:15, a 5 mile distance and more
than 2000 ft. of incline. When I made it, there were two thru's there
I hadn't met before, Gearbomb (a lady), and Swift, who's also from
Maine. We talked about that for a bit. A few minutes later who do I
see but Loon. I hadn't seen him since Trail Days when he was wearing
that dress. He had come from the North, switching to SOBO for a while
I guess. He's also associated with the trail angels who were hosting
the meal that was coming up, so I thanked him for what I knew was
going to be an amazing experience. They do two days of it, and he had
gone to Day 1 yesterday, so he talked it up to all of us. He left with
his hiking buddy Eastwind pretty quick, but I stayed there and took a
long break, mostly because the hiker feed wasn't starting until 3pm
and I didn't want to be too early.

I stayed over an hour, leaving at 11:30. The heat was finally hitting
hard, so the next stretch was filled with lots of sweating and
wipedowns. My bandana was soaked by the end, which came at 2:15 when I
hit the road and saw a piece of paper on the ground with an arrow
pointing to the left and the words, "Hiker Feed 50 yds." under that. I
walked over and saw people setting up some tables, and a few hikers
were already there too, so I took a seat with them and helped myself
to a Capri-Sun. Just like being back in elementary school. Then I saw
there was some chips and dip, so I helped myself to that. It was
Mediterranean dip, and let me tell you it was unbelievable. It had so
many things in it I'd never eat normally, like black olives and feta
cheese, but the combination of all the ingredients was just so good. I
wish I had gotten the recipe.

As more hikers showed up the real magic started happening, and they
used about 4-5 Dutch ovens to cook up lasagna, sweet potatos, this
amazing mix of tatertots, beef, and other stuff, homemade rolls, not
to mention all the cold stuff like fruit salad, cous cous, pasta
salad, fresh veggies, homemade hummus, and so on. Then for dessert
there was hot Dutch oven brownies, apple crisp, and ice cream. Whoa.
Simply amazing, I just couldn't believe the scale of the meal. I was
so full I could barely move for several hours. This meal definitely
rivals how full I'd been at Woods Hole hostel.

The whole thing was fantastic, the food, the people, the conversation,
everything. Everyone was so happy, none more than the people who were
hosting. As things were winding down they spoke to all of us about
hiking the AT and how lucky we all are to be doing such a thing. Then
they handed out marbles as a sort of good luck charm, and to leave
somewhere, anywhere in the world (other than the AT), at some special
place or special moment in our lives. So I won't leave mine on the AT,
but on a future trip somewhere else.

I'm getting tired so I'll wrap it up here. I'm thinking I'll stop in
Big Island tomorrow to go to a medical clinic there. If I can get some
sort of prescription or shot for the poison ivy I will be very happy.
Awesome day today.

Total miles: 761.3

Suds and swimming.

Day 45 - 5/29/10
I didn't get much sleep, but not because weather. It actually didn't
rain again after that crazy storm. No, it was the birds that were
keeping me up, whip-er-wills (sp?) to be exact. There was one, I swear
it had to be on speed or something it was making its calls so rapidly.
I've never heard one like that before. I ended up putting in my
earplugs, which helped a little bit.

I made it out at 8, and had a very pleasant morning hike. The terrain
was not too difficult, and the temperature stayed cool for a very long
time. It seemed as though the sun was having a tough time breaking
through the fog, finally doing so well into the afternoon. One other
neat thing about my morning is I saw many red salamanders, all smaller
than 2 inches. I had seen one a few days ago, but didn't get a
picture. Today it was easy because there were so many. Homebrew said
they were red salamanders, but they really look orangish with even
darker orange spots along their back.

A few miles into my hike the AT started intermittently crossing the
Blue Ridge Parkway, a 100-mile scenic drive through VA. I imagine it
would be a very fun trip to do in a day, with lots of great viewspots.
After crossing it at one point, I get off the road and back in the
woods, and there leaning against a tree are three bottled beers. I
grabbed one, planning to drink it later that day with my dinner. Trail
magic yet again!

I made it to the first shelter at 11, but didn't go check it out
because it's off the trail. I just sat down on a nearby rock and had
some snacks. After I was good I moved on, and the day progressed much
as it already had. No real tough ups, not any steep downs, just little
dips and falls here and there. The next shelter came at 2, so I
stopped in for a late lunch. In the shelter register many people were
commenting about a hiker feed happening today and tomorrow at mile
761. It sounded awesome, but I wouldn't be able to make it today. Too
far. But tomorrow I should be going through there right on time, so
I'll be getting a big dose of trail magic. Can't wait for that!

I left the shelter and planned on taking a dip at this swimming hole
that would be coming up in 3 miles. When I got there I saw Patch and a
few other hikers hanging out with a case of beer by the creek. I
stopped and met the new guys, and since they were having beers I
decided I'd have mine, but I put it in the water to chill for a few
minutes. While I waited I swam, and boy did it feel good. It was
really refreshing, especially since the heat had kicked in. After my
dip I joined the guys and had my beer, but then one turned into three,
and before I knew it they were going into town for another case. I
stuck around and made dinner, but when they came back I headed out
because I wanted to make the next shelter before dark. I made it at
7:40 and quickly got things in order. I ended up setting up my tent
and putting it in the shelter because there's tons of gnats here. Plus
these strange white bugs that jump, almost like fleas. I'm a little
uncomfortable to say the least. But I have the hiker feed to look
forward too, plus my poison ivy seems to be improving. The urge to
itch is lessening. Hope it clears up in the next few days. All in all
it's been another pleasant day on the AT.

Total miles: 751.1

The wrath of Zeus! (what did I ever do to you?)

Day 44 - 5/28/10
Stayed up late last night, about 1am, trying to get some new photos
onto the blog. I didn't get them all on there, so I had to pick a few
of the better ones I've taken in recent weeks, which included the bear
and the McAfee's knob photos. Please check them out at your own leisure.

I woke at 7:45 and ran down to the main building to enjoy the
complimentary hot breakfast buffet. It was nice to indulge as much as
I wanted, so I had cereal, donuts, coffee, waffles, a muffin, and of
course the southern biscuits with gravy. The big breakfasts are really
nice because they keep you fueled for much of the morning, right up to
lunchtime. After I was stuffed I went back to my room and took my time
packing up. It's always hard to get things situated after a resupply,
especially the ones from Mom cause she always includes a few extra
surprises, but I enjoy them so don't take that as a hint to stop. I
suppose it's worth mentioning that she had sent me two maildrops, I
don't think I was very clear in explaining that with yesterday's post.
One was there when I arrived at Howard Johnson, and the other showed
up with the afternoon mail later on.

Anyway I was packed and on my way at 11, not too bad in my book. It
was already very hot by then, and much of the trail heading out of
town was exposed farmland, so I had sweat dripping down my arms right
away. The poison ivy is starting to feel better, but the sweating adds
to the discomfort. I have this system worked out now where I keep a
bandana stuffed into my belt buckle, so whenever I need a wipedown I
have it handy right there. Been starting to wear a bandana on my head
now too, what with my hair getting longer and all, and I'm happy with
how it keeps the sweat out of my eyes. I don't really like the look
though. Guess you have to choose comfort over looks out here.

After crossing a few roads I made it to some woods with tree cover, so
things felt nicer after that. I was up at the first shelter around
1:30, and decided to stop for lunch. I wasn't all that hungry, the
breakfast was still doing me well, so I just ate some of the no-bake
cookies my Mom sent. I added extra peanut butter though, plopping down
a thick scoop on each one. I ate about 4 and shared two with another
hiker named Homebrew. I've been seeing him on the trail the past 3
days or so. A quieter guy, but nice all the same. He left, and I
followed soon after, I'd say sometime close to 2 o'clock.

I knew it was going to rain at some point today, everyone I spoke with
told me so, even the weather lady on TV. I just didn't know when it
would come. When I caught up to Homebrew he showed me a live weather
feed on his phone, and you could see it coming, a giant mass of green
slowly progressing across the screen. He said it was looking like
around 6, so I huffed it to the next shelter. I didn't want to be
caught in another rainstorm, especially now that everything I had was
clean and dry. Before I made it to the shelter I could hear thunder
far off in the distance. Very foreboding. But I did make it in time! I
arrived at 4:30, and the sound of thunder was ever closer, so I ran to
the water source and filled up quick before the rain hit. Homebrew was
at the shelter when I got back, but he had filled up at a different
spot so he was all set. I made some spuds n' baco bits, and enjoyed
that as the rain finally began to start. It was just a light drizzle,
but by the time I had eaten and cleaned my dishes it was in full
swing. And so was the thunder, what a show! The sky would fill with
light, then moments later a giant CRACK! would go off right overhead.
It was thrilling to just sit and watch, plus being all dry inside the
shelter was nice for a change.

The storm has subsided now, it only lasted for maybe a 1/2 hour, but
I'm sure more is coming. It looked that way on Homebrew's radar feed
too. It should be a fun night. Hopefully I'll be able to get some sleep.

Total miles: 730.3

Bears, cliffs, and calamine lotion...

Day 43 - 5/27/10
Today was a bit tough, not because the mileage or terrain, but because my poison ivy has spread onto my hands and arms, and with all the sweating it made it all the more worse. I actually considered hiking in the middle of the night because my itchy hands were so distracting I couldn't sleep, but that didn't end up happening. I did get up about 3 or 4 times to apply copious amounts of calamine lotion though.

I got started very early, maybe 6:30-7:00, which was a good move because the afternoon heat was brutal. The morning hike was nice, not too strenuous. I hit a snag though after maybe 4 miles when I realized my facemask hat was missing. It has become a part of my identity out here, and I couldn't live with losing it, so I dropped my pack, hid it in the woods, then backtracked at least 3 miles to get my hat. There it was, laying in the middle of the trail. I took a pic then grabbed it and ran back to my pack. I was so exhausted after all the running that I had to take a snack break when I made it to my pack.

After the small refuel I continued on, and maybe 5 minutes later I'm walking along and I hear a loud rustling up in a tree, then a bear comes crashing down and runs into the woods. It happened so fast I didn't have time to do anything but get scared. It seemed like the bear hadn't run very far, so as I walked farther up the trail I looked down the hillside where it had run, and sure enough I see it again, but this time it was eyeing me down. Just watching. I stopped, pulled out my camera on the sly, then tried to take a picture. As I was doing so one of my poles slipped, and it clunked to the ground. This made the bear stand up on it's hind legs! I could hardly keep the camera still, partly because I was still exhausted from running back for my hat, and partly because I was so scared this bear might charge me at any second. I finally got my picture of a bear though! It reminds me of that classic Bigfoot one.

After that I made it to Tinker Cliffs, which had equally awesome views as McAfee's knob did yesterday. Lots of cliff hopping and ledges. Then came a long section of small ups and downs, but with the day now in full swing it was really uncomfortable for me. My arms were dripping with sweat, so any calamine lotion I had on just washed away, and the salty sweat agitated my sores so much it took all my energy not to scratch my arms to death. That made my trip into Daleville seem so much longer. But I did make it, and I quickly got a room here at Howard Johnson with another guy. I needed to shower away all the ivy, and wash my clothes of the same. I picked up my maildrop at the manager's office, then dropped my stuff off in the room. The lady at the office suggested staying over at the Motel 8 across the street because they have a working pool over there, and chlorine would dry out my ivy sores nicely. I ended up sneaking over there for a quick dip (don't tell anyone), which felt nice, then stopped at Pizza Hut for a pan pizza. I brought it back and shared it with my roommate.

After eating I went back down to the office to see if the mail had arrived, and just as I show up the mailman comes in with my package! What timing. I head back to the room and start sorting through my maildrop (always a hefty task), and my roommate starts talking about another hiker down at the office who wanted to see if he could shower in our room, which I had no problem with. Turns out it was a hiker I had met at Woods Hole, Patch is his name, so I caught up with him. He bought a case of beer for all of us to enjoy, and as a means of payment for the shower, which I thought was nice of him. My roommate ended up going out for dinner, so Patch and I just hung out while he waited for his laundry to finish, watching TV and swapping trail stories.

He left at about 7, so I decided to shower and finally start my laundry. Then I got myself a snack at the gas station nearby, came back to the hotel, then sat back and enjoyed The Hangover on HBO. What a luxury to have television and so many channels. I'll be heading to bed soon. I'll try to post those pictures, including the one of the bear, tomorrow morning before I leave.

A few quick thank yous, one to my sis Mary for all her recent comments, spelling errors and all, and to Ian for answering my Eastern Continental Divide query.

Total miles: 719.1

Awesome day!

Day 42 - 5/26/10
What an awesome day, in every way during every inch of the trail. The only bad part today was "waking up". I put that in quotes because I barely slept. I realized in the morning how much I disliked the shelter I stayed at. For one the name was just odd: Pickle Branch. Second, it was a .3 mile walk off the trail. And third, it was angled in such a way that hardly had any light could make it inside. This also created a mildew smell. Let's just say it wasn't my favorite shelter.

After I got moving though my day was fantastic. After many days of rain the weather finally turned around. There was some early morning fog, but it cleared quickly into blue skies the rest of the day. The beginning was a nice uphill grade, and I made it to this awesome spot called Dragon's Tooth at about 10:30. It was .1 off the trail, and well worth it. It's a giant stone monolith, at least 20 ft. tall. I didn't climb it, but I did get some nice photos. After a quick snack I left, and the trail took me down the other side of the mountain on some very steep downhill. At this point it also changed from hiking into serious rockclimbing. Really difficult to maneuver down, but it made me realize something. The mind gets so focused on each step that miles go by much faster. You're not thinking about anything but the next step, at least I wasn't. So that's one nice thing about hard parts.

After I made it down to the road and crossed it, not even 10 ft. into the woods was a big box of trail magic. It had obviously been there a few days, but there was still a few things I was able to enjoy. I ate a juicy orange and took a berry gatorade for the road. Jen I think you're right, it feels like I've been getting something almost every day now. Hope my luck lasts!

I continued on and the sun really started getting brutal, at least 80's, so I was sweating a lot. But the climb wasn't too bad and I was able to put in decent miles. I passed through some farmland, took pictures of cows, and just enjoyed the VA scenery. Then I come to another road and cross over into the next series of mountains. I started getting excited because McAfee's Knob was only a few miles away at this point, and is supposedly one of the best views on the AT. For the past few days I'd been concerned about not getting a view because of all the bad weather, but it worked out nicely. On my way up I passed a couple and said hello. I asked how the view up there was, and the girl gave me a very excitable answer, then added, "We just got engaged!" I asked, "Way up there?" referring to McAfee's, and they both said yes. The girl was just beaming. I said congrats, and then headed onward. Thinking back I wish I got a picture of them. Oh well.

When I made it to the top I was in awe. The view was spectacular. What an awesome thing to experience, I'm jealous of the locals. There were actually two up there, both girls. When I reached the top one was sitting and the other was standing up, belting out this amazing song. It sounded like a Southern gospel song, sort of like Amazing Grace. It was the perfect thing to hear as I came over the crest to the viewspot, and made the whole thing just that much better. She finished, and I told her how much I enjoyed the singing. Then I asked them to take my picture, they did, and now I've got 5-6 awesome photos of me on the cliff edge there.

They left, and so I sat up there myself just admiring the view, amazed at how beautiful nature can be. After I had my fill I headed down to the shelter only 3/4 of a mile away. I made it in at 5:30, putting me at 17 miles for the day. No one else was here so I spread all my stuff out, cooked up some mashed potatoes, and even treated myself to the rare evening cup of coffee. I'm sitting here now, on the ledge of the shelter, enjoying my coffee, a pipe for the bugs, and some tunes from my iPod. What a life, eh? I feel so good, this day has been amazing, and I don't want it to end. Tomorrow I'll be in Daleville, hope my package is too! I may decide to stay in town if it's not there, we'll see.

Total miles: 703.7

The tuna & tobasco tortilla tale

Day 41 - 5/25/10
It poured last night, so I was very thankful to be sleeping in a
shelter. I woke up at 7, and was on the move at 8. Eric the Red, a
hiker I've been leapfrogging with the past few days, stopped in for
breakfast before I left. He had camped a few miles back, so I was a
bit surprised to see him, but he is a fast hiker and must be an early
riser as well.

I had two tough ups today, one in the morning and one in the
afternoon. The AM one was harder, but at least I had cool temps and
some misty rain for it. Halfway up I passed the largest tree on the
Southern section, the Keffer Oak, which according to my book overs
diameter over 18 ft. I didn't take a picture because of the rain, but
there's a bigger one up in New York that I plan to take a pic of.

I made it to the top and stopped for a snack at Braisers knob. A
couple guys were camped out there, having stayed the night before. One
was named Beaver Chief, but I forget the other guy's name. This place
was not a campsite, it was basically a pile of rocks, so I was
impressed that they were able to camp there. I left after 20 minutes
and then continued on, passing the first shelter at 11. On my way to
the second one I stopped and took a picture of a sign that said
Eastern Continental Divide. It had two distances on it, one to the
Gulf of Mexico and one to the Atlantic Ocean. I'm not sure what the
ECD means exactly, but I figured it was something important. If anyone
knows what it might be, feel free to leave a comment with an
explanation.

I arrived at the second shelter at 2:10 and had some lunch. In
Pearisburg when I resupplied I bought a pack of tortilla wraps and two
packs of premixed tuna salad. The past two days I've been having tuna
with tobasco wraps, and I'm really enjoying them. I may even continue
to eat these when I'm back home off the trail. I sort of can't believe
how easy it has been for me to eat tuna/tuna fish again.

Anyway after I was done eating I packed up then pressed on. I had
another 10 miles to the shelter I was aiming for and I didn't want to
pull in near dark. Right before I came to a road there was a bag of
sodas hanging from a branch, so I snatched one and enjoyed the trail
magic. I feel I've been very fortunate with it so far, which I'm
thankful for. It always lifts your spirits.

Like I said earlier I had two big ups, and after the TM came the
second one. It wasn't as steep as the morning uphill, although the sun
was out now and so I was sweating more. I powered through it and made
it to the top in 2 hours. Very nice. At the top was a monument to
World War II vet Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier of
the war. He had died in a plane crash near the site of the monument.
It's a bit strange to think that he was a pilot during the war,
survived through all that, then ends up dying in a crash back here in
the US.

After some pictures there I left and started down the other side of
the mountain. I still had another 5 miles to the shelter, but because
it was mostly downhill it went by quickly. I did stop about a mile
before to dunk my feet in a nice stream, which felt really good
because today was a bit rough for them. My boots are still wet from a
few days ago, so I'm hiking with soggy feet all day.

I arrived at the shelter close to 7 and quickly cooked up dinner.
Spanish rice with some Tobasco and bacon on it, wrapped into a couple
tortillas. A couple guys who had stayed the night at the last shelter
with me were here, Grapevine and Whippersnap, as well as a SOBO
sectioner named Griz. He had supper, then left to hike a few more
miles, but before he did he pulled out a pet snake he picked up a week
ago right here on the trail! I couldn't believe it, so I took a few
pics as proof that this really happened. After he left I cleaned up my
pots, then got in my bag so I could write this up. Now it's bed time,
which is very exciting after a 22.5 day, so I will say good night.

Total miles: 686.7

No pain. No rain. No Maine.

Day 40 - 5/24/10
That was my mantra today. I'd say it to myself during the heavy rain.
I'd say it to myself after slipping and falling on rocks, which I did
twice. I'd say it to myself even during the easy parts. You can't
avoid the negative things and expect to make it all the way. So when
they happen you just push on, and keep putting in those miles.

I was on the trail by 8, and did a fast 4 miles to the first shelter.
I instantly took off my shoes and wrung out my socks and insoles, and
was amazed by how much water came out. They were still completely
waterlogged from the downpour I hiked through yesterday. After a few
minutes a hard rainfall came through, so I was happy to be sitting
inside the dry shelter. Pretty soon a lot of people started rolling
in, and we all took a long break, waiting out the weather. It was that
kind of day. I was there for almost an hour before I left. Fairly soon
after that is when I took my second fall, the worse of the two. My
foot slipped on a large rock, and I fell hard, hitting my leg, arm,
and ribs against some other smaller rocks. I groaned, slowly stood up,
and made sure everything could move alright. No broken bones, so I
kept moving, figuring it's better to keep my muscles warm instead of
stopping for a break.

I'm glad I didn't stop because I made it to the second shelter at
3:10. Right after that came another hard downpour, so I'd gotten to
the shelter just in time. Very lucky with that today. I ended up
staying there almost an hour and a 1/2, unsure if I wanted to put my
bruised body through another 6 miles to the next shelter. I was just
about to call it a day when the weather finally started to clear up a
bit. I decided to take advantage of it and hit the trail again at
4:45. There was a really steep climb out of that shelter, but my long
break had done me well, so I powered through it. A nice bonus was some
trail magic halfway up the mountain. A green cooler with some cokes
and bakery sweets in it.

I made it up to the ridgeline, and it started to rain again. No big
deal though, by now I was used to the feeling of being wet. The rest
of the hiking from there was easy, and I got in to Laurel Creek
shelter at 7:30. 1 guy was here, , someone I hadn't met before.
He's cool and we chatted while I cooked. Made mashers with bacon bits.
Very good after a wet day. I expected some of the other guys who
showed up at the last shelter to make it here, but it's close to 10 so
I guess they're camping somewhere up the mountain. Probably see them
tomorrow. I'm very happy with doing an 18+, especially after taking a
couple hard falls. I just hope my body doesn't ache in the morning
because of it.

NOTE: Been having no service lately, so I made two posts today. Please
enjoy both.

Total miles: 664.2

These are the days of learning.

Day 39 - 5/23/10
I had my alarm set for 6, which was very early, so when the time came
I hit the snooze button and ended up waking up at 7:45. I slept very
well in that motel bed, so that was part of the reason for my sleeping
in.

I showered, ate, and then got all packed up, so ended up leaving at 9
exactly. As I did I met 5 ladies, 3 from Florida and 2 from Ohio, who
were just about to start a section hike from Bland and head back to
Pearisburg. The motel manager was shuttling them there as I left, so
they asked me some questions, then had me take their picture. They
also wanted a picture with me, which I agreed to.

After all that I was back on the trail. About 10 minutes in I saw a
brown bunny scurry across the path, the first one I've seen out here.
I always enjoy the animal sightings, even small ones like that. As I
was leaving the town I passed some sort of mill or plant, and the
smell was terrible. Sort of like the Rumford paper mill. I was glad to
get away from there as fast as possible. The only problem was that the
day started with a steep uphill, so it took some time to get away. I
did get a little trail magic early on though, which was nice, and
helped me forget about the smell. There was a plastic carton off the
side of the trail with fresh fruit and veggies in it. I helped myself
to some blackberries and also took a banana.

Like I said it was a steep uphill in the beginning, so I was working
hard and sweating like crazy. About 1/2 way up I met a guy named
Duane. I talked to him for a while, he told me he's from Florida and
that he started his hike on April 28th. That means he's averaging
almost 30 miles a day! I also found out he's the one who left the
trail magic, it was some food of his that he didn't feel like carrying
anymore. I guess he's able to eat fresh stuff because he's going
through towns much more frequently than most hikers.

He left before me and disappeared quickly, so I continued on and
eventually made it to the top. The first shelter came pretty soon
after that, and was off in the woods away from this field that had
nice views into the valley below. A few people were eating lunch in
the field, admiring the views, including Duane. He actually hooked me
up with a little more trail magic, some fantastic fresh cut pineapple.
I also saw 7 D's again, and another guy named Gray Wanderer whose been
hiking with 7 D's recently. I stopped and joined them, and also laid
out my tent to dry more in the open sunlight. I stayed maybe a 1/2
hour then pushed on. The terrain the rest of the day was very flat
because it was a lot of ridgeline, so it was very pleasant hiking from
then on out.

Then the rain came. Again. The last 3-4 miles it really poured,
getting me completely soaked. It was raining so hard that my feet were
swimming inside my shoes. It's going to be rough putting them back on
tomorrow. When I got to the shelter Dwayne was there, as well as two
others, Boundless and Tattoo. Dwayne left, but eventually 7 D's and
Gray Wanderer pulled in, all soaked of course. Everyone has their
stuff hanging right now, trying to get things even just a little dried
out, including myself. My feet are itchy, but I didn't want to make a
mess of putting calamine on. We'll see if I can sleep well without it.

Speaking of the poison ivy, one thing the trail has taught me is to
change how I react to negative circumstances in my life, and thus
better adapt to them. Although it's a small issue (the poison ivy), I
could easily complain about it, let it make me mad or upset, any
number of things. Instead I just took a shorter day yesterday
(adapted), took care of it as much as possible, then got back to work
today, doing 19+ miles. I'm hoping that I continue to deal with
negative things better, that I'll bring it with me off the trail and
into my daily life.

Total miles: 645.7

I've got the itch...

Day 38 - 5/22/10
I woke up 10 minutes to 7 after a good nights sleep in the upstairs of
the bunkhouse. I walked over to the house and saw that breakfast was
being prepped, so I got myself some coffee while I waited. I had a few
cups before we ate, and then about 2-4 more during the meal, so I
started feeling like jittery Joe, and that lasted for almost an hour.
While we ate I was worried people would notice how badly my hands were
shaking as I passed the jams, jellies, and butter.

The breakfast was great, and included famous southern biscuits and
gravy, eggs, grits, fruit, and sausage. It wasn't as filling as the
dinner the night before, but it was filling enough to fuel me for much
of the morning hike. After breakfast I went back to pack up my stuff,
then waited to see what the weather would do. It was raining, but then
it would clear, and then rain again. After it looked pretty good I got
a ride back up to the trail from Neville at 11, and started my hiking
for the day. Within 20 minutes it started pouring rain, and I mean it
poured. The hardest rain I've hiked through so far. I didn't like it,
but flipped it into something positive, referring to it as a
"refreshing" start in my head. It actually helped.

I stopped in to the first shelter for only a minute, then kept going
because standing around in wet clothing had made me cold. By then the
rain had pretty much stopped, so it wasn't as bad anyway. The next 8
miles to Pearisburg wasn't too hard, but my ankles were really
starting to be an issue. It wasn't pain that was bothering me, it was
a ceaseless itching sensation. It had been this way for the past few
days, so I was pretty sure that I had poison ivy. Ugh. It changed my
plans for the day, so instead of going past town I instead decided to
hole up in a motel and run to the store for some calamine lotion. I
actually showed another hiker my ankles while in town, he's had poison
ivy before, and he confirmed my fears. So I decided to call it a day,
try to take care of my itching issues, then head out tomorrow and
continue my regular routine.

One nice thing about getting into town early and resting is that I was
able to make a few phone calls, something I've been wanting to do for
some time. I got a call in with Jen, my Dad, and a quick one with my
Mom and Mary. It's tough to think I've only done 16 mile in two days,
but this was a necessary stop to make. The itching was becoming more
unbearable every day. Hopefully my purchases today will remedy the
situation by Daleville. Calling it a night now. Hope the weather
improves too, send good vibes this way.

NOTE: I think I mispelled a shelter I stayed at a few nights ago, the
one where a murder took place. It's actually Wapiti (I spelled it
Watipi). Wapiti is Indian for Elk, I'm fairly sure of this because I
remember reading it somewhere. I also wanted to mention that I wasn't
making light of the fact that a murder took place there with the title
I used. It's a sad thing to happen, and I wasn't making a joke of it,
I just try to use my titles as an opportunity to be clever. Wanted to
make that clear.

Total miles 626.4

Woods Hole Hostel. Worth the visit.

Day 37 - 5/21/10
Got up bright and early with the sounds of Trashman and Laid Back moving around. In case you're wondering why Trashman is called that, it's not because he's vulgar or gross or anything like that. It's because he packs out garbage that other hikers leave behind at campsites and shelters. He doesn't have to do it, and he shouldn't because you're supposed to pack out your own stuff. So he's a real standout guy, which I admire.

Anyway they both left at 6:30, so I was left by myself at the murder shelter. I hurried up and got moving at 7, trying to get as far away from there as quickly as possible. Leaving so early gave me the reward of seeing a beautiful sunrise over the crest of a mountain as I hiked due North. Then a little later I'm walking that mountain's ridge line and I come to this spectacular viewing spot down into a valley. I tried to take pictures, but they didn't come out great. It's hard to replicate these views in a picture.

I kept moving and soon came to a road that I thought might be the one Woods Hole Hostel is down, but I wasn't 100% sure. I didn't want to risk walking an extra mile for nothing, so I kept going, and within 5 minutes convinced myself that I had passed it, so now I was set on doing the 16+ to Pearisburg. An hour later I come to a different road, and this time I know it's the right one because there's actually a sign. So after telling myself I'd be going to Pearisburg, I switch my thinking back to this hostel.

I'm walking down the road, and I start to see a house or something through the woods, then a dog barks. I walk down to the driveway, then up it to find about 8 people laying on this porch, almost as if they're dead. Turns out they're doing yoga, so I walk to the bunkhouse and let them finish. I waited a 1/2 hour, but was totally cool with it. I actually enjoyed just watching, and when they all did an Ohm chant together it felt really awesome hearing that blend with the sounds of nature that were all around me. For some reason it got me thinking about Jack Kerouac and other beatniks, not exactly sure why.

After they finished I introduced myself to Neville (the operator - her deceased grandmother ran it for 22 years before her) and asked about shuttles. She was dropping some hikers in town who had stayed the night previous so she said I could ride in with them and she'd bring me to the grocery store. In 15 minutes we left, and it was about a 20 minute drive down. I stocked up on stuff, way too much in fact, then her and I drove back.

We arrived back around lunchtime, so she invited me to join, which they actually don't do too often. They have breakfasts and dinners you can partake in (costs money though), but this lunch was on the house. And it was good too, some leftovers from the dinner last night. There was salad, dressings, 2 kinds of pasta, alfredo sauce, French fries, chips, and it was all homemade. Soooo good. Makes me miss home cooked Mom meals.

After that I did my laundry, the old fashioned way with washboard (Standing Bear hostel all over again!) and clothesline. They're actually still drying on the line out there. I kind of enjoy using the washboard, but I think after a few more times I would grow tired of it. I'm realizing how tough Pioneers were. Everything is so easy and convenient in today's world. When I was dumping out the nasty water, I'm talking black (all from my socks I imagine) I see Red Stick walk in. It's good to see him again, I always enjoy that feeling of seeing a friend after a few days apart. I spoke with him for a bit, I guess he had some confusion too about where this place was, but he ended up going down that first road whereas I didn't.

He started to get situated, so I took some time to go through my resupply and organize it. Should be very good for at least 5-6 days. Now it's almost 5pm, and I'm just waiting around until dinner at 7ish. It's gonna be a Mexican fiesta! Even though it costs $ I've heard it's very worth it. I'll be doing the breakfast too. Tomorrow I should be past Pearisburg, but since the trail almost passes through town I will try to see if I can make a few quick phone calls. This hostel has been amazing. Definitely worth the stop in.

UPDATE: It's about quarter past nine now, and I'm so full I can barely move. The dinner was unbelievable, and I helped prep a lot of it, along with several other hikers. It started with an amazing salad, full of fresh vegetables picked from Neville and her husband Michael's own garden. We also had several loaves of this fantastic homemade bread, I want to say it was wheat. I had two heaping helpings of salad, and maybe 5 pieces of bread. Then we had our main course of DIY burritos. You could put on chicken, rice, black beans, cheese, salsa, cilantro, sour cream, lettuce, and so on. Phenomenal. I had 2 of those with all the fixings. And then came the homemade ice cream for dessert, made by Amish folks who live nearby.

My god. I didn't expect that much, even for $12. The best part came after, when many of us were hanging out in the living room, full beyond belief. Red Stick was laying on the couch playing guitar, Bob Dylan stuff, bluesy songs, just a great mix of songs. I'm sitting there, listening to the music, reading an AT magazine, and it hits me. These people have completely opened up their home to us in every way. As if we were family. This realization was almost too much. It made me so happy, and it was such a real moment. You could never artificially manufacture something like that. I will cherish the feeling forever, of being totally carefree and comfortable surrounded by good friends.

Total miles: 616

Sunny with a chance of murder!

Day 36 - 5/20/10
Today the weather finally turned around, so I woke up to sunshine instead of rain. It was a very welcome change.

I was the first to leave, which I did so at 8 o'clock. The morning was glorious, and seeing blue skies again was such a good feeling that I had to stop so I could take several huge inhales of fresh mountain air. It felt like forever since I had seen a morning like that, so it was necessary to take in the full experience.

One annoying thing about being first to leave though is that you're the one that walks through all the morning cobwebs. These tiny little catapillers put them up all across the trail, from trees to plants, plants to leaves, sticks to trees, and so on. They're almost invisible, but every time I go through one I can feel it get stuck in my beard, face, armhair, nose, etc. It's very itchy and uncomfortable. I've only been first a few other times, and sure enough its happened every time. So there are some downsides to getting that headstart.

The walk to the first shelter flew by, and by 12 I had made it the 10 miles to it. I stopped for lunch, a healthy blend of pepperoni and Snickers. As I geared up to leave many people who had stayed at the last shelter with me started rolling in. It seemed like many of them would do the 14 to the next shelter like I was planning, so I said, "See you there," then pressed on.

I made it to 606 (a road) at 2:45 and stopped to take a break. Just before that I had crossed this long, narrow suspension bridge that was wooden and wobbly. It was really fun to cross, and made me feel like Indiana Jones. Just missing the lasso. Anyway, at 606 there was a general store about .5 miles down, and I almost went to get a burger or pizza, but decided against it. I figured I'll be in Pearisburg soon enough, and I'll get myself a treat then. Plus I still had 8 miles to go.

The last 5-6 of those miles were terribly boring. It was just very flat and dull. It'd be like this: Long flat stretch. Small bridge to cross stream. Slight uphill. Repeat. Over and over. Finally I made it to the shelter, and the two guys who were here, Trashman and Laid Back, completely agreed about how boring it was. So if you want to section hike, don't choose this one. I also talked with them about the history of this shelter. Apparently a murder took place here at Watipi shelter. The guy was caught and went to prison, then 20 years later when he was out came back to the same area (I guess a few miles away but very close to the shelter) and attempted to kill two other hikers, but they both lived. That was actually one thing I was thinking about a lot while hiking that boring section alone. I did get creeped out a few times, and looked over my shoulder more than I normally do.

I cooked up some rice with garlic for dinner, and it was getting later, maybe around 7:30, and still no one had shown up. I was surprised because it seemed like many had planned on it. Now it's 9 and still no one has come, so I'm glad these other two were here, especially with all the disturbing history of this place. I wouldn't want to be here alone. I'm going to do a nearo (near zero) tomorrow to this hostel that's supposed to be very nice, they even do massages. It's around 6 miles, so it'll be an easy day. However, if they don't do shuttles into town (Pearisburg) my plans might change and I'll probably just push it to town for resupply reasons. Let's hope they do a shuttle.

Total miles: 609.8

Talking to myself.

Day 35 - 5/19/10
I had a good day today, 24 miles, which was nice after the tough one
yesterday.

In the morning I had just enough water to make coffee, take my
vitamin, and brush my teeth. I wasn't worried because the next water
source was less than 2 miles, and it was all downhill too. I had a
very enjoyable breakfast that included the coffee, a clifbar, handful
of apricots, and a couple scoops of Nutella. Pretty balanced I felt.

I was out at 7:30 with Red Stick, and stayed with him most of the 10
miles to the first shelter. We made it at 12, so I had some lunch,
then I left at 12:30 while Red Stick decided to stay a bit longer. I
didn't end up seeing him again the rest of the day, or anyone else for
that matter, but it didn't bother me because hiking alone gives me
time to think and talk and sing or whatever and not be bothered. What
I ended up doing that really passed the time well was work on 3
different story ideas. I was basically thinking them up and then
telling them to myself out loud. Not only was it fun, it was
productive too. That made 7 miles fly by, but then I was a bit burnt
out creatively so I had to stop. It'll definitely be something I
continue in the future though.

Another cool thing about today was I had a lot of luck around roads.
The first bit was around 2 o'clock. I walked down one that the AT
follows, then when the trail went back up in the woods there was a big
cooler full of Gatorade type drinks. Trail magic! Then at 5:15 I was
walking along another road, this one was actually busy because it was
right near a major highway, and a man and women pull up in a van
saying they're trail angels. They offer me a soda (yes please!) and
stop to chat with me for a bit. So I was a lucky hiker today.

I went a few miles past that main road to a shelter .3 miles off the
trail. I think that's the farthest I've traveled off to get to one. I
pull in and see 7 D's here, glad to see a friendly fellow Mainer
again, as well as several new hikers I'm now just meeting. I cooked up
some rice, and also got hooked up with a doughy bread roll and some
turkey from another hiker named Ice. He did a resupply in Bland and
brought the deli meat back out with him, but had extra so he shared.
One downside about today is it looks like my tent is getting mold on
it. After I set it up I could see a lot of small specks near the top.
All these days being smooshed into my pack soaking wet has finally
taken its toll I guess. Hope it doesn't get too bad, I'm not sure if
it's something that'll damage it.

I can still hear the highway traffic from out here. It's a bit strange
to think all those drivers have no idea there's an AT shelter so close
with a bunch of people camped around it. Gonna call it a night now.
Should be in Pearisburg, VA by Saturday.

Total miles: 585.8

Welcome to the Jungle!

Day 34 - 5/18/10
I went to sleep in the forest. I woke up in the jungle. An orchestra
of birds and water filled my ears. Wet green trees, leaves, and plants
dazzled my eyes. It was a very cool sensory experience.

I was packed up and out by 7:30 again, which is good considering how
wet all my things were. I started by myself, but Tourguide and Timber
(T & T), two thru's I met back at Partnership shelter, caught up when
I took a Snickers break, so I stayed with them for a few miles. We
walked through some very large farmland areas, the kind I was talking
about yesterday, so I had fun going through there. Several cows were
off in the distance, and I could see them turn and stare at us as we
crossed over this wooden ladder/platform. It was almost as if they
were saying, "What do you think your doing?"

A SOBO passed us after that, and told us of some trail magic further
ahead. That got my engine revving, so I booked it ahead while T & T
took a short break. I made it to this road, and just before it was a
sign advertising the TM. As I crossed the road I stopped to catch my
breath, and within a few seconds a truck came through and dropped off
about 6 hikers. Then T & T came up off the trail right after that. I
met all the new hikers, none I've seen before, then went back to the
trail to hopefully catch that TM before the herd came through. It was
less then 100 ft. past the road, and so T & T and I stopped. PB & J's
and cokes all the way! The sandwiches were real fresh too, probably
just delivered that morning. Most of the hikers who had been dropped
off didn't take anything, which I think is nice considering they
hadn't even hiked a 1/4 mile yet. After they all passed Red Stick came
up, and so he stopped to take a break, but didn't have a soda or
anything, he just ate some of his own food. We all left after
finishing our treats, but after that I felt very sluggish and tired
for most of the remainder of my hiking. Today in general, aside from
the trail magic, was sort of a rough day. My pack was heavy and wet
(it rained on and off again a lot today), I couldn't satisfy my hunger
all day, and there were 3 or 4 pretty tough climbs as well, especially
the last 3-4 miles of uphill. It doesn't list the name of it in my
guidebook, but whatever it is should be changed to "The Mountain That
Never Ends". I have to say though, the end of it was pretty nice, with
great views of all the moutains I'd hiked behind me. I wish it was a
litle clearer though, because I think then the views would be
spectacular.

At the top of the mountain was Chestnut Knob Shelter. Red Stick had
passed way back, so he was already there when I arrived. He said he
was going to make dinner then keep going, which I was going to do as
well, so I decided to eat too. I never eat dinner until I'm done
hiking for the day, so this was something new and different. I had
stuffing with chicken and cranberries, and I threw in some chopped
garlic too. It finally satiated my hunger.

Eventually everyone showed up, T & T, and the big group of hikers who
were dropped off in the truck. That group left pretty quickly, and
then around 5:30 Red Stick and I geared up to go. We made it maybe 200
yards before we decided to turn around and go back. It had started
raining again, and we were both tired and ready to call it a day. T &
T laughed at us when they saw us come back in. But I'm happy with the
decision, I have no regrets. I did over 16 for the day, and I can
always make it up tomorrow. Now I'm just resting, and listening to
rain pouring on the tin roof. Bed soon. Goodnight from the AT.

NOTE: I posted both today's and yesterday's adventures. Make sure to
check out both.

Total miles: 561.8

My Atkins, VA diet: Reese's cups, Dr. Pepper, Salt & Vinegar chips, vanilla Milk.

Day 33 - 5/17/10
I did not sleep well in the shelter because someone was snoring, and
so midway through the night I had to put in my earplugs. It helped,
but being woken up and then trying to get back to sleep always takes
forever and then I wake up very tired the next day. That's what
happened this morning. So it took me a while to get moving, and I
didn't end up leaving until after 7:30.

I started alone, but when I stopped for a snack break Red Stick and
another hiker I had met last night named Babalu caught up. Then two
section SOBOs came down the trail and stopped to talk. One of them
works for that Enertia Trail Foods company that sold those awesome no
bake cookie things I bought, and he was happy when he saw I had some
in my pack. No free samples today though. We went on our way and Red
Stick fell behind a bit, I think probably because he likes to take a
lot of pictures, so Babalu and I ended up hiking the 4 miles to the
shelter together. I enjoyed talking to someone who was my age about
things like movies and TV shows and that sort of stuff. Those topics
aren't discussed too often out here, which I miss from time to time.
So it went by quick and we were there at the shelter by 11:15.

Red Stick pulled in soon after, so then the three of us talked about
mileage for the day. Babalu was thinking of camping, which normally I
have no problem with, but I was concerned about having to set up in
the rain. It had already showered on and off many times, and it was
likely to continue to do so the rest of the day. The next shelter was
over 18 miles away, so I was considering pushing to there, doing a 25+
day. Both options had pros and cons, so I was in a bit of a dilemma,
and decided to hold back on a decision for the time being.

I pressed on for the next phase alone, and had a good leisurely hike
into a town called Atkins. One thing I'm already noticing that I
really enjoy about VA are these points on the trail where you're
walking through woods and then almost out of nowhere you come to a
huge clearing of farmland. There's often big red barns and grazing
cattle way off in the distance, which I just find to be really neat. I
passed through several of these old farmland type areas on my way into
Atkins.

You don't walk through or near the actual town though, just several
gas stations very close to I-81. Actually it was the same gas station
I had pulled into the day before when I was getting a ride back to the
trail. Seemed like it was so much further away, but then again we were
driving and not hiking, which probably cut across many of the roads we
drove. I stopped and bought a small resupply and some luxury snacks
(see title), then waited for a bit to see if maybe Babalu and Red
Stick might catch up. They did in about 15, so after they did what
they needed (resupply/snack) we navigated around the highway back to
the trail. By this time (4:00) I realized that 18+ mile shelter wasn't
going to happen, so I was praying the rain would hold out.

Red Stick fell behind again, this time to go check out an old
graveyard, so Babalu and I did the next 6 together to the campsite.
Again we had a younger person conversation, this time around the
subjects were video games and reality TV and so on. Time flew, and
before I knew it the time was 6:30 and we had made it to the campsite.
To my surprise there were some others here too, including several who
had stayed at the shelter with us last night. I set up my tent, filled
my water bladder, then cooked up some Ramen with tuna and Tobasco. I
also had a couple huge scoops of Nutella. It was hard not eating the
whole jar. It really is fantastic, so thanks Mom for sending it. I'd
definitely like another in the next maildrop!

After eating everyone was kind of hanging out/standing around, and so
we talked about this and that as it got later into the night. At hiker
midnight (dusk, which is 8:30ish right now) I decided to call it a
day, plus I was getting chilly, so here I am in my tent. This rainy
weather is supposed to last a long time, maybe a week at least, but so
far it hasn't dampened my spirits. Let's hope that lasts.

One last thing. A while back I marked in my guidebook where 1/4 of the
way is, and I just passed it today. Very exciting stuff. Phase 1 now
complete.

Total miles: 545.1

Onward.

Day 32 - 5/16/10
Made very good miles today, 23, even after 2 days of nonstop eating, a
later start than normal, and bad weather most of the day.

I woke up early and had all my stuff packed by 7:30. I wanted to see
if I could find a ride other than the 1pm church shuttle because I
didn't want to waste almost another whole day. I saw Markus, Dewlap,
and Rainer in the morning and said goodbye to all of them, then headed
up the road with my homemade cardboard sign I made that said
TROUTDALE, which is the closest big town near where I was trying to
get to. No less than a minute walk and I'd found a ride. A guy who had
come down for Trail Days from Delaware said he was going that way
anyway so he'd be able to give me a lift. He sectioned the entire AT
so he's always looking for opportunities to help hikers.

As were driving I started to get worried after he passed towns I
recognized from my guidebook that were close to Troutdale. I told him
it seemed too far so he pulled into a gas station to check some maps.
Turns out there's a town called Troutville further north in Virginia
that's near the AT, so he thought I was trying to get there. Thank god
we hadn't made it too far. He was real nice about it, and after some
backtracking he eventually got me to where I had gotten off the trail.
I gave him some gas money for the trouble, then got back on the trail.
I was actually getting antsy after all that time off in town, so it
felt good to be out in the woods again. Plus he got me back right at
10, which was much better than if I had taken the church shuttle.

Within a mile I bumped into Red Stick and another hiker I'd never met
named Cope. We talked for a bit, all three of us, but Red Stick did
most of it, which is fine by me. He's was born in Venezuela, but moved
here to go to college and then stayed in Miami. He's a great guy to
listen to because every subject he speaks about he does so with such
passion. I could see him being a preacher or something, always drawing
big crowds from across the land. Anyway, after 15 min. we all
continued on, not really together, but I did hike with Red Stick again
later on in the day.

I took a snack break after a few hours, and just as I was wrapping up
it started to sprinkle so I put my pack cover on. The rain wasn't at
all bad, and stopped here and there depending on where you were. But
the thunder, man was that scary. I didn't see any lightning, just the
crackle of thunder all over the place, except for one flash that was
accompanied by what sounded like 3 cannons going off simultaneously
right over my head. I dropped to the ground so fast that my shoulder
muscle had a spasm, causing it to hurt the remainder of the day.

I made it to a shelter, which is where I caught up with Red Stick, and
stopped for some lunch. A few weekender SOBOs were there, all older
local guys, so Red Stick talked them up of course. When we had got in
it was around 2:15, and the next shelter was over 10 miles. I don't
like calling it a day that early, no matter what the weather is, so I
said I was going to push for those miles and Red Stick decided to join
me. When we left the rain really began to pick up.

At first it was very nice because it was still early and the temp
wasn't cold and the rain was fairly light. We talked a lot about life,
Red Stick loves talking about life, and time was going by quickly. At
one point we passed a big yellow bus that was up the hill that
reminded me of the one Chris McCandless lived and died in up in
Alaska. It was a bit eerie. Red Stick also asked me a lot about how
Hollywood works after I told him I lived in LA, so I had fun telling
him about that. Then it started pouring buckets for the last five
miles, so when we made it to Partnership shelter at 7:30 we were both
drenched. But I wasn't mad, in fact I was very happy. I'm proud that I
made those miles even though it was a tough day. I told Red Stick he
should be proud too.

They have showers at this shelter so I took one of those, mostly to
warm up, then went up to the second floor and set up my stuff. Two
guys up here, Steve and Just Jeff, had some leftover pizza they
ordered so they gave me some. You can also order pizza to this
shelter! I was very thankful because it meant I wouldn't have to cook
anything after that long day. Now I'm warm, fairly dry, and going to
bed. This weather is supposed to stick around for at least the next
two days. Fun times ahead.

Total miles: 527.2

Trail Days: 5/14-5/15

Day 1:

What an interesting event. It's hard to describe all that happens here, but I will do my best to include the highlights. Friday started off at 7am with doing some laundry. What a highlight, right? After that I went down to the Baptist Church and got a free shower. They have an emergency vehicle set up that has 4 showers inside, so even though many people were signed up things moved quickly. That place (the church, not the showers) is actually where a lot of events happen, and is by far my favorite spot at Trail Days.

After my shower I did a free medical screening that was in the parking lot there, which included a BMI check, and a foot massage/check-up on my feet with a nurse. Her name was Abby, and she suggested I use some lotion on them because they're getting dry. And wouldn't you know they had plenty of travel size bottles available. Everything went well and it looks like I'm a healthy hiker.

Because there are so many hikers here, you do end up waiting a while for some things, so by then it was past lunch, so I went down to the basement of the church and they had leftover BBQ pulled pork from yesterday's dinner. I had two of those, plus a couple sodas, and then a slice of cake. They take such good care of hikers here. I feel sort of like that movie Pay It Forward, like I need to pass on good deeds after this trip for all the good that people have been doing toward me. It's amazing what they do for us really. The basement also had a little computer room set up, so I had a chance to use that for a bit.

By then it was afternoon, so I decided to finally go and see some of the gear vendors in the park. They had at least 50 booths, even stuff that wasn't hiker related, so I spent a lot of time just grazing, stopping into many of the tents and seeing what they were all about. One of them was Enertia Trail Foods. They make dehydrated meals and snacks, which I've come to realize I'm not a big fan of. But I was talking to one of the guys running the booth, his name was Chris, and he had me try this one that was essentially a no bake cookie. It tasted phenomenal. And it had 660 calories per pack, plus loads of protein and fiber, so I couldn't pass them up. I bought two, which I'll be eating for desserts after a nice long hiking day, perhaps tomorrow.

After I had my fill of the vendors, at least the ones in the park, I headed back to the church because they were having another free food event, this time desserts and coffee. They had cookies, brownies, 10 different cakes, cobblers (apple, peach, blueberry), watermelon, strawberries, and the list goes on. I actually feel spoiled with all the food they're giving us. I filled up two plates and ate with some other hikers I had met after going past Damascus a couple days back. They had a band playing so a good amount of hikers were around, and as I'm scouring the crowd who do I see but Markus! I couldn't believe it, I ran over and greeted him. He's still hurting, his ankle isn't completely healed, but he is much better. He's doing only 10-milers, which he says he really enjoys. One reason is he gets to take 4 coffee breaks a day now. The doctor he saw said once the 10's feel easy he can bump it up, and within a few weeks he should be back to normal. So after this it's hard to say when I will see him again, but perhaps he will catch me.

We hung out for a while, but it started raining so we went over to The Place to keep dry until it stopped. It was over pretty quick, but there was some impressive lightning off in the distance. Around 8:30 he decided he wanted a pizza so I went along and we went to this restaurant/bar called Quincey's. The place was packed and I saw many of my friends from before, but Markus and I took it to go then sat at some picnic tables by the hostel. At 10 o'clock I began feeling very tired, so I called it a night. I was hoping to go see everyone again over in tent city, but I just couldn't muster the energy. I may tomorrow night because after that everyone will be back on the trail.

Day 2:
I woke up later today, around 8, which isn't that late but it was like sleeping in for me. It actually made me feel really tired and sluggish for the first part of the morning. As I was up and moving around so were Rainer and Dewlap, so they invited me to go to breakfast with them at Dairy King. I had no idea that place did breakfast, so I said sure and thought I'd give it a try. Walking over I was telling them how good the shakes were, so we all ordered them with our breakfasts, as well as coffee. It was actually very nice of them to make shakes for us so early. They both went with blueberry and I had another creamsicle. Too good to not get another one. I also had eggs, toast, bacon, and home fries. A very good breakfast.

When I went to pay they said they don't take credit cards so Rainer had to cover me, which was very nice. So that meant I now had to hit up the bank, and while over there I stopped in at the PO and shipped some stuff home, free gear and magazines and other small stuff I've accumulated while here at Trail Days. Finished with those "chores" I went back to The Place and paid back Rainer, then decided to take the long stroll to tent city to see the big name vendors that were set up over there. I stopped in to tent city to see if Paul Bunyan was around, but didn't see him, although I saw Hand Me Down and Mohawk and stopped to talk to them for a minute. I also passed a guy with purple hair, several tattoos on his face, and giant boobs...no joke. I'd heard about this guy, but you can't help staring at someone like that.

A little farther along I made it to the big name vendors, Osprey, Gregory, Mountain Hardware, Backpacker magazine, etc. and saw that most were also doing repairs. Fortunately none of my things need fixing, but it's really cool to have that if you need it. At the Backpacker booth I signed up for a free raffle to win loads of gear, but I have to be back there in person at 6 to collect it if they call my name. They also gave me some soda and a box of popcorn, all for free.

I headed back to town, and man did it really start to get hot. When I got there I sat down in the shady spot by my tent and rested. It was past 12, and I was getting hungry again for lunch, so after feeling sufficiently cool I went back to the Baptist church for more grub. Another BBQ pulled pork sandwich. Tasted just as good as yesterday. I hit up another shower in the emergency vehicle, and then hurried over to the end of town to get ready for the big hiker parade. I didn't have any time to fill up on water balloons, and after going through town I really wish I had because I'm not lying when I say the entire town, all the hikers, townsfolk, people in cars, everyone just has a giant water balloon/water gun fight the whole walk down main street. It was the most fun I've had in a long time, people getting drenched everywhere. I experienced an ambush attack too, a younger kid sneaked from behind and poured a full bucket of water over my head! But I loved it, I just laughed and continued on, and the craziness did too. We all walked, a huge crowd of hundreds, from one end of the town to the other, right to the park with all the vendors. I stopped and did another quick check through all of them, and then went back to town so I could write this. It's almost 4 o'clock now, which means Trail Days is almost over. I'll hopefully get out early tomorrow, or maybe even tonight if I can find a ride to where I need to be. That would actually be ideal. But either way I'll be back on the trail, and Trail Days will be behind me. What a great time I've had, this is something that everyone deserves to experience, even if you haven't hiked the trail. You owe it to yourself.

And one quick note, I did see Loon wearing a dress during the parade. And at least 10 other older guys too. Hikers are crazy.

Wild horses couldn't drag me away...

Day 31 - 5/13/10
...from the trail. It sure was tough to leave though, you could easily watch them for hours. It's amazing to see them in the wild. But I'm jumping ahead.

Woke up to a little condensation on the outside of my tent, but everything was dry on the inside so I was still able to get going rather quickly. Zendawg (he told me this is the spelling) and I were on the trail by 7, but he flew ahead and I didn't catch up until 1 o'clock. It started out being a very foggy day, no visibility further then 10 feet, but by 12 it had changed to full sunshine. I was very lucky because it cleared up in time for me to catch some great views up around Mt. Rogers and the Grayson Highlands. It was similar to many of the balds I've seen although it wasn't completely clear-cut. Rockier terrain too.

Around Mt. Rogers is where I saw the ponies. Actually I heard them first. Off to the side of the trail, up the hill, came a loud whinny. I turned to look and up through the fog I saw them. I dropped my pack and ran up the hill with my camera for pictures. They weren't even the slightest bit afraid of me, and actually sort of ignored me. After a quick glance they went right back to eating grass. One small foal did come up to me, probably thinking I had a snack for him. Sorry buddy. I headed out after 10 minutes, and within another 10 arrived at the first shelter, Thomas Knob. I stopped to talk with some hikers who were eating breakfast, Neal was there, then after going another mile I saw more ponies. I dropped my pack again and ran over. There were more foals in this group, I even saw a few napping on the grass, probably dreaming about oats and hay and apples, and of course Trail Days.

After that I had very little uphill the rest of the day, but like I said it was rocky so I was going slower than normal. I caught up to Zendawg, he was sitting off the side of the trail with another guy named Red Stick. We hiked together the rest of the day right up to VA 603. My original plan was to make it to Troutdale, which would be 50 miles out, but I realized if I did that I wouldn't make it into Damascus until dark, and that was if I got an easy hitch. It seems like every decision I've made on the trail is the right one, because within 10 minutes Braid and Cruiser (the two thru's I met the day before) pulled in to pick up their truck they left there. I think it was meant to be so I'm glad I didn't try for Troutdale.

I got back in to Damascus around 4:30 and set up my tent at The Place. Rainer and Dewlap were there and they said some people were looking for me, someone named Paul Bunyon. I didn't recognize that name, but I was pretty sure it'd be Keith and City Squirrel and some others. I was hungry so I hit up this free BBQ that the Baptist church was having, hot dogs and chili and sodas, and then I start toward tent city. I'm walking along and sure enough I bump right into Keith, who is in fact Paul Bunyon. It's funny neither of us had trail names when we last saw each other, all the way back at the NOC, around mile 135. So anyway after that I was all jazzed up, getting to see everyone again. I also saw Hand Me Down and Hot Wing (Davey), two guys I had started with on 4/10. I'm glad I came back because this really is a huge trail reunion. I imagine it's what a high school reunion might feel like, but just worse smelling.

They all were going to this other free dinner, so I waited until they finished up. We picked up some beer to enjoy around the campfire, then I headed back to tent city with them. It's all the way in the woods, but it's huge. Hundreds of tents. Several "communities" with peculiar names like Riff Raff and The Boneyard, which is called that because their firepit is in the shape of a giant dog bone. I'm happy with tenting at The Place though because tent city is a nonstop party. It's fun to check out, but to be living in it is a different story. Being at The Place is like having the best of both worlds, close and in town, but not far from the craziness that is tent city either. So I caught up with all my old trail buddies then I headed back to my tent for a good night's sleep around 12.

As you can guess I wrote this in the morning, partly because I wanted to use the library computers and load some more pictures onto the blog. I started a new album, so make sure you navigate to all my albums to check out the new one. You can see my photos of the horses.

I've already enjoyed many of the Trail Days activities so far, but I will post about all that later. I might compile my entire TD experience into one post because I'm going to stick around until Sunday morning and enjoy all that I can here. Anyway I'm having a great time, but after this it's time to get serious again and head up to Maine.

Total miles: 504.2

No more milkshakes

Day 30 - 5/12/10
Got up at 5, had breakfast at 6, was on the trail by 7. I ate at
Cowboy's, this little diner sort of place that's attached to an Exxon
station. They have a hiker special, 3 blueberry pancakes, either bacon
or sausage, and coffee. I went with bacon, and added biscuits with
gravy to the meal. It was a nice big breakfast that fueled me for much
of the day. There's something really nice about eating biscuits with
gravy in the South too.

Leaving Damascus wasn't as tramatic as I thought it'd be, and it felt
good to get back on the trail after a day of rest. I didn't really
have any plans on how far I'd be going, but I did want to do at least
15, which would be the 2nd shelter out of town. Like I said the large
breakfast did me well, so I didn't stop until about 9.5 miles when I
came to the first shelter. I had a candy bar and some peanut butter,
and a Dr. Pepper I bought before I left Cowboy's. A soda on the trail
is such a great thing. While I was snacking another hiker named Zendog
passed by, but not before stopping to talk. He's maybe around 50 and
he hiked the trail last year. Also he was the one who told me about
the BBQ the day before. We spoke for 10 minutes then he left, but
later on I caught up to him and we stuck together the rest of the day.

The views up to that point were nothing special, and after I left my
snack spot they didn't improve any. I did see a tree stump that looked
like a giant mushroom though, and so I made sure to take a picture of
it. Eventually I made it to this creek that borders the Virginia
Creeper Trail, an old railroad trail that is now used for biking. I
stopped at a bench to check my map, and suddenly it started raining.
It was so spontaneous it took me by surprise, but because I had my
pack off and conveniently placed on the bench I was able to put my
pack cover on quickly and easily.

Thankfully it didn't rain the rest of the day, but it didn't stop
until right before I reached the 2nd shelter, which was 2:15. I had
another snack, then 15 minutes later I was hiking again. 2:30 seemed
just way to early to stop. After talking to some SOBOs I decided to
try for another 12+ to Thomas Knob shelter. That's where the wild
ponies like to hang out and I really wanted to see them. I didn't take
into consideration the massive mountains that were ahead of me.
Needless to say I didn't make it, but I got close.

On the way toward Thomas Knob I passed these two guys who hiked last
year, Braid and Cruiser. We spoke for a bit, they asked if I was going
to Trail Days, and I said probably not. They ended up sort of
convincing me I should, and then later when I caught up to Zendog I
talked with him about it and we came up with a gameplan on where to go
so we could make it in by tomorrow night. Since we realized Thomas
Knob was too far we settled on going to Deep Gap, a few miles before
that with camping and water. We didn't end up going there either
because while on our way we passed a ridge runner who said it was
somewhat full. Instead we found a flat spot off in the woods and set
up a quick camp. We were both tired and hungry anyway. I made stuffing
with chicken and cranberries, the hiker Thanksgiving, a very filling
meal after a long day. Now I'm in bed ready to sleep so I can get up
early for more hiking. It's been a month's worth of actual hiking days
now and I've gone almost 500 miles, close to a quarter of the way. I
almost can't believe it.

Total miles: 488.3

Zero #3

Day 0 – 5/11/10
Didn’t sleep too great last night. There was some snoring going on, and someone came into the room really late, maybe 12 or 1, and they weren’t too considerate about being quiet. It’s all part of sleeping in a bunkroom though.

I got up and went down the street to this coffee shop called Mojoe’s at 7:30. Had a tall coffee and a nice big cinnamon roll. Cost me less than 4 dollars for both, not too shabby. After that I went back toward the hostel, past it to the P.O. so I could mail a couple things home. Then I went into a dollar store for some batteries (for the camera) and then an outfitter for some more purification drops. After all those morning chores it was only 10 am so I killed some time listening to music, then at 11 went to the library, which is when it opened. I ended up spending several hours there trying to figure out how to load pictures onto my blog. It was a bit frustrating. I decided to get in touch with Ian about it and he made it seem so easy. Thanks again for helping with that by the way.

It was close to 4 when I finished most of my photo work, so I headed toward that house with the phone and got a chance to call Jen for an extended 10 minutes, but only by about 5 or so. I’m going to leave some money in the donation box there tomorrow when I pass through. The coffee shop was close by so I went in for another coffee, this time iced, and stayed until it closed at 5. As I was heading back to the hostel I met two guys who said there was free food somewhere down the street, so I went with them to this huge backyard BBQ. Burgers, dogs, beans, potato salad, brownies, sodas, all the good stuff. I had 1 burger and 1 dog, an orange soda and a brownie for dessert. I love Damascus.

I saw some other hikers I knew from a few days back so I hung around on the soft grassy lawn and chatted with them for a bit. Then it was back to the library to fine tune my photo stuff. Man it takes a long time to get all these pictures up! But I must say they look a heck of a lot better on a nice big computer screen than they do on a puny camera.

I’ve decided to continue on tomorrow, not going to set any mileage goal though. Trail Days is only a few days away (Th. 13 – Su 16), and if I make it back to enjoy the festivities then I will. If I can’t manage to find a ride then it wasn’t meant to be. Go with the flow, that’s what I’m trying to do. It’s a little past 6 now, so after I’m done here at the library I’ll head back to The Place and probably lounge for a bit.

Just a couple small things. I did end up going to Subway for lunch, in between all the photo work. Spicy Italian with extra pickles! I also went and got another milkshake, I couldn’t resist, but this time I went with creamsicle. I can’t say this enough, but I love Damascus. If I do miss Trail Days I will definitely make it back here some day and experience it. But I’m happy knowing that at least I got a chance to enjoy this awesome town.

NOTE: I posted both today and yesterday’s adventures. Keep reading so you don’t miss out on both! And check out all the awesome pictures too!

3 down, 11 to go

Day 29 - 5/10/10
Brrr it was cold last night. I had my mummy bag all the way closed up and my face still got cold. But I was happy I slept in the shelter because I was able to get up and go pretty quick. I met a guy in the morning named Noah who was at the same shelter as me but was in bed before I got there. He was really cool and actually went and filled up my Camelback for me (I had no water to my name) so when he came back I offered him some coffee. It was just a couple instant packs I got from Not Worthy a while back, but I wanted to give him something for helping me out. He accepted and so everyone was happy. I was on the trail sometime before 8 and made it into the town part of Damascus at 12:15. A very nice and easy 10 miles, which after a 30-miler was just what I needed.

Nothing too exciting coming into Damascus, there wasn't even a marker or sign telling you that you've crossed into VA, but once I made it into town I was amazed. This place is the ideal trail town because you have to walk right through it, from one end to the other. The size is perfect, a very walkable town with at least 3 outfitters, a bunch of local eateries, and just the friendliest people. Everything is nice and convenient. I went to this hostel called "The Place", which is a little house behind the Methodist church. Only a 5 dollar donation per night, with hot showers and at least 6 different rooms that can hold anywhere from 4 to 6 people. I finally caught up to Phil from Maine, another hiker who I've met before. He's hiked twice, '77 and '82, and now almost 30 years later he's on his 3rd. I parked my stuff in the same room as him and we decided to go get some pizza together, but first I had many errands to run.

I showered first. Gotta get the stink out, as much as I can at least. Then I ran up the street to do my laundry at the local cleaners, picked up my maildrops, then headed back to throw my clothes in the dryer. But before I did that I stopped for a vanilla milkshake at this place called Dairy King. It was so good I may have to get another tomorrow. After my clothes were done I headed back to The Place, getting there around 2-2:30. I met up with Phil and another Mainer named 7 D's (stands for 7 dwarves) and I went to a pizza buffet, which is actually part of the same chain as the one I went to in Erwin. The name is Pizza Plus, and apparently there's a bunch of them down here in the South. I wish we had some up North because it's only like 7.50 for endless pizza and salad, and they'll make any kind you want. Pepperoni and bacon all the way!

After we were all sufficiently stuffed, and I mean stuffed, we headed back to the hostel. I guess the pizza made Phil gassy because he was a farting machine, so much so that we were all laughing hysterically nonstop. When we made it back I finally sat down and went through my maildrop. It was packed full of goods, Mom you went nuts! Dinners, snacks, Snickers, Starbucks coffee (yes!), even garlic cloves! I'll be eating well the next few days, that's for sure. I spent almost an hour going through and organizing all the food, and then afterward had some time to just lounge and walk around town.

Time started passing really fast and it was 7 o'clock before I knew it. I was told about this house up the street that had a phone on the front porch you could use to make 10 minute long-distance phone calls, so I headed up there and had a chance to call home. Afterward I took a stroll to the other end of town and saw they had a Subway. I was very tempted to get a sandwich, but by then it was getting close to bedtime so I told myself, "Maybe tomorrow." I headed back to The Place, by then it was around 9, so I decided to call it a night. What a great first day in Damascus, it'll be tough to leave but I've decided to zero tomorrow. Hopefully it'll give me some time to upload pictures onto the blog.

Random notes and updates:

-There were some neat historical tidbits about Roan Mt. that I wanted to include while I was passing through that area, so I will do that now. When I made it to the top there was a plaque that said there used to be a hotel up there called The Cloudland Hotel during the 1800's. Apparently wealthy people would go there and spend their summers lounging in chairs, drinking tea, playing croquet, and other various summer activities. What I found interesting is that the border between TN and NC ran right through the dining room, and so on one side you could consume alcohol, and on the other you couldn't (I forget which state was which). Supposedly police would linger around sometimes and try to catch people crossing over the line with a drink, then arrest them. I find this hilarious. There's no trace of this place now though, by the 1920's it was demolished and everything inside was sold or given away.

-Another cool historical note for that area was when I stayed at Overmountain shelter. That's the giant red barn that could fit 20 people. To get to it you had to go .3 miles off the AT, and so it obviously it was on a different trail. In the morning as I came back to the AT I stopped and looked at a plaque about this other trail, I think it may have been called the Mountaineer Trail. Apparently it was used back during the Revolutionary War by a Tennessee militia. They hiked over 100 miles on this thing to fight the British in a battle they ended up winning. It also said that they supplied all their own guns, ammunition, food, everything. Pretty neat stuff.

-I e-mailed Markus from the hostel I stayed at several days ago (Vango & Abby's) and he said he should be back on the trail within a few days. I didn't have a chance to respond until I made it here. I wrote him but haven't heard back since, so I'll take it to mean he is hiking again!

-Jen sort of answered already, but I feel the need to elaborate. Pibb is like Dr. Pepper, tastes pretty much the same, just much rarer. Fewer places carry it and sell it. If you ever do see it somewhere you owe it to yourself to try it. You won't be disappointed.

-Lastly, and this is long overdue, I wanted to thank my Uncle John for helping me out before I even started my hike. As you may have read I was very sick before I started, and so I called him (he's an MD) and asked him a plethora of questions to make sure I was healthy before I headed to GA. He fielded them all, gave me advice on what to eat, medications, etc. and without that I may not be where I am today. This was over a month ago now, so I feel bad just getting to this, but better late than never.

Total miles: 463.5

I Love Trail Magic or: How a Hostess Cake Helped Me Hike a Marathon and then Some

Day 28 - 5/9/10
Slept pretty well in the shelter even though it was a cold night.
First time in a while I've had my bag all the way zipped up. I got up
and moving at 6-6:30ish and was on my way by 7:15. I ended up stopping
at 8 and fortunately had service enough to call and wish my Mom a
happy mother's day.

After we spoke it was around 8:30 so I got moving again and started
what would be a very long day. The first section was nice, mostly
steady incline, and so I made it the 7 miles to the first shelter at
11. Several people I had camped with the night before were there. I
had some of my snacks and then pressed on.

I didn't really stop for any breaks until the next shelter, almost
another 7 miles. By then I had already devoured my food for the day so
I started digging through my reserves for something to eat. Lately I
haven't been able to make my day rations last past noon because I'm
always hungry. I may need to start buying more stuff to munch during
the day. I ended up eating an uncooked Ramen noodle, which sort of
tastes like a cracker, but crunchier. Another hiker I met a while ago
told me about it. It's actually not that bad.

After eating and writing a quick note in the shelter journal I headed
out, and within a mile down the trail I met a guy going south. He told
there was trail magic maybe 3-4 miles ahead by the road. This got me
very excited so I started to really bring on the speed. I was praying
that the people providing the magic wouldn't leave before I got there.
Maybe 2 hrs. later I start hearing cars, so I know it's gotta be
coming up. A few minutes go by and then I come to this orange metal
box 10 ft. off the trail. Turns out a local church has this set up
with a cooler and snackbox in it. The cooler was full of cokes and
pepsi (with ice!) and the snack box had several different snack cakes
in it. So this was the trail magic, and man did it lift my spirits. It
was not what I had expected when the guy had told me about it earlier,
but it still was just as amazing. I don't know if there was magic in
those cakes or something, but I was just on top of the world after
that. I was faster, happier, and didn't want to stop. I did another 3
miles to the next shelter in an hour, which put me at 21.5, but the
magic snack cakes and coke were still carrying me so I decided to
really push to the next shelter. It was 5:30, and it was over 8 miles,
so I'd really have to fly to make it before dark.

And so I did. Another 8.3 miles to Abingdon shelter. I made it just as
it was getting dark, so I was very happy. Plus I had been walking a
ridgeline the last few miles so I got to see this amazing orange/
purple sunset to my left. A very nice view to end the day with. When I
got to Abingdon I was beat so I did up my fav (rice & tuna with
tobasco) and scarfed it. A sectioner from Alabama named Neal talked
with me while I ate, which was nice because with my pace today I
really had no company. I didn't even clean my pots I was so tired, I
just threw my sleeping pad and bag in the shelter and now I'm buried
inside. It's gonna be another cold one I can tell. I did 29.8 miles
today, I almost can't believe it. Don't think I would have without
that trail magic. Short 10-miler into Damascus tomorrow!

Total miles: 453.3

I love food.

Day 27 - 5/8/10
Woke up at 6:30 to a pouring rainstorm. Thankfully it only lasted 5-10
minutes, and the day quickly progressed to blue skies and warm temps.
I feel very lucky I didn't have to walk in any rain today.

I left Vango and Abby's Memorial Hostel at 8:00. I was passed by
another hiker named Paco, and maybe ten minutes after that I see him
sort of apprehensively walking up the trail. A second later I see a
black blur run deep into the woods. Third bear I've seen now. Still
just as thrilling. Maybe 10 minutes later I started feeling really
low, almost like I was going to pass out, so I stopped and scarfed
down a poptart, 2 snickers, a pack of peanuts, and a 32 oz. Gatorade.
That did the trick. I made it to the first shelter at 11:00 and saw
Dewlap and Rainer pull in a few minutes later. Didn't expect to see
them, but they told me they did a 25 the day before. Impressive.

I left and on my way toward Hampton started craving two things. Cape
Cod chips and Ben & Jerry's. It seems like half the day I'm thinking
about food. When I first started I had trouble eating enough, but now
I feel like I can't get enough. I'm always hungry even though I'm
eating more. The hunger has definitely hit hard. I made it to the
road, 12 miles for the day, and saw a bunch of cars parked across the
way. I soon learned this was because there were some nice waterfalls a
mile or so down the trail. I met a mother and her two daughters who
were heading there named Deb, Darla, and D'Anna, the 3 D's. A very
nice bunch I ended up hiking with all the down to the falls. They also
gave me a little trail magic, some Ritz and PB crackers. When we made
it I was very impressed to see this 50 ft. waterfall pouring down the
cliffside. I could have stayed all day, but after a few pictures I
said goodbye and continued on.

At 15 miles I came to a side trail that would take me into Hampton. At
a mile long I figured it was worth a visit, and I was really craving
that ice cream. I made into town and went to Brown's, a small grocer
owned by Sutton Brown who also runs a hostel in town. Real nice guy,
very helpful. Unfortunately they didn't have B & J's, but they did
have Cape Cod chips (I couldn't believe this because I'm all the way
down in TN) so I bought some chips, an ice cream Twix, a chocolate
milk, small package of donuts, and a Pibb! I ate it all too. Hungry
hungry hiker here. Man was it good. After I was fully stuffed I got a
ride back to the trail from a nice guy named Lou Honeycut. For some
reason I really like this name. Sutton Brown actually was the one who
got Lou to give me the ride, so that's what I mean when I say helpful.
Lou ended up being a really cool guy, retired 69 yr. old. We spoke for
a while at the trailhead, just kind of lounging against the back of
his truck. He was telling me about seeing the ponies in VA and all the
hiking he's done.

After saying goodbye I was back on the trail. I pulled some serious
miles and ended at Watauga Lake Shelter, doing a total of 23 for the
day, my longest. I made some dinner, chicken and mashed potatoes (I
also put in Tobasco but quickly realized it doesn't go well with
mashers). New faces here at the shelter, nice people, a mix of thru's
and sectioners I'm meeting for the first time. Today was a very good
day, complete with a short stop in town for some treats. I'll be doing
a 21 tomorrow, then be in Damascus by Monday night.

In case I can't post tomorrow night I wanted to say Happy Mother's Day
to my mom, hopefully I can get a quick call in at some point tomorrow.
Anyone who reads this and sees her in the next few days, this includes
any of you Bridgton nurses, please give her a big hug from me and tell
her she's the best. Thank you. Good night, can't wait to see Damascus.

Total miles: 423.5

I love balds.

Day 26 - 5/7/10

Had an amazing day, especially at the end. Weather was great once again. Woke up early at 6 and was out on the trail by 7, my earliest start yet. It was a great decision because I got to see the sunrise over several breathtaking balds. They've become my favorite thing on the trail because they open up to spectacular views in all directions. The ones today, Little Hump and Hump, were especially amazing. By far my favorite viewing spot of the entire trip so far. You could just see for miles in every direction. After I had made it up over Little Hump I stopped for a break, and as I was enjoying the view I saw a deer skip through the open field and across the trail. Another hiker had not past there more than 10 minutes ago. I love seeing wildlife out here.

Another great thing about hiking balds is you get large wind gusts that keep you cool, but not so much so that you're cold, that is unless you stop. You really start to appreciate them when you're back down in the woods and the sun is blazing and you have sweat dripping down your arms and forehead. Balds really are the best.

I ended up taking many morning breaks up on the Humps because every quarter mile there seemed to be better and better views. I also stopped for some conversation with several new hikers I had never met. One girl I spoke with on Little Hump was named Gypsy Lulu. We had a solid 15 min. conversation up there, about the hike (she's done it before) and all sorts of different things. Good times. After I was over the balds I ended up talking with another guy, Kadzu (sp?) for a few miles, again about all sorts of different things. We parted ways before the first shelter, but I do enjoy conversation on the trail every so often. I made it to Apple House before lunch and stopped for a break there, then quickly got back on the trail and on my way to the second shelter, which would be 18 miles for the day. The second half of the day wasn't nearly as exciting or visually stimulating as the first half, but it was easy hiking, hardly any steep uphills. There were lots of nice waterfalls and a nice creek though. I also received a little trail magic as I was passing this grave site. Several other hikers were taking a zero up there and had brought a case of beer with them. As I passed through they called me over and gave me one. Turns out most were from Maine, so maybe I'll catch them later on down the trail or at Trail Days in Damascus.

I was considering doing a big push today, 27 miles, but that didn't end up happening. I noticed in my guidebook there was this hostel listed just past the 400 mark, and it sounded decent, especially the price ($5 for a night!), so I went off the trail and hiked down to it. I'm so glad I did. I got a shower for $3, and a hiker named Wizard who has done the AT, PCT, and CDT surprised us with trail magic, burgers and hot dogs! I was in heaven. 2 burgers with onions, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup and 1 hot dog with the same. It was fantastic and it helped my food situation (I should be able to make it to Damascus now without resupplying). It couldn't have come at a better time. Plus they had a couple beers for each of us too. A great end to a really good day.

There's several new hikers here I've never met, a German couple (I've now met 4 Germans doing the hike) and two younger guys, plus one older guy who is a SOBO. He started in Harper's Ferry on 4/6, so he's really been pushing it. That's like 600+ miles in about a month. Anyway, I'm tired and will going to head to bed shortly, did a total of 21.3 miles for the day. Not bad.

Total miles: 400.5