Saturday, June 23

Zero day in Harpers Ferry. I rented a car and went in to D.C. to be a tourist. It was fun driving again. I walked the National Mall because what is a day without a long walk? I went into a couple of museums and I took in an Orioles/Nationals game in Washington's new stadium. It was all fun.

They have a great coffee shop here in Harpers called the Canal House. Whole milk yogurt, fresh fruit, local produce, local dairy, local meat. A lot of the male thru-hikers like Christina, the Romanian barista. Zen brought me there yesterday. I ate there again this morning. Love the Canal House.

All's well.

Harpers Ferry, WV. Today-0 mi, Total 1010.9.

Sunday, June 29

Jogle, Becca and Blazing Star all walked into town yesterday so I spent most of my time with them today. Unfortunately, they are taking a zero tomorrow as well, so I will remain a day ahead since I hike out in the morning. I brought everyone to the Canal House for lunch. They sell fresh berries by the pint so several hikers can buy a yogurt each and split a pint, then mix the berries with the yogurt. Yum.

Some equipment notes because I upgraded some things.
-I bought a Golite waterproof jacket. Golite is a popular brand on the trail. My old jacket was a cheap off-brand that quit being waterproof after the soaking it took in Tennessee.
-I also bought a can of Permethrin, the latest and greatest in tick control. It is so strong that I'm not supposed to put it directly on my skin. It goes on my shoes and socks so ticks will die when they climb aboard. I'm safe from Lyme Disease now but my kids will probably have three eyes from my use of this stuff.
-My last purchase was a stick of Bodyglide, an anti-chafing product. I had some personal chafing going on. Ouch.

Someone told me that they liked reading the exotic trail names. I've got a treat for you. I hiked into a new group of people coming into Harpers Ferry. I've been around Duck, Buttercup, Pixie, Holler, Matchstick, Wavepool, Y, Vigil-Auntie, Chipmunk, Johnny Thunder, Keychain and Mike. Mike says he hasn't found the right name yet.

All's well.

Harpers Ferry, WV. Today-0 mi, Total 1010.9.

Sunday, June 22

For the near future, when I write "we" it refers to Samson, Animal, and me. Samson has hiked with several people since Campfire left but recently struck out on his own because he needs to be in Harpers Ferry on the 27th to meet some family members. Animal and I ran into Samson at a trailside hamburger stand and I mentioned that we expected to be in Harpers Ferry on the 27th. Samson instantly endorsed our plan right down to the waking up at 5:30 AM. I'm glad to have him along. Samson loves doing this more than anyone I know, including me. He loves hiking, he loves being in town, he even enjoys the campsite work that I find tedious. He is a cheerleader when someone is having a bad day or talking about leaving. Plus he is a smart guy and a good hiker.

A Shenandoah View


We just beat a storm into camp. Everyday in Shenandoah has brought a late afternoon thunderstorm. My MSR tent has really proven itself. Not a drop has gotten inside. Today we went faster and faster as we watched the clouds stack up. Animal set a fast pace on the last uphill mile and we made it into Pass Mountain Hut just as the rain started to fall. We ate our dinner and watched it rain, hail, and thunder for two hours. Lots of hikers came running in soaked through. Its a full house in the shelter. I pitched my tent after the rain stopped and I'm out here doing some writing and reading. I'm working on No County for Old Men and liking it.

All's well.

Bear Pole and Privey


Pass Mountain Hut. Today - 18.8 miles, Total - 931.1 miles.

Monday, June 23

A short day today dictated by awkwardly spaced huts. It had to be 13 or 24 miles. Not to worry, the short day is accounted for in the plan. We will still hit Harpers Ferry for lunch on the 27th. Our PM storm came early today and made the short day seem even better. For the second straight day we just beat it it.

We will leave Shenandoah in the morning. I have mixed feelings about the park. Its horribly commercial, not at all what I think a national park should be. There were constant traffic noises, crowded huts, and overpriced gift shops catering to car tourists. I liked it anyway. The scenery was fantastic. Deer, grouse, and turkey stared at me like I was an intruder. The rangers and volunteers were friendly and helpful. While I complain about commercialization, I didn't miss too many hamburger stands.

Hiking through Mountain Laurel


I was excited to visit Shennie because I wanted to see if the park met my recollections of a childhood visit. Looking back on that first visit, what I remember most are the countless deer and the the hamburger stands. This time, my most vivid memories are of deer charging through our campground at 3:00 AM. I liked tailgating from Bo's truck at a road crossing. Shenandoah hasn't changed at all. Its still a city dwellers version of wilderness. I suppose some place like it should exist. I like it but I like leaving it also. Back to the empty woods and carrying my own food.

All's well.

Gravel Springs Hut. Today - 13.1 miles, Total - 944.2 miles.

Tuesday, June 24

Today could hardly have been better. We left Shenandoah in the morning. Temps were perfect all day and there was no afternoon storm. On gentle terrain, we did 13 miles by 1:00 PM. We were making such good time we decided to take a break and hitch a ride into Front Royal, a nearby town. We got a ride quickly and ate lunch at a good pizza and sub place. Of course we ate like pigs. The waitress, Tess, was friendly and kept our sodas filled. We did a quick resupply at Food Lion then Tess gave us a ride back to the trail. The old Vegas charm worked on her. Now I am in a cheesecake stupor in one of the nicest shelters I have seen. It is new and roomy and has a big porch. It is so nice I am sleeping in it instead of in my tent. Animal is sleeping on the porch under the stars. I'm sharing the shelter with Samson, Pixie, and Holler.

The Denton Shelter

Quick Notes:
- I have a new pair of North Face Prophecy trail runners. I highly recommend them to anyone contemplating a thru-hike. Make sure to get spare laces in advance through.
-Eight ticks in 5 1/2 days in Shenandoah. I'm trying repellent on my ankles.
- Trail rumor says that Donnie, who I last saw going into Urgent Care in Daleville, is back on the trail.
- Pegasus and Unicorn say they got some medicine that kills ticks on Ginny the dog quickly. Is there a people version?
- Trail rumor says that Gouda left the trail. Best wishes.
-Thanks to Tess. I don't think she knows the phrase "trail angel" but she is one.

All's well.

Jim and Molly Denton Shelter. Today - 18.6 miles, Total - 962.8 miles.

Wednesday, June 25

I'm trying to figure out where to stay in Harpers Ferry and how to get myself to Washington DC for a day of tourism. Normally I would do that in 15 minutes on the Internet. Here with no Internet and intermittent cell service its almost impossible. I guess I'll figure it our when I get there.

Meadow Hiking


Not much to report today.

All's well.

Rod Hollow Shelter. Today - 18.3 miles, Total - 981.1 miles.

Thursday, June 26

Tough day today. We did the Roller Coaster, a 13 mile section of steep ups and downs. It got hot so we did a short side hike to Bear's Den hostel for some AC and ice cream. Very nice place. It didn't fit my plans but it would have been a good place to stay. Instead we moved on to Blackburn Trail Center, another hostel. They served a great pasta dinner.

Roller Coaster Warning Sign


Bear's Den Hostel


All's well.

Blackburn Trail Center. Today - 17.8 miles, Total - 998.9 miles.

Friday, June 27

Into town for some R&R. Harpers Ferry is an attractive historic city and I am looking forward to exploring the area.

Almost Half Way!


State Line


Informal 1000 Mile Mark


All's well.

Harpers Ferry, WV. Today - 12.0 miles, Total - 1010.9 miles.

Here's a few photographs that arrived too late for the last post.....

Waynesboro sign welcoming some thru-hikers by name.


Shenandoah's modern trees.


Bojangles' Trail Magic.


Spidey with a huge pack.



Shenandoah View.



Me on a Shenandoah wall.


Very tame deer.


Ken and family.

Monday, June 16

I went full speed into Waynesboro, VA today, motivated by thunder, lightening and sprinkles. My plan for the night is to order pizza and go to bed early. Today's fast pace wore me out.

Sometimes people ask me if I am having fun out here. I always hesitate before answering. Today is a good example why. It wasn't fun pushing myself for speed on a humid day with storms threatening. It was fun beating the storm in. The fact that it was hard makes it worth doing, if not exactly fun.

When a fighter pilot lands his jet in heavy wind on a heaving air craft carrier he isn't having fun but that is a landing he will talk about later, not an easy one. The hard made the landing better, even if it wasn't fun. There are fun days out here when the weather is good and there are great views. There are also days when it is cold and rainy and I can't talk to other hikers because of the noise from the rain hitting the hood of my rain shell. Those days aren't fun but I have a feeling they will be the days I am most proud of when I look back on this. Tough days that I struggled through while always maintaining my desire to continue north. So please excuse my hesitation when I am asked the simple question "Are you having fun?" It is more complicated than it seems. My best answer is that I want to keep going.

All's well.

Waynesboro, VA. Today - 20.8 miles, Total - 850.5 miles.

Tuesday, June 17

Not much to report today. Took a day off for laundry and resupply. Visited the Waynesboro History Museum. Rested my legs and ate ice cream. Watched "Cash Cab" on the Discovery Channel. Had dinner with Buck and Fleur, two retirees from Nova Scotia. I forgot to mention in yesterday's post that I have been hiking for two months now, starting on April 16.

Since I have little else to write, I want to correct something I said earlier. April 16 is late to start the AT. I did it because I don't like cold weather and because I was a strong enough hiker to finish, despite the late start. At the time I wrote that 80 percent of thru-hikers starting in mid-April were men. As I have hiked along and caught up with more hikers, I have encountered more and more women. I guess the women weren't as aggressive with start dates as I was. I would say maybe 1/3 of the hikers around me now are women, maybe a little more. Interestingly, someone recently repeated a statistic to me showing that women complete thru-hikes at a higher rate then men. Not sure why that is.

The Celtics are wiping out the Lakers on TV. I'm going to bed.

All's well.

Waynesboro, VA. Today - 0.0 miles, Total - 850.5 miles.

Wednesday, June 18

After a day off it is always good to be hiking again. Conditions were good and it was unquestionably a FUN day. Animal and I got a late start because our shuttle from town to the trail head didn't leave until 8:00 AM. We moved well though with Rodeo along for extra company. We quickly got though 17 miles when Bojangles turned up at a road crossing with coolers full of beer and snacks. It was some high quality trail magic. Bo still had some money and time left to vacation so he loaded up his pick-up truck and came back out.

In Shenandoah, the AT crosses and re-crosses the Skyline Drive, the Park's main road. Sometimes hikers will walk on the road for a change of pace. Animal and I, purists, turn our noses up at such behavior but it is so common here that nobody else cares. When Bo pulled in, he had about ten thru-hikers in the back of the truck. He just picked them up as he drove along Skyline Drive. Normally, I don't think well of "thru-hikers" riding instead of walking but I have to say that it made for a good impromptu party. I talked baseball with Chaco and Wak, hiking with No-Amp, Spidey and Barfight. It was a great social gathering.

After that, we packed the last of the beer and food three miles to Blackrock Hut and set up camp. By the way, shelters are call huts in Shenandoah. We hung out for a bit and still got to bed early. We joke out here that 9:00 PM is thru-hiker midnight. It's hard staying up past thru-hiker midnight after a 20 mile day.

All's well.

Blackrock Hut. Today - 20.0 miles, Total - 870.5 miles.

Thursday, June 19

I like Shenandoah for all the wrong reasons. Sure there are spectacular views and scenic waterfalls and stuff, but I love it because it is so far from being wilderness. After two months of filtering water it is a real pleasure to find picnic areas every ten miles with water fountains and spigots. There are bathrooms there also so I can wash my hands and face regularly with hot running water and limitless amounts of soap. Nearly every day we walk past a restaurant with a camp store attached. I eat fresh fruit and meat and ice cream. I cross Skyline Drive ten times a day and chat with day hikers who react with wonder to the idea of walking all the way from Georgia to Maine.

I also love it because there is a lot of wilderness packed into a long narrow park. I have seen countless deer and a few wild turkey. Grouse play their game of charging out bravely with their feathers standing up to create the illusion of size, then retreating when I don't flee in fear. There are more songbirds here than I have seen anywhere else and Animal even caught a glimpse of a bear ambling away from us. Shenandoah is everything it is suppose to be.

We did 21 miles today on gently rolling terrain. We were wearing out near the end but a sudden cool afternoon thundershower gave some motivation to zip up the trail to camp. The rain stopped by the time we pitched our tents.

All's well.

Hightop Hut. Today - 21.4 miles, Total - 891.9 miles.

Friday, June 20

We did our third straight 20 miler today and even Animal is dragging some. No matter how gentle the terrain, that is still a lot of pounding on the feet. It was good to hit Big Meadow and indulge in some restaurant food, running water and flush toilets. Other hikers are calling Shenandoah "AT Light." If backpacking were always like this, more people would do it.

We had dinner with Lactose, Unicorn, and Pegasus. U & P's adopted dog, Ginny, is doing very well. I asked how her tick collar was working and they said "not well." Too bad. If it were working I would have one on each angle tomorrow. I'm pulling off two or three ticks each day.

Ken, who I went to high school with, came out to meet up, reminisce and show his family the mock wilderness. Its great to see him. We chatted easily although we haven't seen each other in 20 years. His kids are smart and he wears fatherhood well. Ken got to meet a few thru-hikers and get a taste of life on the trail.

With the high mileage we have been doing, Animal agreed right away to my suggestion that we take a zero day here. We both think we have been missing too much pretty stuff out here because we are pressing for miles. We are going to check out the visitor's center, explore some side trails, and grill hotdogs for dinner.

All's well.

Big Meadow Campground. Today - 20.4 miles, Total - 912.3 miles.

Saturday, June 21

My zero day was everything I had hoped for. Animal and I met Ken and his family for breakfast and got to talk to lots of other thru-hikers who came into the restaurant. Then Animal and I went off on our own and hiked to Dark Hollow Falls to explore and take pictures. Later we went to a ranger's presentation on bears and then to the visitors center. Animal is a champ and didn't complain at all when I lingered over the "History of Shenandoah" section. My plan to roast hotdogs on an open fire got washed out by a late afternoon thunderstorm but it turned out fine. We got back with Ken and family and found a camp restaurant that served a good bacon cheddar burger. For the first time in a while, I'm not hungry.

Ken brought his family back to civilization but before he leaves the blog, I want to address a point he brought up. Ken tells me that many Americans are not familiar with hostels as they are more common in Europe than here. I will try to describe an AT hiker hostel for any readers who aren't familiar with them. Thanks Ken, for mentioning that.

Hostels are different from hotels or bed & breakfasts in that they have a common sleeping area. On the AT that usually means a bunkhouse with a shared bathroom and maybe a microwave. Also, the price is usually much lower than at a hotel or a B&B. Beyond that, they vary widely. I have paid from $4 to $30. I have slept on cots, bunks, and once in an ornate Victorian style bed. I have slept in nice bedding and I have thrown my sleeping bag on a bare foam pad.

Sometimes a meal is included, sometimes it is sold separately, sometimes you are on your own. Sometimes the bunkhouse is climate controlled, sometimes not. Usually there is a "hiker box" where hikers can leave unwanted supplies for the next hiker. Some hostels are better kept than most hotels but I stayed in one where a resident cat struggled to keep the mouse population down. Elmer's Sunnybrook Inn in Hot Springs, NC remains my favorite. For $15 per day I got a bed with lines in the attic. I only shared the attic with one other hiker. For $6 extra I could have breakfast made in part with veggies grown in Elmer's garden. It was delicious.

One more feature worth mentioning about AT hostels is the work-for-stay option. Occasionally a hiker will agree to work in exchange for a free bunk. Most often, it is injured hikers who take this route. They can't afford to pay even a modest fee indefinitely so they clean and do manual labor in exchange for a place to rest and heal. Most hostel owners are very sympathetic to injured hikers. Cloud Nine hostel in Hiawassee, GA has an especially good reputation for that, as does Kinkora hostel in Dennis Cove, TN.

Tonight I am in a public campground. You might think I would hate the traffic and noise but I don't. It is all part of the Shenandoah experience.

All's well.

Big Meadow Campground. Today - 0.0 miles, Total - 912.3 miles.

Wednesday, June 11

Camping in the open near a nice spring. There is a crowd here despite the fact that it is just a clearing on the side of the trail. Animal and I are here as well as Swami, Big Ease, Duckfeet, and Gouda with his dog, Taba. I like camping with dogs. I feel very secure. Gouda and Taba can share my camp anytime. Swami, Big Ease, and Duckfeet stay up late and are louder than I would like, but Duckfeet is a cutey so she gets a pass from me.

Rhododendron Blooming


Today Animal and I talked about what we learned. It seems like we should take some life skills from hiking 765.7 miles and counting. I think I have learned to attack problems more directly, like a big climb, rather than trying to think of a way around it or try to wish it away. Animal says she has learned to be more adaptable when her initial plan fails.

Speaking of Animal, she fell down today and had trouble getting up because of her enormous pack weight. Her boyfriend is in trouble. Eleven pounds of food?

The Guillotine


Temperatures have finally dropped a little. I bet we didn't hit 90 degrees today. It should be good tenting weather tonight.

All's well.

Marble Shelter. Today - 17.2 miles, Total - 765.7 miles.

Thursday, June 12

The big news today is that Bojangles, Rodeo's hiking partner for the last month, dropped out. He said he knew it was time when little things started bothering him too much. I've been around Bo a lot over the last few weeks but haven't written about him. If I can do this without making it sound like a eulogy, I will write about Bojangles.

At 51, he was younger than the retirees out here but older than the kids. He preferred hanging out with the kids. He had more money that most of us and was generous with it. He stayed in hotels, not hostels, but always let anyone who needed a free place sleep on his floor. Every time I saw him in town he had beer cooling and he always let me drink whatever I wanted. He did get irritated with some hikers pretty easily. He admitted to having a bad temper and sometimes mentioned a stint he did in prison as a young man. He talked about it proudly, like the lyrics to a Johnny Cash song. "I killed a man in Reno just to watch him die" sort of thing. Overall though, he was good to have out here. I'm surprised and sorry to see him quit.

Found this off-trail


Animal and I talked about Bo leaving for quite a while as we hiked. We think that distance running has given us a head start on the mental challenge of thru-hiking but I don't think we are that special. For some reason we keep going while lots of others stop. Virginia lasts forever and little injuries are piling up for everyone. If anything has helped me, it is looking only at short-term goals, Waynesboro or Harpers Ferry, I ignore New England. Also, I know now that I do better with a reliable partner. I had Mike early, Jogle in North Carolina and Tennessee, Animal in the Smokeys and now in Virginia.

James River Bridge


After seeing the carnage Central Virginia has made of the thru-hiker class of 2008, I wouldn't say anyone is a sure thing to finish but I still feel good about Animal and me. We are both healthy and positive.

One more thing, we caught a ride into town with a section hiker named Luke. We ate at the only restaurant in Glasgow, VA. I had a so-so breakfast followed by a great strawberry shortcake. Just yesterday I told Animal I was craving strawberry shortcake. There it was.

All's well

Punchbowl Shelter. Today - 18.2 miles, Total - 783.9 miles


Friday, June 13

More trail magic today. Virginia and its many road crossings is spoiling me. Two 1987 thru-hikers were at the base of our big climb today with grilled cheese sandwiches, cold cokes, cookies, and apples. Thanks Renegade and Tomboy. They also gave an injured hiker a ride into town. Extra got shin splints doing back-to-back 25 mile days. I could see the bumps on his shins. He is going to a nearby hostel to ice it for a few days and hopefully will return. The steady 17-20 mile days Animal and I have been doing increasingly seem like teh right way to go.

Tree growing from rock


The 3,000+ foot climb up Bald Knob was one of the toughest in Virginia, but insects were the story today. They have been crazy since the heat wave. There is a biting blackfly that has been swarming. 100 of them circling my head and I try to ignore them. Eventually, one of them gets brave, lands and bites. I kill it and bat the rest away. They move over three feet, wait for me to stop waving my arms, and they come right back. There are tiny no-see-ums that are so tiny I never notice them until they bite me. There are a few mosquitoes, horseflies, bees, and yellow jackets but they don't bother me. The ticks bother me.

I went seven weeks with only one tick. I've had five of them this week. The last one was a deer tick I found crawling across my hand. I still have the willies from that one. I have a good campsite though. I'm in my tent hiding from the bugs. I can hear them bouncing off my rainfly.

All's well.

Hog Camp Gap. Today - 17.6 miles, Total - 801.5 miles

Saturday, June 14

I got sucked into stopping early and staying at the Dutch House Hostel today. They are tricky. They offer free lunch so I can't say no and I walk off trail to have the free food. Then I find out that I have to hike a mile downhill to get there. OK. Then it is a really good lunch and I get a free breakfast if I stay. The kicker is that they do my laundry for me. Every stitch of it. They provide a robe to wear while they do it. So I am in the Dutch House Hostel bunkhouse. It is very nice and I would recommend it to any thru-hiker. $30 is ambitious for a bunk, but I get a good mattress, clean sheets, laundry service, as well as breakfast and the lunch that brought me at first.

There are four of us in the bunkhouse. Me, Rodeo with her bad hip, Extra with his bad shins, and Barfight, who has the best name on the trail. She is very soft spoken and got the name as a sort of a joke like some big guys are nicknamed Tiny. Barfight isn't doing well and is thinking about dropping out. I gave her the best pep talk I could but usually when someone talks about dropping, they are ready to.

Extra is a very smart guy and I had a good talk with him about what brought him to the AT. He told me that he had gone through a couple personal setbacks and wanted to show that he could finish a big project. In a light tone of voice, he told me a heavy story about how his father told him he won't finish. I think he will. Even with the bad leg and the Virginia dropout rate, I think he has too much to prove to quit.

Wildlife



Quick Notes:
- Animal agreed to tale a zero day I wanted in Harpers Ferry, I agreed to take one she wanted in Pennsylvania. It looks like we will stay together at least until New England.
- I forgot to mention that Animal's has eaten her food bag down to normal size.
- My socks smell bad right out of the wash. Next week's new shoes will help.
- No health update on Donnie. I've been doing good miles and nobody has caught up with the news
- My water filter is starting to get stiff again. Rotten thing.

All's well.

Montebello, VA. Today - 10.0 miles, Total - 811.5 miles

Sunday, June 15

Sometimes I have trouble understanding how the AT planners make decisions. Today,I hiked 8.5 miles up a "U" shaped series of ridges called the Three Ridges. It was steep and long but there were a few nice views. If I had turned left instead of right I would have been on the Mau-Har Trail. The Mau-Har is only three miles and goes by swimming holes and scenic waterfalls. I stayed on the AT but it was tempting. Thinker, Brahma Bull, Sweet Potato, and Longshot were all behind me and caught up on the Mau-Har shortcut. They are all good people though and I'm glad to be camping with them.

View from Cedar Cliffs


Quick Notes:
- I thought I was out of Gypsy Moth country but I am getting hit with caterpillar poop again.
- Blackberries almost ripe!
- I love my MSR tent. I sleep better now that I can move around some.
- My boots are falling apart. Looking forward to getting new ones next week.
- Down 21 pounds according to the Dutch House scale.
- Waynesboro tomorrow.

All's well.

Maupin Field Shelter. Today - 18.2 miles, Total - 829.7 miles