Trail Magic Beer Find!


Pine trees in rows


Mount Rogers sign


Field of flowers


Grayson Highlands Series (Six photos)








Wild Ponies (2 photos)



Magic bus? Nope.


Boardwalk over swamp near Atkins.


AT through deep grass. Ticks are you in here?


544 miles. 25 percent done!


Virginia the stray dog . . .


. . . and her new owners, Unicorn and Pegasus.



Bland Baptist Church breakfast.


I've seen a lot of these.


Wapiti Shelter. Crowded.


Me & a snake skin at the Wapiti Shelter.

Saturday, May 24

I did a long haul today but I was rewarded when I got to the Relax Inn. Its a dump but for $42 per night, what can you ask for? The truck stop diner was all I hoped for. Big servings, low prices. I had a burger, fried mushrooms, and a piece of lemon pie for under ten dollars.

I got my first tick. It came off without a fight. I think I got it walking through long grass but it could have been in the motel room.

I've caught up to Rodeo. Her hip continues to trouble her. She was 50 miles ahead of me before Trail Days. Her hip has really slowed her. She keeps a good attitude though. Here are updates on some others.

- Mas, Jogle, and Becca are all rumored to be one day behind me. They'll catch me in Pearisburg in a week.
- Still no Animal rumors. I left a voice mail on her cell. It's a good sign that she hasn't returned it. She could still be hiking and out of cell range.
- Washed Up, who carried a guitar through Georgia and North Carolina, has reportedly left the trail Too bad, he was sure to be the stuff of trail legend if he stayed. Mas tells that he found Washed Up on a pay phone in North Carolina saying, "Just send socks . . . I don't care, any socks!"
- I'm embarrassed that I've already forgotten his name, but I heard a good third-hand story about the southbounder with artificial feet. One night somebody was complaining too much about his blisters, while sitting around the campfire. Tiring of the whining, our man pulled off his foot, boot and all, and said, "Funny, I never have that problem."
- One more story. In the early weeks of my hike, lots of hikers were upset with a hiker named Wing Ding who wrote his name in marker on the shelters he slept in. I've caught up with him and heard his story. He says it was a dumb impulse and a fellow hiker set him straight. I heard a rumor that it was an angry Smokey Mountain Ranger who set him straight, but whatever. He goes by another trail name now and doesn't graffiti anymore.

All's well.

Atkins, VA. Today - 22.2 miles, Total - 536.4 miles.

Sunday, May 25

I passed a huge waypoint today. If you have been following my progress a while, you know I can make a statistical mountain out of a molehill, but this is really big. I passed the 25 percent mark at mile 544 this afternoon. I'm one-quarter done.

I got a late start today because I couldn't resist the greasy spoon's Sunday breakfast. It was called "The 2 x 4." It is two pancakes, two eggs, two bacon strips and two sausage patties. You also get a roll and hashbrowns. Good thing I hike 14 miles today.

I just found out yesterday that it is Memorial Day weekend. I thought the trail seemed crowded. You lose track of these things in the woods.

Some equipment notes for you gearheads.
- My Osprey Aether pack is the best thing I have with me. It adjusts easily and never chafes. The belt is removable so when I lost weight, I was able to get a new belt for it at the outfitters. I'm down 14 pounds.
- Mountain Laurel makes great lightweight gear. I own their pack cover and rain chaps and both are terrific. Google them.
- My North Face Trail Runners are great but the shoelaces are very narrow and impossible to replace from the trail. I'm using the light rope I use to hang my bear bag to replace by laces. The bear bag hangs from lower branches all the time as I keep cutting off more rope for shoelaces.
- All my winter stuff is getting sent home from Pearisburg. I'll be two pounds Lighter. Yay!

All's well.

Knot Maul Branch Shelter. Today - 13.9 miles, Total - 550.3 miles.

Monday, May 26

Today was a very hard day. Most of the morning was taken up by a long climb to the top of Chestnut Ridge. I'm very tired. I plan to hit the tent early.

First though, I heard that my URL is posted at my old place of employment. Welcome to all PB visitors. I think of you as I hike along. I hope you are all doing well.

Before I turn in, I want to repeat an interesting conversation I had with some section hikers. They asked if I thought about getting to Maine often. I had to tell them I almost never do. I have done 569 miles but I still have 1,600+ miles to go. I'd quit if I considered that. I had to admit that I rarely think past my next resupply or zero day.

Virginia continues to be kind to me, but the forecast says the worm is about to turn. Showers Tuesday and Wednesday, steady rain all day Thursday. Oh well, I'll keep hiking.

All's well.

Jenkins Shelter, VA. Today - 19.1 miles, Total - 569.4 miles.

Tuesday, May 27

It was an interesting day today and it started early. Around 2:00 someone woke me up yelling, "Bear, bear!" I heard something running around outside but it sounded more like a deer so I pulled the hood of my sleeping bag over my head and went back to sleep. About two hours later, a dog that wandered into camp woke me up barking and running around. Whatever it was chasing sounded big, maybe a bear. The dog seemed to have it under control though so I rolled over and went back to sleep. Some early risers in camp woke me up around 5:30 and I gave up and read for a while. I am working on A Sand Country Almanac.

There was a trail rumor I put no stock in so I didn't mention it yesterday. A third hand rumor held that the Bland, VA Baptist Church was picking hikers up at a road crossing and cooking them breakfast at the Church. It turns out that the rumor was true. I had a great breakfast. I'm on a crowded stretch of trail, so I had lots of company. A young honeymooning couple, Unicorn and Pegasus, went to the store and bought a leash and collar for the stray dog. They adopted her and named her Virginia for obvious reasons.

Late in the afternoon we crossed another road and were met by a former thru-hiker who had a half-case of beer. We all enjoyed hearing his trail stories and drinking free beer. Our benefactor claimed to have taken 71 zero days on his hike. That's a lot of partying. I've taken four so far.

I wanted a peaceful night's sleep tonight, so I hiked three miles past the shelter. I cooked at the shelter so there are no cooking smells here. I'm hoping for no wildlife, no loud people. This will be my first night camping alone.

All's well.

Not sure. Today - 17? miles, Total - 586.4? miles.

Wednesday, May 28

Virginia turned on me today. After eight straight days of warm, sunny weather, I got a whole day of rain. It was cool but not too bad. As usual the rain kept me moving and I did good miles. The shelter is crowded so I went from my solo camp to a camp of 20. The solo camp was a lot more peaceful. On the positive side, it is cool enough that my 15 degree bag isn't too much. I'm looking forward to getting down into it.

Lots of fast hikers are in here. Unicorn and Pegasus did 24 miles with the dog. Frumpy and Waters, who carry huge food bags, also did 24. Apex and Magellan did 24 and are going out for more. I'm happy I can keep up with the fast people but I'm looking forward to time off in Pearisburg. I have a few sore spots that need rest. I'm doing better than most though.

Andrea, who I know from my Las Vegas hiking group, is meeting me in Pearisburg on Sunday. I can't wait.

All's well.

Wapiti Shelter. Today - 21.0 miles, Total - 607.4 miles.

Tuesday, May 20

Taking a half-day off in Damascus. After this, my next break is nine days or so away at Pearisburg. I'll be crossing the Virginia Highlands, an area I have been looking forward to. It is noted for its feral ponies and the last mountains over 5,000 feet in elevation I will see until New Hampshire.

We took a short day and got to the hostel early. We have it filled up. Jogle, Becca, and I got there just ahead of Campfire and Samson. There was already an Englishman called The General there. We all just fit. Jogle and The General started speaking incomprehensible British to each other. Here is The General's story as Jogle told it later:

The General, who is retired but very fit, thru-hiked two years ago and loved it. When he got home, he couldn't stop thinking about it. He would sit at home staring at the wall dreaming of the trail. His wife started to get concerned. Finally, she accused him of having an affair that caused his distraction. He confessed that he couldn't get the trail off his mind, so she sent him back here to do it again.

Most of us are here because we are at a stopping point in our lives. I got my Masters but had no job prospects. The General is retired. Others are just coming out of divorces, bad jobs, or losing a job. At some point, all of us heard about the AT and thought that made sense. We needed adventure or quiet or something else we thought we could find out here. So here we are, only distinguishable from your average vagrant by our dry-fit shirts and fancy boots. Will walk for food.

All's Well.

Damascus, VA. Today - 10.0 miles, Total - 461.1 miles.

Wednesday, May 21

I could have gotten down today, but the AT wouldn't let me! Jogle stayed in Damascus to watch Manchester United play Chelsea in a big soccer match. Becca stayed also. It was tough leaving good companions but I needed to move on. I left the hostel at 7:00 am, just as last night's rain stopped. I saw the sunlight peek out and I gathered myself to start hiking alone. Just then, Suzanne, who owns the Hiker's Inn Hostel, met me on the porch with a tray of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. So I turned around, went back into the hostel, and we all ate muffins together. I started a second time at 7:20 and made it as far as the coffee shop where there was a sign advertising their omelet special. I actually started hiking at 8:20.

I moved slowly until 10:00, feeling alone. At 10:00 I found a six-pack of Negro Modelo cooling in a stream next to a sign reading, "Good Luck 2008 Thru-Hikers." Well, it's five o'clock somewhere. With the sun shinning and a beer in my belly, along with a ham and cheese omelet and two muffins, I went slowly up the trail. Knowing it would be a short day, I took it slow and had several breaks. Now I am tenting outside a shelter listening to a former thru-hiker give condescending advice about tents and hammocks. Guys who have hiked this before are good sources of information, but they have an ego about their feats.

All's well.

Lost Mountain Shelter. Today - 15.8 miles, Total - 476.9 miles.

Thursday, May 22

Let me mention a couple fads on the AT. First, lots of guys are wearing hiking kilts. I like them in theory. They don't chafe and if you get cold you can pull on thermal underwear easily. Its not for me though. I'm attached to the pockets in my cargo shorts. Lots of things need to go in them. Second, I've seen a few hammocks. These aren't your father's hammocks. They come with mosquito netting and a rain fly. There is a slit in the side so you can stand up into it and your body weight keeps the slit closed once you are in it. In certain areas where tenting isn't allowed, hammocks are because they are lower impact. The one criticism I hear is that they aren't as warm as tents. Because of that I have delayed deploying mine. It has been unseasonably cold since I hit North Carolina. No doubt though, I'll try the hammock somewhere in Virginia.

Did I mention that I love Virginia? Damascus is my favorite trail town. The residents were friendly towards hikers and the restaurants were tasty and affordable. No rain has hit me in Virginia. Like Camelot, it has only rained at night. Its warmer, although I still wear long sleeves when I hike. Also, Virginia is home to the Grayson Highlands, my new favorite part of the trail.

I climbed slowly up to the ridge, where I had my first lunch. I zipped along the ridge to Thomas Knob Shelter, where I had my second lunch. After that, it was Wonderland. There were no big trees so I had great views from every knob. The wild ponies walked right up to check me out. I walked through thickets of Rhododendron and over rocky summits. It looked drier up there than in the valley. The colors were more yellow than green, broken up by a red leafed shrub I will have to look up. Even the soil felt different under my feet; drier and crumbly.

I took lots of pictures but my light, compact Canon isn't up to capturing vistas like that. Sorry Dad, I'm sending you lots of so-so pics of the Grayson Highlands. I liked being alone for that because I could go at my own pace, wander down side trails, and take pictures. On the other hand, I would have loved to have shared the sights with Jogle or Animal. Where is Animal? I haven't even heard a trail rumor. Anyway, it was the best walk so far and if I learn that Grayson Highlands State Park is looking for a park historian, they won't even have to pay me. Room, board, and two days off a week for exploring. If tomorrow's hike is like today's, I might take it super slow and make up the miles later. This is what I wanted to see. It had the same impact on me as the first time I saw the Plains' endless horizons or the first time I went into Utah's canyon country. If you ever have the chance, this is must-hike territory. I don't know why there isn't a National Park.

Is all well? You know it is!

Wise Shelter. Today - 17.3 miles, Total - 494.2 miles.

Friday, May 23

I roared past the 500 mile mark today. Virginia continues to be good to me. It was another pretty day. A 2005 thru-hiker was at a road crossing serving sandwiches along with veggies and dip. I did 20 miles on the gently rolling hills. Another easy 22 miles from here is Atkins, where there is a cheap motel and a truck stop diner. Luxury embodied.

I'm camping with four other people who I didn't know but I found to be very nice. One of them, Rainbow, is hiking in a walking cast. She broke her ankle in North Carolina but since there was no doctor around, she walked on it for 40 miles hoping it would get better. She finally got to a doctor who told her to quit hiking. She refused and they compromised with a week off and the walking cast and boot. She probably can't make it to Maine at her pace but she is getting the most out of her hike. I've met some really tough people out here.

This is Jogle's second stab at the trail. He came out here in March to do it but didn't get past Atlanta. The day after his plane landed he got the news that his sister had died, so he had to turn around and go back to England. Three weeks later he was back here to try again.

I met a southbound thru-hiker with artificial feet. There was a blind man on the trail earlier. I know several hikers who have overcome illnesses and minor injuries. If there is one constant among thru-hikers it is their ability to overcome obstacles. I'm glad to be a part of it.

All's well.

Trimpi Shelter. Today - 20.0 miles, Total - 514.2 miles.

Saturday, May 17

Another day at Trail Days. Jogle and I ate junk food and hung out with Rodeo. We found Mas who shaved and we didn't recognize him at first. We ate $4 all-you-can-eat pancakes for breakfast, retrieved our repaired equipment, and watched the town parade. Fun!

I met a guy who had a T-shirt that read, "Bill Bryson is a Candy-Ass." Bryson, the author of A Walk in the Woods, is one of the most controversial figures in AT history. Many thru-hikers think that by writing about the AT from the perspective of a chubby, out-of-shape wannabe hiker, he encouraged people to attempt the trail who didn't belong here. That is called "The Byson Effect." Bryson himself only managed 800 or so miles and he is criticized out here for not getting the full trail experience.

Personally, I think the attention Bryson's bestseller got for the trail is good for the trail. Plus it is a fun read. You should give it a look if you haven't already. Be warned though, it is not a "how-to" book and Bryon's experience is very different from that of any hiker I have encountered.

I've got a ride to the Kincora Hostel tonight, then we pick up where we left off tomorrow morning.

All's Well.

Trail Days. Today - 0.0 miles, Total - 410.9 miles.

Sunday, May 18

We left Kincora Hostel for the last time this morning and I was ready. I've had enough sitting around, I'm here to hike. There is a third member of our party today. Becca, a former debutante from Florida, has hooked on. She has a mouth like a stevedore and after some particularly colorful language, Jogle or I will ask, "Did they teach that at finishing school?" She is a tough hiker. She left her group when they wanted to take a day off and she didn't. I'm glad to be with her and Jogle. I had enough of the party crowd at Trail Days.

I've seen more drug use on the trail than I have since my early 20s. I don't like it. This trail is primarily an endurance challenge to me. I don't like that people use it as an excuse to party. Some hikers see thru-hiking as an act of rebellion against the 9-5 work world. The use of drugs is an extension of that rebellion. I'm all for looking for alternative ways to make a living, but I don't see drug use as a useful part of the process. In fact, the AT has kept me away from alcohol, my drug of choice. I'll come off the trail cleaner and fitter than ever. That's what an endurance jock wants.

Miserable weather today. Cold, rainy, and windy. Fresh from two days off, I pushed through 17.5 miles in seven hours, good time in these conditions. I fell once but no damage done. I got to the shelter early but I was so tired and cold I didn't want to do anything except change into dry clothes and get into the sleeping bag. I lay in the shelter, shivering, for an hour or so. Two section hikers who were at the shelter shared their lentil soup with me. That helped a lot. By the time Jogle and Becca came in, about 90 minutes after me, I was warm and nibbling on nuts and granola.

It is still raining but the forecast is good for tomorrow.

All's well.

Vandeventer Shelter. Today - 17.5 miles, Total - 428.4 miles.

Monday, May 19

We did 23 miles across easy terrain today. Low, rolling hills the entire way. I'm tenting outside a shelter that has a reputation for being more mouse-infested than most. There are three section hikers in the shelter who probably don't know better and one ultra-light backpacker who doesn't carry a tent. I recently heard a good definition of an ultra-light backpacker. It's someone who is dedicated to minimizing weight while maximizing mooching.

While mooching off other thru-hikers is frowned upon, getting food from weekenders or picnicers is admired. Becca favors the following line for approaching those with coolers. "Excuse me, I'm a thru-hiker and I've been out here for five weeks drinking plain water. If I could have a few ice cubes out of your cooler so I could drink ice water, it would make my day!" She claims the approach always earns a soda and sometimes it gets the hiker holy grail . . . free bear.

Two hikers just came into camp finishing a 30 mile day. Campfire got his name because he smokes, Samson has long hair. Back before the Smokies, they were hiking with a partying crowd but the partiers dropped out and Samson and Campfire kept going. They are good guys. Rumor is that Campfire has had blister problems from day one but keeps plugging away.

Back to the ultra-light guy though. He has no tent. Since he ate a cold dinner, I'm guessing he doesn't carry a stove. Instead of a sleeping bag, he has a light blanket and sleeps with that and his coat wrapped around him. That doesn't sound like fun. I like to think that I hit a middle ground between the people who take the AT too seriously and the people who use the trail as an excuse to party. I guess everyone thinks their own way is best though.

Jogle, our stats guru, tells me we passed the 20 percent mark today. One-fifth done around lunchtime today.

All's well.

Abingdon Gap Shelter. Today - 22.7 miles, Total - 451.1 miles.

Here is another set of photographs from the last two weeks.

Is this a baby copperhead snake?



Mas taking a dip.



Blazing Star and Jogle on Big Bald



Blazing Star, Jogle, and Crest on Big Bald.



Uncle Johnny's Hostel.



Greasy Creek, home of Steve.



Chimney left on Roan Mountain.



I took this photo while eating lunch on a TN bald.



Overmountain Shelter.



A "kissing gate." Animals can't get through. Backpackers can.



A cow on the Trail.



Tent City at Trail Days.



Bridge to nowhere.



Laurel Falls #1.



Laurel Falls #2.



Me on a narrow section of Trail.



Nick Grindstaff Monument.



Same. Inscription says, "Lived alone, suffered alone, Died alone."



The AT in farm country.



Me at the VA state line.



Jogle, Becca, and Vegas entering Damascus.