Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Pearisburg to Daleville

The Holiday lodge in Pearisburg.  Nasty place.  A hiker named Waffles ODed here  two days before I got there.  An hour after I checked in a hiker was arrested next door.  I was so happy to get back on the trail the next day!!!
The glee didn't last long.  A thunderstorm unleashed hail a half mile into the trail.  I made it to a shelter and called it a day.  1.1 mile day.  At least I wasn't in Pearisburg.
  So pissed.
  The next day was way better!
Trail magic!!!!  Beer, fresh fruit and oatmeal cream pies!!!!  Put the bounce back in my step!
A break in the clouds!
Cloudy but no rain.  Great hiking weather.
Keiffer Oak.   The largest oak tree on the AT in the south.  18 feet around and over 300 years old.  Dover oak in NY is slightly larger.
Tuna, cheese tortilla for lunch. Mmmm
These little dudes are everywhere.
 Trail magic!!!  This was great!  I went 7 miles, uphill without water.  Ice cold Gatorade was more than a surprise.  I have no idea how someone could bring these up here.  It was in the middle of no where.
Pop tarts!!!!
  Hikers enjoying the magic!
Audie Murphy memorial.  He's the most decorated American soldier of WWII.  He crashed a plane close by.
Oak from Jersey resting by Dragons Tooth.
 
 Cute kid art.
McAfee Knob!!!  The most photographed spot on the AT.  That's me making a postcard!
Two box turtles in one day!!! That brings my total count to three my whole life.
Pissed off!!  I went the wrong way for half a mile under the cliffs.
  Found my way finally back to Tinker Cliffs.  Great view back to McAfee Knob.
Another day running out of water.  Whoever said Virginia is flat is full of it!
    Power lines in their natural habitat.
    Nearly crapped myself when I found these guys!  Surprisingly they didn't mind me.  
  Where the trail comes out into Daleville. It continues across the highway.  Glad to be here!  I had two packs of ramen left.  Perfectly planned food ration.

















Monday, June 17, 2013

Lapse of time

I've noticed the days on this blog and how long I've been hiking don't match up.  Ignore them.  I'm just going to to give town to town descriptions from now on.  

Thursday, June 13, 2013

52-60 Damascus to Pearsburg

        Finally back on the trail!!!
      Looking good even crossing bridges
      Watch your step out here.  These little guys don't move quickly.
  The Lorax on the wall of a privy. 


This tree had some narly thorns!!
   Where I hiked from.  It was a beautiful break in the clouds!


    On the way up Mt. Rodgers.  
Lots of cows lately.
                 Overgrown veal.
Big ole pile of cow shit!
      Wild pony!!!! Wild pony!!!!
  Baby wild pony!!! Baby wild pony!!!
  Shelter after Mt. Rodgers summit.  I didn't go up there it was .5 mile up there without a view.  
       Ferns.
   Rhododendron blossom and a blaze. 
  If it wasn't such a pain in the ass to have a fire, I would've enjoyed the hell out of one here.
        Moooooooooooooooooooo.  These heffers didn't want to move for me.  I walked around.
 Trail magic!!!!
   Breakfast.
More trail magic!!!
   A little pond side stroll. 
Best shelter so far!!!  The Fontana Hilton was a dump compared to this place!  Partnership shelter, remember that one.
       So many boots!!!!!
    Boardwalk over a swamp.
   Go team tent!  Passed the 25% mile marker today!!
    Shelter with four walls.  Very rare.  Only the second one I've seen.
     Lunch time with fellow hiker trash.
    Hoodoo voodoo
        Everyone loving trail magic!!!  Cold sprite is probably the greatest drink.  Ever.
  Going to Bland, VA.  Name of the town said it all.  I did crush two footlong subs at subway there with ease.  I wanted one to go too but resisted.
    The amazing AT in all its splendor!
   Super sweet bridge!   
    Ishmial crossing a river.
  After crossing the river.
    Ahahahhah!! Yoga at Woods Hole Hostel.  I was in the hammock feeling too good to move.
  Lazy farm dog.
     Let there be rock!
      
   Guinea hens in front of the privy. 
  Cool cool cats.
   Me with a kid!!  
     Rattle snake across the trail!

   He got pissed off when I tried to move him. 
  Bubbly for one in the shittiest motel so far.
   This chic was meditating just before getting arrested.
   Resupply.