Day 67. Today accidentally ended up being a 23 mile Nero Day. I know I know, that’s not nearly “zero miles” … but I didn’t start until almost noon today, and just didn’t feel like stopping until dark. I thought I would only do 15 miles, but got to that shelter around 5pm and simply felt like the next one 10 miles up was doable. It was. But just barely.

The sun set at 8:08 today, and I rolled into Rod Hollow Shelter at 8:15. I felt ok with this late day hiking plan for a few reasons:

1. I got a really good 11 hours of sleep at the Quality Inn last night.
2. I ate a huge pancake and egg breakfast at the diner in town.
3. I haven’t seen more than 1 thruhiker a day since Waynesboro, and it’s a Sunday night, so the likelihood of a fully packed shelter was low.

I felt great hiking all day today. My brother-in-law wanted to hike in the morning before heading home, so he joined for the first 8 miles out of town. It rained all morning, but just as we hit the trail, it started to dry up. We had a great hike and by 1pm it was rain free and easy walking.

We stopped for lunch at the Jim & Molly Denton Shelter, which was a great one to show off. It may even be the best shelter in Virginia. Not because of anything special in the shelter itself … but outside, amenities galore! Not only was there a great porch jutting out from the sleep area, but it even had a giant Adirondack bench to boot. And outside that, there was a big covered picnic table area, privy, horseshoe game and a solar powered shower! Those last two should impress any hiker, it’s practically a life of luxury in the woods.

After our hike together, I said goodbye and continued my march to the end of Virginia. Given the stipulations above, it was an easy decision to go on when I reached the turn off for Whiskey Hollow Shelter 8 miles later. By now it was a hazy mist and gorgeous evening hike. There was a bit of dampness still in the air, though, as if Mother Nature was reminding you who was in charge here. But it stayed dry, minus a couple gusts of wind to the wet leaves above and I journeyed on peacefully.

I walked up to Rod Hollow shelter, just as the last slivers of daylight faded. But there was more than enough light to see that I grossly miscalculated the likelihood of inhabitants. It was packed with hikers! There were 8 mummy bags of sleeping people, who were probably not too happy to hear a loud latecomer. On the AT, “hiker midnight” is the term for bedtime, and it occurs as soon as it gets dark. So my arrival was the equivalent of a 12:30am wake-up call. Oops.

I probably should have just setup my hammock, but it was still wet and there is a chance for rain tomorrow. So instead, I quietly asked if there was room for one more inside. A nice woman happily answered yes, and quickly cleared her strewn out gear from a section on top. In all fairness, this place technically holds 10, so there was definitely room for me. But people were leisurely spread out and already asleep, so I appreciated her willingness to create a space.

I setup my bed quickly, then went over to the picnic table to eat a huge dinner and clean myself up. I was starving! I downed a cold dinner of snacks quickly, then hung my gear and food bag. As I finished, two more thruhikers strolled in as well … where have these people been?? My only guess is that they were all a day or two ahead of me in a small hiker bubble, and I happened to catch up with them all today. These two didn’t bother with the shelter and went straight to setting up their tents.

Side note, someone just farted really loud. Like wake everyone else up loud. But, as is the culture and with thruhikers, no one cared and everyone ignored it. I’m secretly laughing inside though. 🙂

Since most everyone was asleep, I don’t know who’s here, but I’ll find out in the morning. I am going to wake up early and try for another big day tomorrow. If I’m out on the trail by 7:00 or 7:30, I think I can hike all 30.2 miles to Harper’s Ferry by sunset. It’s a huge challenge, and would be my first 30 mile day, but I think it’s doable. The first 14 miles are a constant up and down of hills called “The Roller Coaster”, but then it looks pretty calm. I’ll know after that stretch whether the rest of the way is possible in one day. Wish me luck, my reward is a zero day and rest!

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 970.8
• Start Time: 11:45
• End Mile: 994.4
• End Time: 20:15
• Miles Hiked: 23.6
• Miles to Go: 1196.5
• Lodging: Rod Hollow Shelter

Day 66. Week 9 video is live above! Daleville to midway through Shenandoah National Park, showcasing some great moments as I begin to close out the great state of Virginia.

After a great time with family last night, I was feeling good for a long slackpack day this morning. I got dropped off at the trail just after 8am and hiked with a mission all day. There was impending rain on the horizon, and I wanted to get as many miles in as possible before it hit. All things considered, I did pretty darn good.

Besides a stop at the last Wayside (Elkwallow) for one last shake (blackberry), I didn’t stop walking all day. The terrain was mostly easy, the trail mostly clean, and the weather mostly cooperative … so I never really felt a need for a long break. I snacked while I went, I filled water from where streams hit the trail. It was a good hiking day.

At least, it was for the first 20 miles.

After that things changed pretty fast. When I exited Shenandoah National Park at mile 21 for the day, with only 3.5 more to go before meeting the family again in the town of Front Royal. There isn’t a ranger station, parking lot, or any real designation you are leaving the park except for a sign and billboard. But once you take another step, you definitely know you are out. The wide and well groomed trail immediately fades to narrow and rocky. The trail starts winding unnecessarily up and down hillsides lazily, and on top of everything else … it stared raining. I spent the last hour and change reminiscing about the “good old days” of the past 100 miles while carefully stepping over wet rocks in my sullen mood.

I will admit, today was probably not a “good day” for me mentally. I can’t really explain it except to say the monotony of walking 20 miles a day nonstop started to get to me. I won’t dwell on it much here because I didn’t dwell on it much today either, but I recognize that it was a tough day internally. Something about the draw to spend time with family instead, the lack of seeing any hikers nor wildlife (read: bears), and the constant pain at the end of each day just weighed heavily on me. And I’m not loving my homeless beggar look when out in public either. This is really only the 2nd time I’ve felt less that ecstatic to be out here hiking, and those days will happen, so I’m not concerned. It was just one of those days.

I hiked 24 miles in 9 hours. I had a monumental day, finishing just after 5pm. I could have easily done 6-10 more miles before nightfall if I wanted (read: if it wasn’t raining). So it was a good day, statistically. Plus, it ended with dinner at the awesome Pave Mint BBQ restaurant in Front Royal with family, and a dry hotel room to watch the Kentucky Derby and playoff hockey (Go Caps).

Only 54 miles to Harpers Ferry, where I plan to take a Zero Day to recuperate the body and soul. I could use a break I guess, so I’ll continue North with that goal to guide and motivate me forward.

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 946.2
• Start Time: 08:14
• End Mile: 970.8
• End Time: 17:10
• Miles Hiked: 24.6
• Miles to Go: 1220.1
• Lodging: Quality Inn (Front Royal, VA)

Day 65. Today ended up being a surprise slackpack and family day. I connected with my sister late last night and learned the family wanted to come out and meet me again to hang out and possibly hike. We had discussed it a bit last weekend, but I wasn’t sure what would end up happening.

I left Big Meadows Campground at 8am and hiked 8 miles to Skyland Resort (another of those fancy campground facilities in SNP). When I got there, my sister was just pulling in as well, with food and drinks in tow, so we enjoyed an amazing lunch on the patio looking out over the mountains. Then I dropped most my gear in her trunk and we hit the trail.

I thought perhaps we’d have a slower hike together as we chat and take in the sights, but nope. My sister is like me and very comfortable hiking fast along these trails. We covered our planned 4 miles in record time, then stopped for a snack and water at the Pinnacles Picnic Area. It was a great hike together and the weather was perfect, but we separated there and she hiked back while I went North to finish my day.

The rest of the afternoon, I enjoyed hot sunny weather and more gorgeous Shenandoah valley views along the way. The miles ticked by quickly and I rolled passed the Byrds Nest and Pass Mountain huts without stopping. I wasn’t on a mission necessarily, but I wanted to get today’s hike done so I could enjoy more family fun time.

Side note, at one point I passed a Cub Scout troop going on their first backpacking trip together. It was really funny listening to the scoutmaster’s safety lesson while I took my water break. The kids were uber-eager to hike and all had MONSTER backpacks for their 2 mile hike to the hut. I laughed to myself as I remembered my first backpacking adventure. I was 19 years old and packed everything in my dad’s “recommended” packing list. It was a list that told you to consider A or B. In my young haste, I didn’t pay attention and packed both A and B … and C, just to be safe. My backpack weighed at least 60 pounds and my trip up the Montana mountains required rest breaks at least every 50 feet. I was about as good a listener back then as these kids looked to be today. Hopefully their scoutmasters enjoyed the laugh as much as my dad did. 🙂

I strolled into Beahm’s Gap at 4:30, again just minutes after my sister did. Our timed sibling synchronicity is incredible today. We had a snack together on the side of the road then drove to this evening’s accommodations in Loray, VA … Jellystone Park.

I’ve never been to one of these Jellystone Resorts, though there was one near me growing up in the Wisconsin Dells. For those who are unfamiliar Yogi Bear’s themed camping resort … it is basically a childhood dream come true. Water slides, swimming pools, games, arcade, fishing, boats, campfires, etc. you can stay in a dozen different types of accommodation, ranging from campsites to full service cabins. It’s also a very popular RV Campground.

After a shower and a few cold drinks, my sister and I had a casual dinner and enjoyed the solitude of our cabin in this oasis. Even as an adult I would love spending a weekend “camping” here. We watched kids run around outside playing games, and laughed about how it reminded us of ourselves on family vacations growing up.

My brother-in-law and nephews arrived a couple hours later, where we enjoyed a campfire and cooked s’mores. It was too late for the other resort activities, but hopefully they will get to enjoy them fully in the morning when I’m back on the trail. Since it looks like rain tomorrow, the kids will forego hiking and instead enjoy some campground playing

It’s good to spend time with family. After so much time out in solitude on the trail, it’s great to be brought back for a spell within this familiar environment. I miss a lot of people back home, and do my best to stay in touch, but’s it’s hard to get to everyone as much as I’d like. These weekends have been great and are a taste what’s to come for me, where family and friends plan to join me on multi-day sections of the trail later this summer.

Tomorrow will be another slackpack day, this time into Front Royal, VA. I’m so close to Harpers Ferry now I can almost see it. Like Damascus a few weeks ago, hitting that trail town milestone will be another significant one, as it signifies the (unofficial) halfway point to the trail. I can’t believe I’ve been out on the AT for more than 2 months and am nearly 1000 miles done! What an amazing adventure this is, and what an incredible journey it has already been.

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 925.9
• Start Time: 08:00
• End Mile: 946.2
• End Time: 16:30
• Miles Hiked: 20.3
• Miles to Go: 1244.7
• Lodging: Jellystone Park (Loray, VA)

Day 64. Although the temperature was supposed to be higher today, I don’t think it ever got much hotter than 80 degrees. And there was a really nice cool breeze most of the day that made it very manageable. But I didn’t know that last night, so I planned an early start for today.

In hopes of getting miles under my feet before the afternoon heat set in, I woke up at sunrise and hit the trail just after 7am. That’s a darn early start for me normally, but it has two big advantages. Either a) you finish a normal day without too much time in the sun, or b) you have a couple extra hours of daylight to knock out a big mile day (if desired). I had a planned stop at Big Meadows Campground today, so the big miles weren’t needed … but the extra hours of daylight came in handy. More on that later.

One of the many great things about SNP is the multitude of campgrounds with camp stores and/or restaurants throughout. Today, for example, I passed 2 of these such places and was therefore able to have a decent lunch and dinner that didn’t come from my pack. Lewis Mountain Campground has a nice store (no restaurant) where I enjoyed a deli sandwich and ice cream for lunch. Then, Big Meadows has a huge store, resupply shop, and wayside restaurant that provided me dinner (and blackberry shake). The wayside restaurant is the same as yesterday’s at Loft Mountain, just bigger. And the shake was just as delicious!

During today’s hike, I passed some really spectacular views and landmarks also. This park is absolutely living up to its hype. The first was South River Picnic Area that was a good rest stop for a snack. It was mainly empty, but I imagine it’s very crowded on the weekend. This spot has bathrooms, tables, grills, water spigots, etc. for a nice friendly gathering.

Next was Pocosin Cabin. This is one of many enclosed cabins within the park that are apparently available by reservation only. They are stone buildings, slightly bigger than huts, with all the regular amenities (privy, picnic table, piped stream). It would be neat to stay here sometime in the future, but I only stopped to take a look, snap a pic, and guzzle some water for now.

After that, I continued on and came to a crossroads. At Bearfence Mountain, hikers can take the easy AT route, or they can take the insanely crazy Rock Scramble Overlook route to the top. The former is the “official” route … but the latter runs challenges you to climb your way up to a VERY rocky summit. It runs parallel to the AT, then spits you back out a half mile later. I could not resist a good rock climbing adventure, so blue blazed up to the summit.

Holy hell, was that hard. I was climbing on my hands and knees nearly the whole time, cautiously maneuvering each foot hold to the top. Smarter hikers would have left their pack at the bottom and gone back for it, but not me. I meandered my way slowly to the top and then shouted a war cry of triumph as I took in the 360 degree views around me. It was absolutely worth the strenuous climb and is hopefully one that other hikers check out. Plus, it’s just tons of fun. Here’s a photo showing part of the final climb, which obviously doesn’t do it justice.

The final 6 miles over Hazeltop Mountain and down to Big Meadows Wayside seemed to take all day, but I eventually strolled in around 3pm. A very early finish! Early starts definitely have their benefits. I had an early dinner, then found Spice in the Campground. Since this is a big fancy facility, campsites are $20 each, but can be used by up to 6 people. So we agreed to share the site and save some money.

With the rest of the afternoon, I caught up on some phone calls, and chatted with the Ranger to learn a bit about the facility. There is a Visitor’s Center, Lodge, Cabins, Amphitheater (which looks out over the mountains), Shower, Laundry, etc. It’s a very large campus and would make an awesome weekend getaway.

The one downside is that everything is pretty expensive. My resupply was twice what it normally costs per day of food. The wayside restaurant isn’t horrible, but will probably cost you $15-20 for a meal. It’s not unusual to see inflated prices at a Campground facility like this, but it’s still frustrating. $0.50 for one Ramen? $2.00 for a Honey Bun? Yikes.

After spending $50 on 3 days of food, I walked back up the hill. It’s also a bit frustrating how large the facility is, … for those in foot. It is a long 1 mile hike from the wayside/store to everything else up the mountain, something that 99% of the guests don’t have to worry about.

Back at the Campground, I had a hot shower and washed my sweaty clothes in the laundry room next door. Both are coin operated – the shower is $1.75 for 5 minutes, the laundry is the same to wash and dry. Compared to the store, spending $3.50 felt like a great deal to clean me and everything I own. After that, Spice and I chatted a bit at the picnic table while we organized our food bags for the next few days. Then we setup camp and called it a night. It sounds like we may only hike together another day or two, as we are both coordinating visits with family in the next few days.

I’m curious to see if anyone I’ve hiked with in the past will catch up to me after my Zero Day in Harpers Ferry. Remy? Ridge? Legs? Leap Frog? Happy Feet and Tarzan? They should all be within 2 or 3 days of me. We shall see, or I’ll trudge on alone again. I like hiking alone now, so no worries either way!

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 905.1
• Start Time: 07:15
• End Mile: 925.9
• End Time: 15:05
• Miles Hiked: 20.8
• Miles to Go: 1265.0
• Lodging: Big Meadow Campground

Day 63. In SNP, similar to Smoky Mountain National Park, you are supposed to sleep in the shelters. I haven’t seen any rangers to enforce that, but it’s technically the rule. Only when it is full, are you permitted to set up a tent/hammock. So last night, I played the part of an obedient hiker and slept in the shelter.

It wasn’t awful, especially with how exhausted I was following yesterday’s hike. But I didn’t sleep as well as I’d like … so today I’m forgoing the rule. Sorry park rangers. The shelter has 4 people in it, so I’m going to tell myself it’s full, as I rock blissfully in the hammock tonight. I’m ok with that.

This Hut area is packed though. There are about a dozen people here, twice as much as last night. Given the popularity of this park, I’m lucky I’m going through here during the week … I can’t imagine the crowd on a Saturday night. Also, it’s weird that they call the shelters “huts” here. Just to be different?

Spice and I decided to try hiking together today. Normally I like to hike alone these days, but mixing it up is always fun. I haven’t hiked with someone since Remy back before Daleville, and it definitely does help pass the time. I learned a lot about Spice today as we conquered another day in the blazing heat (86 degrees). She is older than me, has twin daughters in their early 20s, and moved to Minnesota 8 years ago for a guy. She also runs her own private Yoga and Reiki practice. We talked a lot about life, work, family, etc as the morning sun beat down on us.

It was good conversation, but it couldn’t take my mind off the scorching heat. After a few hours, we finally made it to Loft Mountain Campground, where there is a camp store, wayside restaurant, and gift shop. It’s a very popular campground in SNP, and just a half mile off of the AT, so is a very common stop. I had a burger for lunch, accompanied by one of those famous blackberry shakes. Then I downed 2 bottles of water and a Gatorade. It was amazing, and all hit the spot. I was sluggish for hours afterwards, but it was totally worth it. You can see my smile after the first taste of that shake above.

After lunch, I told Spice I wanted to power through the afternoon a bit more at my own pace. I enjoyed the company, but it was getting really hot and I needed to speed up. Water was going to be scarce again and I didn’t want a repeat of yesterday’s near-dehydration. So, I hightailed it 6 miles to the next Hut in 2 hours, where I stopped for water, the privy, and a 20 minute power nap. That nap felt great, as it got me out of the sun for a bit and let the freshly downed liters of water soak into my body and satiate my (what felt like) withered up organs.

Refueled on rest and water, I continued on in the dry heat with renewed determination and energy. I was now starting an 8 mile stretch without any water sources. I had 3 full bottles and was ready for anything! It was great hiking and I kept my eyes up in search of bears … but again, no luck.

I did have one animal encounter though. As I turned the corner of a switchback down Weaver Mountain, I was looking out ahead and practically stepped right on a huge Black Kingsnake! The same type I saw a week ago, but bigger! At least 5 feet long and black as night. He was just chilling on the trail, soaking up the sun’s rays into his cold blooded self, when I stepped. About 3 inches from coming down on him, he squirmed out of the way, catching my eye. I gave out a yelp and stopped my foot in midair … then stood there in that exact karate-kid-crane-kick position until he fully slithered away into the woods.

I doubt he would have bit me if I stepped on him, but I’m assuming I saved myself from finding out just in the nick of time. Snakes are weird creatures, so I am going to assume they all have a secret way of communicating with each other. As I type, I have no doubt this monster reptile is spreading the word to his friends, “Look out for the bumbling idiot in orange, he’s not paying attention.”

To be fair, he wouldn’t be wrong.

I finally rolled into Hightop Hut around 4:30, ate a quick dinner, and setup for bed. I also took a heavenly sponge bath down at the piped stream (better than yesterday, but still not a flowing creek) to rinse off the day’s grime. Back at the hut, I caught up with the section hikers and others gathering around the picnic table for a spell. We swapped stories and background pleasantries for a bit, but I was simply exhausted. I tried to snack on the rest of my dinner but was too tired to even chew.

Days like this are new to me. Hiking 20+ miles in cool weather is nothing, but doing it in dry summer heat is another. It’s dangerous and exhausting, and will wipe you out at the end of the day no matter how slow you go. Getting a better night’s sleep tonight will be welcomed and set me up for another successful hot day tomorrow. Resting midday in the shade is also really helpful. Fortunately, water is MUCH more abundant going forward, so I’m less concerned about dehydration. Now my focus is on sunscreen and shade to avoid burn and exhaustion. Sounds like an easy enough plan to me!

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 883.7
• Start Time: 08:00
• End Mile: 905.1
• End Time: 16:40
• Miles Hiked: 21.4
• Miles to Go: 1284.8
• Lodging: Hightop Hut

Day 62. Hello Shenandoah! After getting dropped off back at the trail this morning, I immediately and officially crossed into Shenandoah National Park (SNP). And let me tell you, it is as amazing as I hoped!

First of all, now I understand why Waynesboro is the big trail town it is. Since they host the southern terminus of SNP, I imagine they get a lot of hikers, canoeists, and bikers coming through here for their week-long, weekend and day trips. I am sure I’ll come back to this park again, and Waynesboro is a great place to kick it off or close it out.

Today’s hike through the park was beyond gorgeous. There were only a few times the trail summited a mountain for a good landscape view, but hiking through the forest was just as scenic. It helped that spring is definitely here, though, as the green of the forest is very much in bloom. There was even a trail signpost to signify the new season, see photo above, haha. The animals were scurrying about all day, though I still haven’t seen much more than squirrels and birds. Black bears are very prevalent here, but no sightings today. Maybe tomorrow … he said willfully…

AND, the trail is extremely well maintained. Translation: no rocks! Additionally, its a very wide foot path, often with extra clearings on both sides. You could hike down the trail with 2 or 3 people during much of today’s walk. See (and cheer with me) below:

Side note, with such a well groomed trail today, I was able to left my eyes up and actually see more of the trail surroundings. When I saw the tree below, I could not help but take a picture and laugh. I mean come on, this has to be someone playing a prank on us hikers, right? I don’t care if it’s juvenile, it’s funny.

So funny looking trees? Check. People or animals? Not so much. I didn’t really see anyone else today, so I enjoyed those wide trails all to myself. Pancho Villa was at the start with me, but I never saw him again. And Spice started an hour before of me, but I didn’t catch her until the very end. So much of the day was just me, the sun, and my thoughts. It was wonderful and pleasant.

Only one issue today, water was scarce. The first few miles were fine, but then the trail quickly dried up around noon. I knew it was coming, but had to salvage my 2 small bottles for the last 12 miles of today’s hike. Given that it was 80 degrees and sunny all day, that was very difficult (and painful) to do. I won’t lie, going 4 hours with just 1.5 liters of water was torturous. The trail crisscrossed the Skyline Drive multiple times, and I prayed for trail magic of cold drinks at each parking area … but alas, no luck. I won’t say I screamed out loud in frustration each time, but I won’t say I didn’t.

When I finally saw the trail marker for the shelter, I pranced down the 0.2 mile side trail with visions of cannonballing into the river I heard ahead. But like a bad dream or mirage, the river and shelter were nowhere near each other. When I arrived at the shelter I learned there is only a pipe sticking out of the ground with just a dribble of water to fill bottles with. When the water hits the ground, it is immediately soaked up into the dry earth. No river, no cannonball, no guzzling down gallons of water quickly. It was a bit frustrating, but it was water. And that’s all that mattered. I drank 2 liters as fast as I could, then had another liter with dinner. I’ll probably get up 3 times tonight to pee, but I am definitely not complaining. There is a similar 8 mile stretch without water tomorrow too, but that’s nothing compared to the 12 today.

Side note, there is a HUGE turkey at the shelter right now. He apparently followed these 3 French Canadian girls in on their hike southward to here, and now it won’t leave. And its huge! I could have walked up and pet the damn thing if I wanted … and the Canadian girls did!

I’ll do another 20 mile day tomorrow, but since it’s going to be hot and sunny again, I may take a mid-morning break at Loft Mountain Campground … which is not at all influenced by the blackberry shakes advertised to be there. 🙂

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 863.0
• Start Time: 09:15
• End Mile: 883.7
• End Time: 16:30
• Miles Hiked: 20.8
• Miles to Go: 1307.2
• Lodging: Blackrock Hut

NOTE: Before I give today’s update – For anyone a few days behind me, there is a forest fire on the AT between Catawba and Daleville, including McAfee Knob. Firefighters are working to contain the fire, but the trail is closed between mile 709.4 and 729.2. All hikers have been safely evacuated from the area, and it looks like it may be a long time before it opens again. Stay safe and keep an eye on updates here for changes in status.

Day 61. Our hiker party from last night ended very early, and everyone was in bed by 6:30pm. It’s an odd feeling going to bed when it’s so early and bright out, but it does mean you get a good 12 hours of sleep.

And that I did. I woke up around 7am feeling extremely rested and ready to roll. I was the late riser as usual, as everyone else was pretty much gone by the time I opened the hammock tarp. I ate breakfast and headed out to enjoy the multiple vista views in today’s hike and the slow decline in to Waynesboro, VA. I have to add that state qualifier at the end because the trail actually goes through another Waynesboro in Pennsylvania a few hundred miles from here. Here’s a panorama of one of the amazing views from today:

This Waynesboro is a pretty big hiker town. You may not think so as first though. When you first exit the trail at Rockfish Gap, you are greeted with a dilapidated truck stop, where only a popcorn food truck remains. The remnants of a gas station and fast food joint haunt the background of the turn off, and look like they haven’t seen business in 20+ years, but the popcorn truck is good. Cold drinks and hot food while you hitchhike or wait for an arranged ride.

The city has dozens of Trail Angels willing to drive hikers to and fro for free, so I called one up and he graciously dropped me off at Stanimals 328 Hostel. For such a big town, it’s odd that this is the only listed hostel in town, but thankfully it’s a nice one. There is also a church which will pull hikers up for any donation, but it is not open until May. And rumor has it, this is their last year offering that service. Lastly, some hikers choose to camp for free in town (which is permitted), then use the complimentary YMCA bathroom and shower facilities nearby.

When I arrived at Stanimals, I was pleased to see more than one familiar face. Spice was here, which I expected as we discussed it last night. But a hiker I haven’t seen since Day 1 was also here … Poncho Villa. Readers of this blog may not recall him, but I do! On my first day on the trail with Gandalf and The Captain, we met Poncho Villa and gave him his name. It was the first trail name I gave out, and I tracked his progress in shelter registries for weeks afterwards. I expected him to be in Pennsylvania by now, given his early speed, but he took on a bad ankle injury a couple weeks ago and has taken it very slow since (10 mile days). I think he was embarrassed, as his registry entries disappeared around the same time. It was a nice homecoming to see him again though, so I snapped the photo below.

After getting situated in the bunk room, I went to collect the resupply box I mailed here. But … it was nowhere to be found. As Stanimal checked his mail room, he asked me if I sent it to this hostel or his other one in Glasgow. A ghostly look of dread swept over my face as I checked the tracking number online. Yep, I sent it to the other location. D’oh!

Stanimal said he couldn’t make the drive down there tonight, but would bounce it forward to me later on the trail. Fortunately, USPS will let you do that for free, so I asked him to send it to my family in DC so I get it in Harper’s Ferry. Then I did my resupply in town at the Dollar General instead.

After shopping, Spice and I went further in to town for some dinner at Five Guys. It hit the spot, and just as we were readying to leave, I noticed a movie theater down the street. A big one too, with lots of new films out that were on my to-see list. So I walked over and caught a showing of “A Quiet Place”, a movie that I’ve been dying to see. The reviews of this film were spot on, excellent thriller / horror movie that is exceptionally well made.

The movie got out late, but I had already coordinated a ride back to Stanimals from a Trail Angel named “Yellow Truck”, who was waiting outside for me. I tell you, the people that help hikers like this are the nicest you’ll ever meet. They rarely want money (he didn’t), and genuinely want to assist you in your quest to complete a thruhike (he did). We are a very fortunate community to have aid like this throughout our 2190 mile walk.

Back at Stanimals, everyone was still up and about. It’s not too crowded here, maybe a half dozen people, but it feels like a full house all the same. Someone was watching TV, another doing dishes, 2 more shmoozing in the dining room … you get the idea. But pretty soon, everyone departed for bed, so I did the same.

Tomorrow I enter Shenandoah National Park, and the weather looks great for days!

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 842.2
• Start Time: 08:10
• End Mile: 863.0
• End Time: 16:30
• Miles Hiked: 20.8
• Miles to Go: 1327.9
• Lodging: Stanimals 328 Hostel

Day 60. With family in town, and a really fun resort to take advantage of, It was a nice relaxing Nero Day today. After sleeping in late, we went to the resort’s aquatic center to play in the indoor pool and soak in the outdoor hot tub. It was bliss. Especially because it got darn cold last night. The family all agreed, camping in last night’s 30 degree weather would have been absolutely miserable. But a hot tub in cold weather … is there anything better?

After a couple hours we had lunch and then packed up to go our separate ways. They had to get back to Maryland and I have to get back to the mountains. I was very fortunate to have family company all weekend and it was wonderful to be able to share a bit of this experience with them. We discussed the next few weeks and decided to meet up again next weekend in Shenandoah National Park around the Big Meadows Campground area. Depending on my speed, I’m expecting to get there on Thursday night and hopefully we can have a day hike together on Friday or Saturday.

Side note, my sister was able to pick up a couple gear items for me in Lexington, so I finally have new insoles for my boots. The Dr. Scholl’s I bought in Franklin 600 miles ago were long worn out, so this time I went with the more durable/expensive Superfeet. They make a world of difference already and today’s short 10 mile hike was a significant upgrade to my feet.

I also picked up a new water bottle with built in filter called the Katadyn BeFree. It basically does the same thing as a Sawyer Squeeze, but the filter is inside the soft collapsible bottle. They have been popular out here lately so I’ve seen them around, and yesterday broke my spirit on the Aqua Mira drops I normally use. I was very dehydrated, I finally reached a creek after 8 miles without water … and having to wait 20 minutes for the treatment solution to purify my bottle was torture. It was so nice to just scoop up water and start drinking today. I still like Aqua Mira in general for its simplicity and weight … but this is so much easier!

Speaking of upgrades, I have a bunch of gear changes coming when I get to Harpers Ferry. I’ll provide a longer blog post with a mid-hike gear review at that time: what worked, what didn’t, what will go the distance, what was replaced, etc. Stay tuned for that soon.

As for today’s hike, it was a nice Nero Day that started around noon and ended less than 10 miles later. However, it was basically straight up for 6 miles on more of that strenuous and frustrating rocky terrain I hate. During one of my screaming fits of frustration at the trail, I stopped to take a photo as well. You can see above why days like this are less than appealing and slow me down considerably. Can you even tell where the trail starts and stops? Now I fully understand why people say this trail is the hardest of the US long distance triple crown trails (AT, PCT, CDT). It’s not the constant ups and downs, it’s the rocks! And again, this is supposedly nothing compared to what’s coming in Pennsylvania.

Even with the trail doing it’s best to cripple me, I showed up at Maupin Field Shelter pretty early in the evening. When I walked up, I was pleased to see Spice, a friend I briefly saw yesterday, was already setup for the night. You may recall Spice from a couple weeks ago, as she lives in Minnesota and I was ecstatic to meet someone else whom with I could talk about home. She has an awesome attitude and fun personality so I set up camp nearby and we enjoyed a campfire together. An older gentlemen from Australia was also here (and technically, he made the fire), so we all shmoozed while cooking rehydrating our dinners. Before long, Whitewater, the young girl I sheltered with 2 days ago, walked up also. Spice and Whitewater camped together yesterday so we’re also friends by now. Then another hiker showed up, then another … before long it was a full-blown hiker party! I haven’t had this many camp-mates in weeks.

Tomorrow will be a hopefully breezy 21 miles into Waybesboro. The elevation change is minimal, but I’m sure there are more rocks to cuss out. I have a box waiting for me at Stanimals 328 Hostel so will get a warm bed again tomorrow. For those keeping track, that makes 3 out of the past 4 nights on a real mattress. After Waynesboro, I enter Shenandoah National Park. Since most of my Smoky Mountain section was ruined by snow and cold, I am excited for the amazing weather forecast expected during the net week in SNP. It’s supposedly going to get in the high 80s by midweek, and this is another highly anticipated section of the AT to hike. Woot!

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 833.2
• Start Time: 12:15
• End Mile: 842.2
• End Time: 16:10
• Miles Hiked: 9
• Miles to Go: 1348.7
• Lodging: Maupin Field Shelter

Day 59. Between last night’s late movie, hangout time with the family, and being pretty far away from the trail, today got off to a slow start and late finish. Not a bad day, not in the least, but I did learn some very valuable lessons during today’s slackpack hike.

First of all, I am not at all faster hiking without a backpack. All I carried today was a tiny kids daypack with food and water, and my hiking sticks. I was ready to run up and down mountains and assured my family it would take me no more than 6 hours to cover today’s 25 mile plan without my typical gear, and that I’d meet them at the rendezvous point at 4pm.

Wrong.

Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.

Today’s hike was difficult, with a steep 3 mile climb up Cole Mountain to start it off, than 15 miles of up and downs with rock laden trails, before climbing back down 5 miles to the parking lot. I made good timing at first, getting up the steep mountain in an hour … but I never got above 2.5 miles an hour after that. I was slow going with the rocks, stopped fo my usual breaks, and didn’t get to the start of the climb down until 6pm. It took me 8 hours to hike 20 miles, which is pretty much the same speed as any other day with a full pack. I felt horrible for keeping everyone waiting and waisting much of the night.

But second, my family is awesome. Ok fine, I knew that already, but they proved it today again. Not only did they stay in touch with updates throughout the day, but after hiking uphill 3 miles to meet me … they waited happily for almost 2 hours until I showed up. They played games, went exploring, whittled sticks, and enjoyed the trail and views. It was definitely not time wasted after all and we had a great time climbing back down together slowly as well.

My nephews were eager to show off their stream crossing skills, made up rules for peeing in the woods (“Rule #3, always pee on a tree”), and general trail know-how. We also talked about Star Wars and Spaceballs for about an hour … because they are awesome boys.

We finally got down to the VA Road 56 parking lot around 8pm and headed out to dinner. At Reeds Gap, the AWOL guide talks about a brewery called Devil’s Backbone Brewpub. We happened to drive by it on the way to our lodging for the night, so stopped in to to check it out.

This was not a brew pub, this was a brew city! When you pull in, you are met with huge buildings, patios, fields, houses and more that make up this gigantic complex. A brewery, a distillery, an indoor bar, an outdoor bar, a restaurant, a fire pit, a cigar lounge, a wash room, a merch store, a pavilion and stage, a picnic area, a camping area … it went on and on and on. And it was packed. Hundreds of people milled around the different venues on this Saturday evening late in to the night. And the food and drink was as good as the atmosphere … needless to say, dinner was amazing.

Side note, Devil’s Backbone will pick up hikers on the trail at Reeds Gap (mile 843.9) and let you camp on site for free, so pretty much EVERY hiker should visit here.

We then checked in at the Wintergreen Green ski resort where we had a condo for the night. It’s not a very convenient place for typical hikers, but was perfect for a family’s weekend stay. It’s about 30 minutes back to the trail in the morning and not really accessible without your own car.

The kids were pretty tired at this point, but we stayed up for a bit while I did laundry and organized my gear. I decided I am in no rush to overdo it tomorrow, as today’s hike was a lot tougher than expected. It’s 35 miles to Waynesboro, so I’ll do somewhere between 15 and 20 miles tomorrow. Plus, I’d like to soak up another morning with everyone before they head back home!

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 807.8
• Start Time: 10:15
• End Mile: 833.2
• End Time: 20:00
• Miles Hiked: 25.4
• Miles to Go: 1368.7
• Lodging: Wintergreen Resort

Day 58. Just as I hit publish on yesterday’s blog, another hiker walked up. So I’ve still yet to have a night alone in the woods, as she set up for the night in the shelter too. I had gotten used to the idea of it, but it’s still always nice to have company. We briefly chatted, as it was a woman my age named Whitewater I met the day before, then called it a night.

As expected, it rained last night. And through the morning. I had a steep climb up Bluff Mountain all morning, which was covered in clouds and mist, as is par for this week. But I powered through, and stopped for a long snack at Punchbowl Shelter after 10 miles. It slowly cleared up after this and warmed quickly. By the time I climbed up the smaller Rice Mountain, it was beautiful blue skies the rest of the way.

Unfortunately, the morning’s damp hike did not aide in my blister recovery. My treatment overnight seemed to work well, but they started hurting again early in the day. I stopped at one of the many stream crossings for lunch and aired out my little piggies. It felt great to rest and give those hot spots some air. Before heading out, heeding the advice from others yesterday, I changed in to dry socks for the rest of the day. Besides being dry, these were also Injinji Toe Socks … great for blister prevention. The rest of the day felt like walking on new feet! These socks are normally my sleep socks, but since tonight is a town night, no need to worry about keeping them clean.

I arrived at the predetermined meeting spot (US Road 60) just after 4pm and had a wonderful hour to rest in the sun while waiting for my sister, brother-in-law, and nephews to arrive. I chit-chatted with a few weekend hikers starting their mini adventures, but was quickly alone. It was a nice alone though, basking and resting in the sun after 20 miles hiked.

Then the fun started!

My sister and her family rolled in a half hour later and many hugs and photos were had immediately. I showed my nephews where the bathroom was (tree), and where the trail was (tree adjacent). The cover photo above may or may not include both. This was the first time I’d seen anyone from my pre-thruhike life, since seeing off Gandalf and The Captain at Neels Gap, so we caught up on all the happenings at home on the drive back to Lexington.

Lexington is a really cool town about 15 miles from the trail. Buena Vista is the first town you see, and probably the more likely stop for hikers to resupply/rest, but do not rule Lexington out. First of all, Buena Vista is pretty bad. Not much to look at as we drove through, just a motel, gas station and Family Dollar that I recalled. Maybe a Hardee’s too. But keep going and you have everything your heart desires. Every fast food chain, actual (and really nice) sit down restaurants, an outfitter, grocery, movie theater and much much more. There are 2 colleges in this city, so it has a great college town feel and atmosphere.

We went to dinner at Rocca Bar Restaurante, which was exceptionally nice. You know how every college town has that one fancy place you go to for fraternity formals and graduation dinners? This was it. This restaurant was everything hiker trash like me did not belong in. But I donned my least smelly / most clean clothes and we went out to celebrate the family reunion in style. And that I did! One look at the menu and I knew I was in heaven … I downed an appetizer, salad, steak, veggies, bread and a beer all on my own in minutes.

During dinner, I caught them all up on the day, and filled in holes from stories they read about over the past 2 months. It’s funny how they already new mostly everything I’ve done from reading this blog, and made the story telling more like story expanding and clarification. I realized again how happy I am to share my daily story here with so many people, and think it will make discussing the experience with family and friends when it’s over so much more tangible and enjoyable. I encourage any future hiker to blog their journal!

After dinner, we strategized the weekend game plan. Tomorrow, they will drop me back off at mile 807.8 on US Road 60, and I’ll slack pack 25 miles to where they’ll meet me later. They will even day hike southbound a couple mile to meet me and hike back to the road together. This will be my first slackpack day, but 25 miles without a full backpack sounds pretty easy.

After that, I called it a night … almost. This family rendezvous was timed perfectly for one more reason. Today was the release of the new Avengers movie, and Lexington has a theater showing it. I dropped everyone back at at the hotel and then went to a late night screening to get in my highly anticipated viewing. Two thumbs up, worth all the hype! Quite a lot packed in that film, but done extremely well.

Now it’s off to sleep in a warm bed with nothing but blue sky and easy hiking ahead of me.

Hello Neiman (Sharkbait!)

• Start Mile: 787.7
• Start Time: 08:30
• End Mile: 807.8
• End Time: 16:10
• Miles Hiked: 20.1
• Miles to Go: 1383.1
• Lodging: Holiday Inn (Lexington, VA)