The Family Comes to Visit!

I left the Blackburn Trail Center (6-4) at 6:25 AM.  It was located on the side of a mountain just over a 1/4 mile below the AT.  It took 8 minutes and nearly 300 steps to get to where I could resume the hike.  I arrived in Harpers Ferry, WV at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Office at 11:30 AM and had my picture taken.  I'm #296 of the thru-hikers in 2011.  It was fun to look through some of the pictures and see lots of people I have met along the way.  After checking in at the Town's Inn Hostel, I had lunch and dinner.  A thru-hiker who lived in Lakewood, OH (an OU graduate) was in the next bunk.  I have met at least 10 people on the AT from Ohio.  On Sunday (6-5) hikers could make pancakes on a grill.  The first few pancakes I made were very doughy and didn't rise or brown up like normal pancakes.  Another hiker had the same problem as I did.  Finally, a woman section hiker said they tasted like flour.  It was then that we all realized what we thought was pancake mix in a plastic unlabeled container was really just plain flour.  So we opened a new box of pancake mix and they were great.  At 10:30 AM I walked about a mile to the Comfort Inn where I met my family at 11:00 AM--my wife, Nancy, my two daughters, and three of my grand kids.

We stopped at the AT Conservancy Office to see my picture on file.

They took me to the store so I could resupply.  Next, we all walked on the AT.

We made it to Jefferson Rock, an overlook on the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.  The rock was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson who was inspired by the beautiful view in 1783.

Then it was time to cut my hair.  My last haircut had been in mid-March.  Here I am before the haircut.

Finally it was beard-shaving time and Evan and Ryan helped out.

When I looked in the mirror after they were done, I saw a stranger!  Who was that person looking back at me?  What an awesome day!

On Monday (6-6) after breakfast at the hotel, I said goodbye to my family.  They took pictures of me with my backpack and they wanted to briefly see what it felt like to wear it.  They couldn't believe how heavy it felt.  I had a lot of food it in since I won't be able to resupply for several days.  I estimated that it weighed close to 40 pounds which is more than normal.

Within a few minutes of starting my hike, I crossed the Potomac River leaving Harpers Ferry.  For the first 4 miles into Maryland, the AT followed the C & O Towpath used also by bikers.  The smooth flat trail was in the shade and a real treat on which to walk.  Then there was an 800 foot climb over several miles.  I ate lunch at the Ed Garvey Shelter.  In the afternoon it was most often quite rocky but thankfully the ascents and descents weren't steep for the most part.  My feet were happy about that!  I arrived at the Dahlgren Backpack Campground at 5:50 PM and set up my tent on a gravel tent pad.  Maryland operates this campground with no fees for hikers.  It has individual picnic tables for each tent pad and indoor plumbing in the restrooms.  Luxury at its best!  I hiked 17.9 miles.  After 11 weeks, I have hiked 1,030.7 miles for an average of 13.4 miles/day.  I'm very pleased with how things are going.

Entering WV

After a hearty breakfast on Wednesday (6-1) at the Quality Inn in Front Royal, Bob Dowdy drove me back to the trail.  I started hiking at 10 AM.  I started in an area called Northern Virginia and I have just 48 miles left to go in this state!  I ate dinner at the Manasses Gap Shelter with two retirees from Ohio who are section hikers.  One was a Superintendent of Nordonia Schools and the other was a judge from Bucyrus (Crawford County).   It was fun to have dinner with Ohioans.  I resumed hiking until 8:30 PM when I camped near a spring.  I hiked 16.3 miles.  On Thursday (6-2) I began at 7:50 AM on a near perfect weather day.  The humidity was low, the temperature was in the low 70's, and it was breezy for most of the day.  I ate lunch at Rod Hollow Shelter.  Check out this big spider I saw while I was eating lunch.  You can see how big he is compared to the tip of my finger.  There was an even bigger one but he was too high up to get a picture.

After lunch I began "the roller coaster"--13 1/2 mile section of the AT with 10 very steep ascents and descents over rocky ridges.  The trail is certainly tough on the feet.  I arrived at the Bears Den Hostel at 6:30 PM.  I had pizza, pop, and a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.  I enjoyed a shower at this very nice facility.  It is the nicest hostel I have seen to date.  The building is in great shape and the caretakers are friendly and helpful.  Here is a picture of it.

The hostel is owned by the Appalachian Trail Conservatory (ATC) but operated by the Potomac ATC.  I went 17.3 miles.  On Friday (6-3) I enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and also a pint of Ben and Jerry's banana split ice cream.  Yes, I had ice cream with my breakfast.  That might have been a first!  I started hiking at 8:30 AM and reached the Blackburn Trail Center at 1:00 PM.  I finished "the roller coaster" and entered WV.  Here is a picture of the WV sign.

A few hours later I reached the 1,000 mile sign!

The Blackburn Trail Center offers a free spaghetti dinner every night so I took advantage of that for dinner.  I only needed to hike 7.7 miles today. 

10 Weeks Completed!

I began hiking on Saturday (5-28) at 6:45 AM.  I had lunch at the Loft Mountain Campground.  I wanted to buy a little food at the Big Meadows Store but when I arrived the signs were poor.  I stopped to ask a large family that was camping where the store was located.  They told me it was a mile back.  Scratch that idea.  The man, Jim Lilly, asked if I would like some water.  After getting me some water, his wife asked if I would like something to eat.  No need to ask me twice!  They fed me grilled steak and onions, bread, and an apple.  It was my lucky day!  Jim and his oldest daughter are section hikers so we shared some hiking stories and info.  I went back to hiking at 7:30 PM.  I tented at 8:45 PM (near dark) about 1/10 of a mile before Rock Spring Hut.  I hiked 23.7 miles.  On Sunday (5-29) I started at 7 AM and devoured a large breakfast buffet at the Skyland Dining Room.  The restaurant probably lost money on me!  In the afternoon as I was hiking I saw something quite large moving behind the trees and brush about 30 yards from the trail.  I stopped as I was ready to see my first bear but it was just a deer.  In the late afternoon my feet hurt badly as I was descending from a very rocky and steep mountain.  I went from 3,514 feet elevation at Thornton Gap to 2,307 feet in just 1.9 miles.  I thought my feet wouldn't be much of a problem after the first few weeks.  Not so!  I camped on a side trail at 6:30 PM about 100 yards from Skyline Drive.  As I was setting up my tent, I noticed something moving about 25 feet away, but again, it was just another deer.  As I looked at it, it slowly wandered off.  Then a few minutes later as I sat in my tent I saw a wild turkey.  The bird kept looking at the ground trying to find morsels of food.  When he was 10 feet from my tent I took this picture.  He is to the left of the tree.

I took the picture through the mesh netting so that's why it isn't as clear as the other pictures.  I hiked 19.4 miles.  Monday (5-30) was Memorial Day and it seemed odd to be hiking.  I started at 6:50 AM on a hot and humid day.  I reached Elkwallow Wayside at 8:20 AM for breakfast.  It didn't open until 9 AM so that gave me a chance to get a few things done.  After breakfast I bought a few items and resupplied at the store.  The trail was tough again on my feet due to all the rocks.  At 10:30 AM I finally saw my first bear!  I was able to take a picture on my regular camera but unfortunately, he moved away and I didn't get him on my cell phone.  As I walking along the trail at about noon, I was very thirsty.  I looked up and saw people standing around a car.  I asked if they had anything cold to drink and they offered me Gatorade.  The drink was just what I needed!  After exactly 10 weeks, I have hiked 956.6 miles for an average of 13.7 miles a day.  Tuesday's hike (5-31) started at 8:40 AM and I arrived at the Quality Inn in Front Royal at 10:10 AM.  I only needed to hike 2.9 miles to get to the road leading to town.  I then hitchhiked 3.5 miles to the hotel.  Soon after I arrived, Bob Dowdy, a friend from West Palm Beach, FL who lives a few months of the year in Richmond, VA, traveled 180 miles to see me.  He drove me to the PO so I could send home some unneeded items, took me to resupply, and drove me to lunch and dinner.  It was great to see him and I appreciated him helping me out for the day.

Shenandoah National Park and Lots of Trail Magic

On Wednesday (5-25) I left at 8:45 AM for a 5 mile hike into Waynesboro on a well worn path.  It was the same path that another hiker left on 45 minutes earlier.  After 15 minutes of hiking, I realized that I had not seen any white blazes so I went back to the shelter.  The unmarked path next to the shelter was the correct trail.  It was marked with a white blaze about 100 yards down the path.  I was glad I got on the right path on the second try.  I arrived in the outskirts of Waynesboro before noon to find trail magic of cold drinks.  I hiked into Waynesboro with two other thru-hikers to Mang's Chinese Garden for lunch.  The buffet was very good for a low price of $7.15.  I capped off my lunch with pie and ice cream.  I went across the street to a Salvation Army store and bought a belt for a dollar, but because it was Wednesday, 1/2 off day, I only paid 50 cents.  What a bargain!  Since I have lost weight on the trail my pants are too loose so now I have solved that problem.  I got a free shower at the YMCA, went to the library and used the internet, and crossed the street to the Grace Lutheran Church where I would spend the night.  At 6:30 PM, they fed hikers dinner of soup, grilled cheese, salad, lasagna, cheesecake and ice cream.  Sleeping there was a problem due to a loud snorer that drove me out of the basement sleeping area to the music room where I slept-sort of-on three padded chair cushions pushed together.  On Thursday (5-26) I was up at 5:30 AM to pack, eat, and take the shuttle to the trail.  After completing the mandatory permit application at the entrance to the Shenandoah National Park, I began to hike at 7:45 AM.  There were no long climbs but many 300-500 ft ascends and descends.  Due to the poor night of sleep, I needed to rest twice in the shade--short naps.  During the hike I crossed Skyline Drive 10 times.  I finally arrived at the Blackrock Hut at 7:15 PM.  The SNP refers to permanent structures for overnight sleeping as a hut rather than a shelter.  I covered 19.9 miles.  Friday (5-27) I began hiking at 7:25 AM on a gorgeous day.  It was cool and clear.  I immediately climbed to 3,100 feet to Blackrock Mountain.  Here is a picture of it.

I again crossed Skyline Drive an additional 10 times.  I saw three southbound hikers who told me about some upcoming trail magic at campsite 55 in the Loft Mountain Campground.  Eventually I arrived there to find a large trailer and a man who worked on the trail for the Potomac AT Club.  He had soft drinks and snacks for us.  After enjoying his hospitality, I walked to a campstore and bought energy bars, chocolate milk, and a pack of Hostess cupcakes.  I started hiking again at 11 AM.  At 4:20 PM I arrived at Smith Roach Gap--yes, not Smith Rd--to enjoy super trail magic.  Every year on the Friday before Memorial Day, a hiking couple (she's hiked the AT twice) sets up two tents with chairs and host a big picnic for thru-hikers.  There was a large amount of food including hotdogs, hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans, donuts, homemade cookies, watermelon and pop.  Wow!  A hikers delight for sure!  There were about a dozen hikers  when I was there enjoying the feast.  Rain was threatening so I hurried about 1 mile to Hightop Hut.  I set up my tent and got water out of the spring and was elated with the day.  I hiked 21.4 miles.

Dutch Haus

On Friday (5-20) I began hiking at 7:30 AM.  I climbed from 825 ft to 3,372 ft (Bluff Mt).  I had lunch at the Punchbowl Shelter.  I hiked with "Leap" and "Spot" in the afternoon.  I camped and ate dinner with Spot.  He's an older construction worker who has successfully thru-hiked the AT three times with the last time being in 2004.  In addition, he failed to thru-hike two additional times, once because of his injury (stepping off a curb while in Harpers Ferry, WV) and once due to illness of his daughter.  I set up my own campsite just off the AT, about 3 1/2 miles before Brown Mountain Creek Shelter.  I hiked 15.0 miles.  My hike on Saturday (5-21) began at 7:30 AM.  I cooked a late breakfast once I reached the Brown Mountain Creek Shelter.  I saw a nest of birds--Phoebe Fly Catchers.  There was a hiker in the shelter that knows types of birds like I know baseball players!  Here is a picture of them.

I saw my second white-tailed deer and a big groundhog as he crossed a dirt road.  He was 20 feet away and both of us stared at each other for several seconds.  Finally as I reached for my camera, he turned and went the other way.  When he was about 100 feet away, he stopped again, stared at me, and then continued to walk away.  Oh well, he must not have wanted his picture taken!  At 7 PM, I experienced trail magic again.  A day hiker (Jerry Nichols) gave me a bottle of Gatorade and 1 1/2 liters of water as I only had 1/2 liter left.  Thanks to Jerry, I was able to hike for another hour and be hydrated as well.  I camped at 8:15 PM at a designated site called North Fork of Piney River.  On Sunday (5-22) I hiked from 6 AM-8 AM in order to reach the Dutch Haus Bed and Breakfast.  I showered and charged my phone even though I had no service.  The owners did everyone's laundry too!  I went to church at 11 AM.  I was driven by friends of the bed and breakfast owners.  After church the couple drove me back to the Dutch Haus.  Two of their grandkids who were at church with them were also in the car on the way back.  I asked the boy (Nathan) his age.  He said he was three and on his next birthday he would be "this many" as he held up four fingers.  Before I could ask the girl (LeAnne) her age, she said, "I'm six.  Two of him makes one of me!"  It was cute and it made me laugh!  I enjoyed the free lunch given to all thru-hikers and a delicious dinner as well.  I resupplied in the afternoon.  On Monday (5-23) after a hearty breakfast at the Dutch Haus, the owner drove several thru-hikers to a place where we had to climb 900 feet over 1.1 miles just to get back on the trail.  I climbed over The Priest, a mountain with an elevation of 4,063 feet.

The Guillotine and Glasglow, VA

On Tuesday (5-17) I hiked 18.7 miles from 9:40 AM-8 PM on a cool day with eminent rain.  The AT parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway and later Skyline Drive for approximately 200 miles.  It crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains about 10 times.  I had lunch at the Wilson Creek Shelter and planned to camp at Bobblets Gap Shelter but it was full so I hiked another .2 miles. It was raining hard when I found a great, flat, hard tent site so I waited several minutes for the rain to slow down before setting up for the night.  I began hiking on Wednesday (5-18) at 8:20 AM.  I enjoyed trail magic of zucchini bread, peanut butter crackers, and a small box of sugar coated Shredded Wheat which was all washed down with a Pepsi.  The trail magic was left at a road where I though about hitchhiking into a small town to resupply but thanks to the trail magic, I didn't have to!  After lunch at the Bryant Ridge Shelter, I climbed from 1,320 feet to an elevation of 3,520 feet (Floyd Mountain).  It was a nice day but just before I was ready to camp, it rained heavily for 15 minutes.  After the rain stopped, I camped just off the trail past the Cornelius Creek Shelter in a large rhododendron area.  I hiked 18.3 miles.  A year ago on May 18, 2010, I was in Page, AZ and my only beautiful granddaughter (I have four wonderful grandsons too!), Paige Janice Akers, was born!  What a great trip it was to the US Western National Parks!  Thursday (5-19) was a late start day since I didn't get going until 9:15 AM.  Since my campsite was in the middle of lots of rhododendron bushes, it made it difficult to find the trail.  It took me 10 minutes just to get going because I couldn't find the trail!  I climbed Apple Orchard Mountain with an elevation of 4,225 feet.  It is the highest point until the White Mountains in New Hampshire.  Here is a picture of the Guillotine. 

It is an impressive large boulder that is stuck over the AT between a rock formation.  I had lunch at the Thunder Hill Shelter at noon and talked to another thru-hiker, "Rain Gear", who was planning to meet his dad about 15 miles ahead at 6:30 PM at the James River (VA-501).  He offered me a round trip ride into Glasglow, VA where I could resupply.  This was fantastic because no hitchhiking would be needed but 15 miles in six hours was a stretch.  Thank goodness it was largely downhill and well grated and we made it!  After returning back from Glasglow, I hiked until 8 PM and covered 21.8 miles.

Gene Espy and McAffe Knob

Saturday (5-14) was a fun, interesting, and productive day in Damascus at Trail Days.  I showered, did laundry, and resupplied.  The never-ending saga with my sleeping bag continues!  I resent the sleeping bag back to Cindi AGAIN!  This time it is for good!  The sleeping bag that has been sent back and forth is a 30 degree sleeping bag but now that the weather is getting warmer, I bought a 45 degree sleeping bag.  It's smaller and lighter weight which is always a good thing.  I also bought more Aquamira--the water treatment.  The annual hiker parade brought all the "crazies" out in full force!  Quite a few dressed wildly and carried large squirt guns and water balloons while in the parade.  I met Gene Espy.  He is an 89-year-old man who was the second person to ever thru-hike the trail.  He did it in 1951--60 years ago!!  Earl Shaffer, now deceased, was the first person to thru-hike in 1948.  Here is our picture and you can check out my beard too!

It rained on and off all day.  I met up with Swamp Dawg and got a chance to talk to him for awhile.  He is doing well and hiking with two men and two women.  He is averaging 10-12 miles/day and having fun.  He is a great guy and I miss him but I'm about 160 miles ahead of him.  I know we'll continue to be friends long after this adventure is over.  On Sunday (5-15) there was more rain overnight.  I expected to leave Trail Days at 10 AM to return back to Catawba, VA where I was picked up on Friday.  Instead we didn't leave Damascus until 12:30 PM.  It took until 5:30 PM to get back due to an accident that tied up traffic for 10-15 miles on I-81.  So at 5:35 PM, I started my brief hike for the day.  I reached McAfee Knob, said to provide the best view in VA.  It was spectacular!!  Here I am in the picture.

At 8:15 PM I reached Campbell Shelter after hiking 4.4 miles for the day.  I set up my tent in the shelter since there was only one other person in it.  There were no mice to worry about since I was inside my tent.  I began hiking at 7:35 AM on Monday (5-16).  I only made it 40 yards from the shelter when I took my first and only tumble of the day.  I stepped on a piece of tree bark and down I went.  Other than mud on my pant leg, I was fine.  After lunch fatigue hit, and at 1:30 PM I found a shaded spot right next to the trail.  I put down my Tyvek sheet, wadded up my jacket as a pillow, and took an hour nap--refreshing!  At 5 PM I reached Daleville, VA and had pizza and salad at Pizza Hut.  I expected to hike a few more miles but the sky looked threatening.  Right across the street was a Howard Johnson motel and I saw a sign that a hot breakfast was included for only $40.10, tax included.  This also gave me a chance to shower, charge my phone, dry out my gear, sleep in a bed, and have a decent breakfast in the morning.  I was sold!  I hiked 15.4 miles.  After 8 weeks (56 days) I've had 4 non-hiking days and have gone 718.6 miles averaging 12.83 miles/day.