}}}---Strawhat---;;;;;;-
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Thursday, June 9, 2011
Time for a break
Well, I've hiked 617 miles of the Appalachian Trail and I'm ready for a break. I spent the past week at Woods Hole Hostel, a self-sustainable homestead in the VA hills outside of Pearsiburg, and thought about whether or not I wanted to leave the trail. The past few weeks have been tough mentally and I seem to have lost the thru-hike spark. I decided to travel home to see Alex and recharge my batteries. I took a bus from Christiansburg,VA to Washington, DC. Then caught q flight home from DC. I spent the night at the airport Sunday night and flew home Monday morning... It's good to be home! I'm enjoying the comforts of civilization but already missing my life on the trail. I'm hoping to be back in the woods sometime in July or Aug and will be deciding on whether or not to flip-flop and head south from Maine or continue where I left off in VA. I'd like to see the northern section of the trail and I'm hoping the weather may cool off if I wait a bit. We'll see what happens. For now I'm enjoying my time at home.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Sick
Over the past week I've been having a lot of trouble making any big miles. I've been SO tired and finally realized that I must be coming down with something. Sure enough I'm now fighting off a bad cold. It's been very difficult to climb mountains with my lungs congested. I was forced to hike only 4.5 mi on Wed. to the top of Chestnut Knob. I barely made it up to the remote shelter on a sweltering morning. I laid around all day and rested. This spot over looks Burkes Garden, which was the original proposed site of the Vanderbilts Biltmore Estate. It's a huge crater surrounded by a ridge which the AT follows for 8mi. The sunset was amazing and I spent the evening qt the shelter with a good group of hikers. We all chipped in random items from our food bag and made a BIG group feast. Just what I needed after a dismal night and day of being sick.
I felt a little better the next Koenig and decided to try and hike into Bland, VA. I made it to a road crossing approx. 6.5mi short of Bland and caught a ride from Krinkle Root, a hiker from Chicago who was doing a section hike. She had a car at the trailhead and shuttled a few of us to the Big Walker Motel at the I-77 interchange in Bland. I'm resting up at the motel and trying to let my cold clear up. I'm extremely unmotivated right now and have been having a hard time finding the will to keep going lately. I'm hoping it will pass and I'll be able to continue on to Harpers Ferry. I miss home but I'm not ready to leave the home yet. I could sure use some encouraging comments and the blog to get my spirits back up again!
Partnership Shelter
I hiked into Partnership Shelter at the Mount Rogers Vistors Center and had only one thing on my mind. PIZZA!!! The local pizza joint delivers right to the shelter! Once I got to the shelter I realized there was a highway nearby. So, I stuck out my thumb hoping to find a ride into a REAL town. Hopefully with a Taco Bell! I haven't even seen a Taco Bell since I left home.
A real nice young guy named Cody picked me up, drove me to Taco Bell, and then brought me all the way back to the trail head again. It was the best hitch I've had yet!
I ended up staying the night at Partnership Shelter and even ordered a Pizza for dinner! I just can't get enough food these days!
Hiker Feed!
This area also turned out to be the home of one of my favorite guitar pickers, E.C. Ball, who lived his whole life in Rugby, VA. It's also the home of Wayne Henderson who makes Henderson Guitars. One of the most sought after acoustics in the world! I wanted to stay in the area for the whole summer and seek out all of the local bluegrass pickers. I'll bet there are some great pickin parties around there!!!
Virginia Highlands
I've been hiking thru the first part of the Virgina Highlands over the past week. The terrain, vegetation, and wildlife have changed drastically. I'm now hiking thru rolling hills and valleys. Lots of meadows and sweeping vistas of farmland. It's beautiful! I really enjoyed seeing the wild ponies at the Grayson Highlands Park. It reminded me of my mom and dad. I've also walked thru several cow pastures and always take a minute to pause and think about my mom. I miss her...
Leaving Damascus on the VCT
We decided to take a detour on the way out of Damascus and ended up hiking 12mi of the Virginia Creeper Trail. The AT merges with the VCT for .5mi out of Damascus then rejoins again approx 11mi north. It's an old railroad bed that follows an amazing river. The elevation gain was very graduL and made for an easy day of hiking. We had a good group of folks to hike with and had a blast!
Trail Days is a HUGE milestone on the first leg of a thru-hike. Unfortunately, no that it's over we're all a little lost. We've been working towards Damascus since we started and now that milestone is behind us. The next BIG milestone will be the halfway point at Harpers Ferry, VA. That's a LONG ways away!
Trail Days 2011
Thomas and Jeff picked me up from the campground sometime around noon. The trail head was just up the road so we were on trail by mid-day Friday. It was great to have some friends from home on the trail with me and we had a blast! We hiked approx. 9mi on Friday and found a campsite for the night. Thomas and Jeff were pretty worn out so we pretty much just ate dinner, hung out for a bit, and headed to our tents for the night. It was a fairly easy 5mi hike into Damascus the next morning. The trail came out of the woods and into a residential area where the festival vendors tents were setup. It was a typical festival vibe with gear vendors and all sorts of folks selling their wares. Lots of people walking around having a good time. As a thru-hiker, I was a bit of a celebrity... I noticed several people snapping pictures as I walked by. I felt a little bit like a zoo animal on display :0)
It didn't take long to find my trail friends, who were all hanging out at the Pizza/Beer spot. We hung out for the afternoon and watched the hiker parade then walked around Damascus soaking in the sights. By the evening we had decided that the "party" vibe in Damascus was not what we were looking for. So, we drove back out to the campground at Shady Valley and got the cabin for another night. We had a good time around the campfire hangin with the biker guys.
The next morning I had to make the decision of where to rejoin my thru-hike. In order to meet Thomas and Jeff on time, I ended up skipping 7mi of trail. I could have just skipped it and started in Damascus but I decided to have the guys drop me off back up the highway so I could make up the section. One of the biker guys offered to pick me up after the 7mi section and shuttle me back to Damascus so i didnt have to re-hike the miles that i did with Thomas and Jeff... It worked out perfectly and I didn't have to skip any miles!
It was a great weekend!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Quick Update
> Howdy friends! I'm taking a minute to catch everyone up on the past weeks worth of hiking. Time is flying by out here. I can't believe I've already been hiking for nearly 2 months! I'm starting to feel really strong and Im beginning to pick up my pace a little. I'll need to start averaging more miles per week if I want to make it to Mt. Katahdin before they close for the winter season in October. I'm just taking it one step at a time!
>
> I left out of Erwin, TN with my hiking buddy Chucktown and a new friend named Captain Ketchup. We had hoped to be carrying a bottle of Jose Cuervo out with us in honor of Cinco de Mayo but Erwin has NO liquor, only beer. Unfortunately, beer is too heavy to pack in :0( Welcome to the bible belt. We're right on the buckle!
> We hiked on despite our lack of party favors and made it to the base of Roan Mtn early on our second day. The weather was threatening to storm again and the temps were starting to drop so I decided to camp at the base rather than spend the night above 6000'ft on the summit of Roan Mtn. Chucktown pushed ahead and I was alone in the woods for the first time since meeting my new buddy in tue Smokies. It was nice to have the camp all to myself. I built a nice campfire, ate some noodles & tuna, and turned in early. The next morning I woke up at 6am and hit the trail by 7:30. The climb up Roan was tough and there really wasn't anything particularly spectacular about the summit. I'll have to come back when the rhododendron are in bloom. I didn't hang out too long at the summit before heading down the other side. After a quick stop for a snack I started making my way down to the parking area on the south side of the mountain. I spent a few minutes talking with an older couple who had come up for a picnic to celebrate their anniversary. I was hoping they'd offer me some free vittles from their picnic basket but they didn't get the hint.
> Across the road I began hiking up a meadow with 360 degree views. I really love hiking across these treeless balds but the most spectacular ones yet will come later in the day. Eventually the trail dipped back into the woods and began to wind back down towards the valley. Sometime around 4:30 I came across a colorful hand painted sign tacked to a tree that read "5th Annual Barnyard Chomp" with an arrow pointing toward the trail shelter. Of course I had to go check it out and I'm glad that I did. I spent the next hour scarfing down 5 grilled cheese sandwiches, 3 sodas, and 3 cold beers. I was in heaven! The Barnyard Chomp is hosted by A former thru-hiker, his wife, and their friends. They were all GREAT people and we had a blast hanging around the barn, enjoying the views and goodies. Oh! I forgot about the barn... This particular trail shelter is actually an OLD barn that was converted for the hikers to sleep in. I love old barns and wanted to stay for the night but Chucktown and Cpt. Ketchup were here as well and were talking about moving on... I had enjoyed my day of solitude but was ready to have my hiking buddies back.
> We each grabbed 4 beers from the cooler, stuffed them in our packs, and headed up the trail. We ended up putting in quite a few more miles that evening and made it to the top of Big Hump Mtn... This was by far my favorite section of the hike so far. Little Hump and Big Hump are the most beautiful balds I've seen on the trail. The views were spectacular and you could see the trail stretched out ahead of you for a mile. We camped right on top and I could see Boone, NC , Sugar Mtn Ski Resort, and Grandfather Mtn in the distance. It was a very special moment for me to see my old stomping grounds from my days at Appalachian State. We had a great campfire and sat around with our beers. No need to cook dinner! I was still full from the Chomp.
> The next morning Chucktown and I left out early while the storm clouds were rolling over the mountain. By the time we got to the bottom we could no longer see the summit where Cpt. Ketchup was still sleeping in his tent... That was the last we saw of the Captain but I'm sure we will cross paths again.
> That night we camped near a waterfall. It was quite a feeling to have walked down off of Big Hump with all of the spectacular views and now be setting up in the dense dark woods again. Everyday is a new adventure out here and I'm loving every minute!
> We took an easy day the next day and only hiked about 5mi to the Vango & Abby Hostel. Vango was a nice older gentleman who had spent a great deal of his life supporting hikers all over the country. He passed away 3 years ago and his friend Scotty now keeps this hostel open in his memory. It's a donations only establishment and they even fed us dinner! I was very glad to have met Scotty and to have spent some time at Vangos. It also gave me an opportunity to get on the computer and take care of a few busine$$ items. Thanks Vango!!!
> The next morning we headed towards Hampton, TN. When we came out to the road crossing at Dennis Cove Rd. we were approached by a good ol local man who offered us a ride down the mountain. I had planned on hiking down via the trail but this guy would not take no for an answer. He was determined to show us hikers some local hospitality and before we knew it we were climbing in the back of his truck with our packs. As
> We climbed in he informed us that he likes to come up to this spot to fish and shoot snakes. He then proceeded to show us the 38 caliber pistol in his waist band but said not to worry because he's a retired cop. We were a little instruct by the gun but it was too late. He drove 70mph down the mountain around deadly curves, dips, and bumps. We held on tight and tried not to look ahead. About half way down the mountain he SLAMMED on his brakes, jumped out of the truck with pistil in hand, ran around back with a crazy smile on his face, jumped up on the guard rail and started shooting!!! He said "did you see that snake?"... We saw no snake but took his word for it. We were just happy that he wasn't shooting at us!
> He took us into town and drive us around looking for a fuel canister for Chucktown. Nobody had one. We ended up asking the guy to leave us at the McDonalds to avoid the ride back up the mountain with Pistol Pete... What a crazy ride!
> After dinner we walked back to a side trail that leads back to the AT. We ran into another hiker friend and camped with him along a small creek. That night a nasty thunderstorm rolled thru and gave us a nice show. I'm getting pretty used to sleeping in storms. No big deal :0)
> Chucktowns leg was hurting so we decided to walk the highway for 3mi instead of climbing over Pond Mtn via the trail. We met back up with the AT where it meets Watauga Lake. This little section of Highway is the route I took as a kid when I drove from App State to Nashville to see my sister. It was a great walk down memory lane and I ended up spending the day on the shores of the lake reminiscing about the good ol days of youth. Ya know, before I had to grow and become responsible, ha ha! At dusk, I hiked a few miles around the lake and found a nice campsite.
> I woke up early the next morning and hit the trail at 7:30am. I need to cover 27mi to Shady Valley, TN by noon the next day in order to meet my friends Thomas and Jeff from Nashville.
> The air was HOT and HUMID and I was drenched after 5 steps. I ended up hiking approx. 18mi then another 2mi down TN91 to a campground just outside of Shady Valley. I got a cabin, took a hot shower, did some laundry, and talked about motorcycles wight the owner of the campground. He's a nice guy who lives in FL part of the year and comes up here for the summers.
> Thomas and Jeff will be meeting me here later today and we're planning to hike overnight into Damascus, VA for Trail Days 2011. Trail Days is like the Lollapalooza of hiking parties. I've heard there could be 20-30k people attending this year. It should be a good time!!!
>
> Today I'll hike into Virginia and leave my home state behind. It will take an entire month to hike thru VA, the longest state on the trail. Hikers call this section "The Wall" because it becomes so monotonous. I'm looking forward to it!
>
> I've hiked 442.8mi .... 1738.2 to Mt. Katahdin.
>
Hi! I'm Chucktown
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Erwin, TN
The storm finally came overnight on Wed/Thur. I waited all day at the Hostel for the storm to roll in but the sky was clear, sunny, and beautiful all day. I could have hiked some miles but I'm glad I ended up taking the day off. The storm blew through with a vengeance and I was glad not to have been caught in the woods in my tent. I don't mind rain but these wind/thunder storms are not much fun to sleep thru.
I left out of the Hostel early Thur morning and began the 4 day hike to Erwin. The hiking was fairly easy for this stretch. Only a handful of mountains to climb and I'm getting pretty good at climbing mountains. The highlight of this section was Big Bald. Its a huge hill covered in grass with no trees surrounded by countless mountains. The 360 views were amazing and you could see mountains as far as the horizon in all directions. The trail meandered over the bald, thru a meadow, and over another hill before re-entering the woods... It was a cool spot! Unfortunately, my battery died so I missed the photo op :0(
I could have made it to Erwin on Monday evening but decided to stop 3pm short and setup camp. I walked the final 3 miles out Tue morning and was greeted by the Nolichucky Hostel immediately after leaving the woods. I had planned to skip the Hostel and hitch into town but after adding it up it ended being a better deal to pay $8 for a tent site and hop on the free shuttle. Plus I got a hot shower, which was well over due!
I got some town food in my belly, resupplied trail food for my pack, and settled back into the hostel with my hiker peeps. We just sat around and talked over beers for a few hours before heading to bed.
Tomorrow, it's back to the trek. My next milestone will be Roan Mountain, which I've always wanted to see. I used to pass by it on my way to AL from Appalachian State. I'm looking forward to it...
I've hiked 340mi .... 1841mi to Mt. Katahdin
Monday, May 2, 2011
Ouch! My leg...
The weather forecast called for rain last night and said it would hang around for three days. Despite some strong winds we escaped the storm. After breaking camp and filling my water bottles I resumed the trek north. The hiking was moderate and the weather was fair. If it hadn't been for my foot and leg issues I would have been able to put in a good mileage day. However, as the day went on I began to loose steam and my will power to go on started to plummet. I noticed on the trail map that there was a hostel about two miles short of my goal for the day. I decided to be a wimp and head in for a bed. Only two days out of town and I'm already heading for the hostel. I felt like a total sell out but rationalized that it was the best thing for my leg/foot. I was also hoping the storm would roll thru and I would miss the rain and the experience of having my tent soaked again.
I checked-in to the Hemlock Hollow Farm Hostel and set myself up in the bunkhouse with 6 other guys. It's a nice place and the couple who run it are very kind. Let's hope the storm rolls thru tonight and makes the stay worthwhile!
288.1mi hiked ... 1892.9 to go.
Slow going
I left Hot Springs around 10:30am, crossed the French Broad river, and began the long/steep ascent out of town. The air was warm and muggy and I had a tough time finding my stride. I took a lot of breaks and drank a lot of water. My foot and leg began to bother me towards the end of the day and I decided I'd only hike around 10mi. I found a nice campsite near a fire tower and setup camp along with my friend Chucktown. Before nightfall 5 more friends had joined us. I started a campfire and we sat around well past dark. I ate a huge dinner, complete with a bowl of instant chocolate pudding, and went to bed. 5 more days to Erwin, TN.
280.1mi hiked ... 1900.9 to go!
Trail Name
Jim Hampton
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Hot Springs
I stopped by the shelter this morning on my way up the trail. It had gotten pretty cold and was raining so I ducked in to cook my oatmeal and tea. The weather was dreary most of the morning but finally turned into a nice day by 1pm. I ended up pulling two BIG mile days and made it to Hot Springs around 5pm. The final mile coming down from the mountain provided a grand view of the town. It was like torture knowing that a hot meal was waiting down there. I virtually ran down the mountain.... Unfortunately, the two big hiking days took there toll on my shin and my foot. I got a shin splint half way thru the day and the blister that I've been nursing on my foot has started to morph into a second round.
I ended up taking two more days off, hobbling around town on my beat up leg/foot. I stayed at the campground to save money but ended up spending way too much at the bar. Hot Springs is a great little town although there's not much here. Just a few motels/hostels, shops, and two bars.
On Easter Sunday the town had a parade. It was nice to see the families out and the kids running around enjoying themselves. I spent a lot of the day sitting around and soaking up the sunshine. My leg was still sore but was feeling a bit better so I decided to push on the following day. One more night of town life and then back to the trail.
I've hiked 272.4mi ... 1908.6 to go.
Max Patch
I walked back down the driveway from the hostel to the I40 intersection where I had left the trail two days earlier. My goal is to make it to Hot Springs in two days. That's 33.7mi to cover.
The hiking has been spectacular the past couple of weeks. The highlight of this section came at the end of the day when the trail climbs to the summit of Max Patch. This bald was created by a farmer in the 1800s who cleared the land of trees for planting crops. Its a very unique spot and I've been looking forward to seeing it.
I walked through the green grass over the summit, wound around the round hill top, and found a nice little campsite at the bottom of a hay field on Max Patch. I ate dinner, watched the sunset over the bald, and enjoyed my first night in my tent outside of the Smokies.
253mi hiked ... 1928mi to go.
Bluegrass friends on the trail
The Great Smoky Mountains
I started off the day by walking down the road that crosses the top of Fontana Dam. At the other end of the dam the trail turns right, officially enters the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and follows another road up a hill for awhile before finally re-entering the woods. The hike that morning was a KiLLER! Straight up almost 4,000ft of elevation gain. It was rough but the weather was nice so the day was pretty enjoyable. After hiking 11.3mi I pulled into my first Smoky Mtn shelter and snagged the top left bunk. The shelter was a sturdy built stone shed with a tin roof and open front. Tarps have been fastened across the front by former guests in order to keep out the wind and rain.
The wind and rain came down with a vengeance all night! I stayed warm and dry and the noise from the storm actually helped drown out the orchestra of snoring coming from my shelter mates. Thankfully, I brought earplugs!
It took me 6 days of hiking to get thru the 72mi of trail in the park. I made it thru without venturing into town and had to carry 6 days of food in my pack. It was HEAVY the first few days but got lighter as I hiked/ate. I was briefly tempted to hitch into Gatlinburg when i crossed US441 at Newfound Gap. I developed cheeseburgeritis and was dreaming of civilization. Luckily, when I got to the crowded tourist overlook at the highway I was greeted by a couple who were providing trail magic to the thru-hikers. They fixed me up with a bowl of homemade chili, sodas, and endless snacks. I LOVE trail magic! I pushed on past the highway with a full belly and made my way down the trail towards the shelter for the night. It was a good day :0)
Everyone always warns to be prepared for the weather in the Smokies... I got it all. I encountered warm, cold, wet, rainy, sleet, and VERY windy weather while walking thru the park. The most concerning was the day that I walked over some beautiful balds with tall flowing grass and short shrubby trees that ebbed and flowed with the wind.... The winds were gusting around 70mph that day and my pack was like a sail. I got knocked down a few times. Once into a bush! I'm sure it would be hilarious on film but it was a little concerning at the time. Still a cool experience tho!
Overall, the Smokies were an amazing place and I had a great time there. Although I did NOT enjoy being forced to sleep in the shelters during my stay in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I did enjoy the hiking. The forest began to transform into whole new species... I was now hiking thru green needled trees and wildflowers. The views were some of the most stunning yet. I was experiencing the Southern Mountains in a whole new way and loving every bend of the trail.
I left the park on 4/19 and made my way towards the Spot where the AT intersects Interstate 40. It's somewhere between Knoxville and Asheville. There's a Hostel just up the trail from there and I spent two nights resting up in the hay loft of a 100 year old barn. The sleeping accommodations at Standung Bear Farm Histel consisted of a bunkhouse, cabin, a field for tenting, and an old barn. Everything else was full so I slept in the 100 year old barn. It was actually pretty cool despite the rumors of hauntings.
It's a HUGE feeling of accomplishment to have made it thru the Smokies. I'm beginning to feel like I might have a real shot at finishing this adventure and I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead. There will be many!
237.9mi hiked ... 1943.1 to go!
Don't worry... I'm still alive!
I'm soooo sorry for the delay in my posts recently. Ive had very little cell/data/Internet coverage for the past several weeks. Ever since entering the Smoky Mtns the signal has been non-existent. I'm hoping for better luck down the trail but please be patient... I'll update as often as I can.
Thanks so much for all of your comments on the blog page. I get notifications on my phone whenever someone leaves a comment. Many times Im reading your comment while sitting atop a mountain or sitting by a stream in a huge forest. It REALLY makes my day to hear from my friends & family back in the "real world"...
Several folks have inquired about sending care packages to me along the trail. That would be AWESOME!! Id really appreciate a letter and some goodies from home (especially home baked treats)... Just get in touch with Alex by email and she can let you know the best address to send to and by what date: alexgamelang@yahoo.com . She also has a list of the items that I resupply with every week.
I hope your enjoying the journal so far. I'll try to keep it interesting and up to date. Many nights I'm just too tired to write about my day. It's a lot of work climbing these hills day in/out........ but I'm having a blast!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Fontana Lake
After Alex left on Sunday I wandered around the NOC for awhile and setup my tent. I spent another night camped in the "hobo" campground down the railroad tracks by the river (hey, it's free!) In the morning I had one last civilized meal then headed back into the woods. It was a tough climb all day long and the weather was warm. I spent most of the day thinking about Alex and sulking at the thought of not seeing her again for several weeks. I had a tough time keeping up my pace but I trudged along and hiked 10.4 mi.
Another nasty storm rolled thru last night and I found myself once again at the mercy of mother nature. I laid in my tent til 10:00am the next morning, hoping the rain would stop. It did not. So, I packed up all of my wet gear and started walking in the rain. Today's hike included a section called "Jacobs Ladder" which climbs straight up for what seems like eternity. It wore me out! The weather was cold and rainy all day. Nothing to do but keep walking. I hiked into Cable Gap Shelter, setup camp, and hit the sack.... still missing Alex. 12.1mi hiked today...
It was a short hike Wednesday morning into the Fontana Resort area. I caught a shuttle in the Village and had lunch at the lodge with new friends Splitter and DVD... After lunch I did some laundry, laid my tent out to dry, and retrieved my food package that I left at the general store.
Later that evening I caught a shuttle back to the trail and hiked another mile to the shelter. This shelter is referred to as the "Fontana Hilton". It's super fancy and even has showers.... In reality, it's still just a dirty/stinky shelter. I slept in my tent and watched the light fade over the waters of Fontana Lake.
The next morning I watched the sunrise while drinking my morning tea in my tent. Today I will enter The Great Smokey Mtns National Park. It will take approx 6 days to get thru the park and while there I'll have to follow extra rules and regulations. No more tent camping for awhile. I'll have to cram into those dirty-mouse-filled shelters with 14 other smelly/snoring hikers... FUN!
I've hiked 163.7mi ... 2017.3 to go!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Yes, Forest Fires
I forgot to mention that I could see a couple of forest fires burning in the distance All day yesterday. When I finally got close to where I would be camping for the night I realized that one of the fires was right in the area. I walked past some firefighters and asked if it was going to be dangerous to camp. They assured me that I would be fine and that the fire was under control. I made it thru the night so all is well! I did wake up to the smelling smoke a few times. I'm just starting to take things like this in stride! What could possibly come next?
I hiked 1 short mile into the Nantahala Outdoor Center. It's a collection of shops, restaurants, and outdoor outfitters centered around the area where the AT crosses the Nanatahala River. It's a cool spot! On Friday, I ate a bunch of food, drank a few cold brews, and just relaxed. Alex showed up around 10am and found me right away. We spent the weekend hanging around the NOC and Fontana Lodge relaxing, eating, and helping out my fellow hikers with free shuttles here and there. It's going to be tough saying goodbye but time is flying right on. We'll be back together soon enough for another adventure. Back to the trail early Monday morning.
135.2mi hiked ... 2045.8 to go.
Wayah Awesome!
I can't quite put into words how amazing my night/morning was in the tower. I'm not sure that I'll be as to top it. It was definitely the coolest place I've ever laid my head for the night and I will be back for sure! We ate some dinner, played Monoply (I won), then retired to our sleeping bags. The wind was bitter cold but my sleeping bag kept me toasty warm all night. I woke up to the sun rising over the mountains in east, packed up my gear, and head north. I reached a road crossing around lunch time and was greeted by MORE trail magic. A group of former thru-hikers was grilling and having a hiker party. I enjoyed a burger and soda and relaxed for about an hour. They had music blaring on an iPod which was great! I haven't listened to any music while I've been out here and it's been tough. Apparently I LOVE music and miss it very much. Who would have guessed it :0)
I finally found the energy to get moving again and ended up pulling the my biggest mileage day yet. I hiked 16.4mi and am only 1mi short of the NOC where I will meet Alex on Sat.. I'm a full day early so I plan to relax and enjoy some real time off. Theres a hiker festival here this weekend. It should be fun!
134.2mi hiked ... 2046.8 to go!
Siler Bald
117.9mi hiked... 2063.1 to go
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Another day/Another town
After my apocalyptic storm night I decided I'd break camp as soon as the sun came up. I was just ready to get the heck out of those woods and town was only a short 4mi hike away (plus a hitch)... It sounds like an easy enough task but the temperature dropped overnight from 70 to 30 and it began to sleet and snow just as I started my hike. Oh well, at least its not lightning anymore! I trudged along and made it to the highway in about an hour and a half. I walked directly to the shoulder of the road and stuck out my thumb for a ride. Within 2 minutes a van stopped and I was on my way. The van belonged to an eccentric guy named Gordon. I couldn't understand a word he said but the other hiker he had picked up translated for me. Gordon lives in his van and travels around giving support got the thru-hikers. I wish I could have found out more about him. He seemed like a true character. He dropped me off at the Huddle House, I thanked him, and then headed inside for a warm breakfast. I sat down with a group of hikers that I've been seeing along the trail over the past few days. We exchanged horror stories about sleeping thru the storm. They had all camped at the same shelter that I was at and had caught a ride into town from a section hiker that was parked nearby. We all survived!
I made my way over to the Microtel and got a room for the night. I spent most of the day today doing laundry, getting groceries, and shopping at the outfitters. I'm beat! I only hiked 4 miles today but all of the errands wore me out. Tomorrow I'll need to find a ride back to the trail. Then it's just 3 days of hiking to the NOC where I'll get to see Alex. Woohoo!
107.5mi down... 2073.5 to go.
100 Miles down!
Sittin on top of the world
The weather today was AMAZING! Such a nice change from the miserable cold rain I've been hiking in so far. I broke camp and hit the trail at 9:30am. All day yesterday the word on the trail was that a group had setup at Deep Gap and was handing out trail magic (hot food, drinks, etc...). There was no chance yesterday that I could have made the 16mi needed in order to get to Deep Gap before nightfall. I had forgotten all about it until I got there this morning. The group had camped out last night and were just packing up when I arrived. It appeared that I had missed out. However, a very nice couple unpacked their personal cooler and laid out all the fixins to make a deli sandwich along with a selection of home baked goodies. Score! I got some trail magic after all! With my belly full and spirits high I cruised up Standing Indian Mtn without blinking an eye. According to legend, this Mtn was once inhabited by a dragon. The local Indians stationed warriors as lookouts. A great bolt of lightning struck the Mtn and killed the dragon but turned one of the warriors into stone. I didn't see any dragons but the view was simply breathtaking. I spent at least two hours up there basking in the sunshine. It was a very enjoyable hike for the remainder of the day with only gradual climbs. I covered 12.5mi today and camped in a nice little spot tucked away in some rhododendron bushes. There's a nasty storm on it's way and although I'd like to make it into Franklin NC before it hits Monday night, I just don't know if my feet can make it. We'll see what happen tomorrow. 91.8mi down.... 2089.2 to go!
Back to nature
I slept in my bag last night on TOP of the bed at the motel. I'll admit it. I'm a hotel snob. Even though I watched housekeeping clean the room I just couldn't bring myself to crawl into the sheets of the redneck honeymoon suite. Needless to say I was up and ready to go as soon as the sun came up. I walked down the street and bought two biscuits from Hardees. I ate one on the walk back to the motel and saved the other for my lunch on the trail later. A very nice guy stopped by the motel around 9am and gave a few of us homers a ride back to the trailhead on the outskirts of town. I was welcomed back to the trail with a nice steep climb right off the bat. The weather was sunny but cold and VERY windy. I was just happy to be dry for once and trudged along trying to get my rhythm back. Two days off in town was a nice break for my feet but my legs were not quite ready to wake up yet. I finally caught the groove and before I knew it I had crossed my first state line. I've completed the GA section and finally feel like I'm on my way! I stopped at the famous gnarled/twisted tree that marks the unofficial state border and ate an avocado. Avocados are quickly becoming one of my gave trail foods! I lounged for quite awhile before finally making the last tough climb of the day. I covered a total of 11.7 miles today which was just about all my poor feet could handle. I've decided to change my plans and meet Alex at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. This will allow me to cover a little less mileage per day this week. I think I got ahead of myself with the 14mi per day plan. I'll work my way up to bigger miles but not until my feet can handle it. Just taking things one step at a time for now. I'm having a blast though! Despite my foot troubles.... 79.3mi down... 2101.7 to go!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Foot Rehab
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Hiawassee here I come...
We were hit by a nasty thunderstorm last night and were glad that we were not camped out on top of this mountain. The rain, lightning, and thunder raged all night. Of course, my tent is soaked on the outside. It's keeping me pretty dry inside. Even with all of the heavy rain I've experienced. I'm Sooo ready for a warm/dry spell. The weather is really making things miserable. I hike over endless Mtns each day but the views from the top are all wasted because I'm walking thru clouds with no visibility. I'm over it! Bring on the sunshine!
I cooked some oatmeal and coffee and started packing up my gear. We hit the trail at 9:15 and began the slow trek up Tray Mtn.... There were several tough climbs today and we covered 13 miles to Dicks Creek Gap. The trail comes out of the woods and intersects a major county highway. Hiawassee GA is 11 mi down the highway and we had a tough time finding a shuttle to come pick us up. We stood by the road with our thumbs out for about 45 minutes and finally a very nice lady in a small truck stopped and picked us up. We piled in the back and started the cold ride to town in the open bed of her pick-up. She dropped us at the front door of the Holiday Inn Xpress and we were very grateful for her kindness... After a nice HOT shower we headed down to the Hardees for dinner. I scarfed down a Six Dollar Thick Burger, fries, and 32 oz Mellow Yellow in about 2 minutes. I was tempted to order an encore meal but decided to walk up to the grocery store first. I got my resupply for the next 3-4 days, picked up a few snacks for the room, and a sixer of Sierra Nevada Pale Ales. Back at the hotel it was laundry, snacks, beer, and bedtime. I've pushed pretty hard the past few days and my left foot is in a sad state. I need to take a day off to allow my blisters to heal. I can hardly walk on my left foot and it may be getting infected. Im taking care of it now and it should be fine. I hate to fall behind my new buds but my feet need to be healthy to make it to Maine and it's too early to push my body past it's limit. I can't afford to stay in towns like this all the way to Maine but I think it's a wise investment in these first few weeks. I'm still hopeful that I can make it to Fontana Dam by next Sat and meet up with Alex. I have less than 10 miles to go and I'll be done with GA. GA is known for being a tough state and it will be nice to put it behind me. I've hike 67.6 AT miles... Only 2113.4 to go!
Midnight Mouse
Last night I was visited by a mouse. I had stowed a half eaten Snickers bar in a mesh pocket in my tent. I woke up a few times overnight to the sounds of pattering mouse feet racing across the top of my tent. I thought I was just being paranoid until I awoke to discover a hole in the outside mesh of my tent. The little guy chewed thru and liberated my snickers bar. I found it nibbled and laying on the ground. Lesson learned. No food in tent overnight. We hang our food bags in the tree to keep the bears away. This is called a Bear Bag. I am now going to refer to them as Mouse Bags as the mice seem to be a bigger issue than the bears.
We all broke camp around 9am. Pace Car and Phil were the first ones out and accidentally headed South out of camp. We hiked all day expecting to run into them, not realizing they had gone the wrong way. They finally caught up with us by the end of the day. We had all put in a big day and pushed thru more rain and cold. Our friend Max bailed out into Helen GA. He's having trouble with his foot and also needs to shakedown his pack to reduce his weight. He's carrying a lot of non-essential items and is paying the price. I hope to see him up the way again.
The rest of us pushed on to a campsite located at an old cheese factory site. In the 1800's an eccentric Northerner had taken a land grant and decided to start a cheese factory up on this remote mountain top. Apparently he made a superior cheese and won several accolades. The site is now empty and nothing remains of the old factory. It's still an interesting spot. It's half way up Tray Mtn., so it will be nice to finish the climb in the morning.
When we rolled into camp, Grim was already there and had a BIG camp fire going. It was very cold and rainy so this was a sight for sore eyes. I setup my tent, pumped some water, cooked dinner, and went to bed. I was beat! I hiked 13 mi today. My new boots are treating my feet well. I have some nasty blisters from my previous pair but after a few painful first steps in the morning I'm able to walk all day with only a little dull pain. Tomorrow calls for more bad weather. We're going to push out 14 miles and head into Hiawassee GA for resupply and to get a hotel room for the night. Living out in the cold rain SUCKS! I'm dreaming of cheeseburgers and the Holiday Inn Xpress tonight... Ive hiked 54.5 AT miles... 2126.5 to go!
Truckin
I met a group of guys last night and we ended up hanging out and watching a movie at their cabin. These guys have formed a group and are hiking together. They are Mark from Boston (Pace Car), Phil from Cape Cod (Smooth), Mike from NY, Max from Maine, and Martin from Germany. They're a great group of guys and it was nice to have some company... I made my way back to my cabin around 10pm and stayed up watching TV on the couch til I passed out around 11:30... It was still raining a bit when I woke up but had stopped by the time I was packed and ready to hit the trail. I was back on the AT at 10:30am. My new friends from the cabin left out at 9:30 and I was determined to catch up to them. I hiked 11 mi to the Low Gap shelter and pitched my tent with the group. I made good time and was only 20 minutes behind the guys. It's still cold and wet so the hiking and scenery has been pretty dismal. We started a small fire with wet wood to try and warm up and socialize a little but it was a lost cause. We were all in bed before the sun went down. The weather is going to be rainy and cold over the next few days so it's going to be miserable for a little while longer. I've hiked 41.5 miles on the AT so far. Just 2139.5 to go!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Racoon Cabin
Day 5 - 3/27
The rain finally stopped around 10am this morning. Everything I own is soaked or at least damp. I managed to keep one set of clothes dry to sleep in but had to put on my cold/wet gear again this morning to hike. I left the shelter at 11am and started climbing to the summit of Blood Mountain, the site of a deadly battle between Cherokee and Creek Indians. It's the highest peak on the AT in Georgia. The whole Mtn was covered in clouds so I missed the views. It was pretty eery up there with clouds hanging on the ground and no other hikers in sight. Quiet. Cold. Wet. I'm glad that one is behind me. It was a tough climb but I'm starting to get used to the climbing.
I walked into Neels Gap around 1:30pm. There was a group of ladies handing out free hot dogs, drinks, and snacks to the thru-hikers. We call people like that "trail angels". I had a hot dog and headed to the Mt. Crossings Outfitter. Turns out that my boots were a half size+ too small. No wonder my feet are a mess! I bought a new pair of boots (keen hightops), another warm pair of base layer pants, and food for the next 4 days. I also sent home a few odds and ends that were taking up weight in my pack. I nuked a couple of burritos and washed them down with a grape soda on a bench out front. I rented a cabin for tonight in order to dry out, do laundry, and stay out of the rain forecasted for this evening (it's raining now). They put me in the "Racoon Cabin" which is decorated with stuffed raccoons. Kinda creepy. All of the cabins here have different animal names and have the corresponding critters stuffed and minted within. Im heading to bed soon and will be up and back on the trail by 9am tomorrow. Hoping to make 11mi to Low Gap Shelter tomorrow night. I'm hoping my new boots will help ease the burden of my aching feet!
Sent from my iPhone
Rain. Rain. Go away...
Day 4 - 3/26
Last night i was awakened at 2:30am by a Zack Brown Band listening party sponsored by some redneck teenagers in the parking lot of Woody's Gap. They blasted the entire album and Sang along at the top of their lungs all night. Thankfully I had earplugs. I'm now sitting in the Woods Hole Shelter trying to get dry/warm. I woke up this morning to a light rain around 5:30am. When it stopped after a few minutes I decided I should get up and break camp before the real rain started. I walked to the water source and filled my bottle then boiled water for coffee and oatmeal. I hit the trail at 8:00am and it started pouring rain around 8:02. I walked thru a thunderstorm for 3 and a half hours and covered 7 mi. I got to the shelter at 11:30am and thought I might rest up out of the rain for lunch before moving on to Blood Mtn shelter or Neels Gap. Once I stopped and realized how cold and wet I was I ended up changing into dry clothes and crawling into my bag to get warm and avoid hypothermia. It's now 4:45pm and it's STILL raining. I guess I'm staying here tonight. I'll hike 3.6mi tomorrow to Neels Gap where I'll get a bunk at the hostel, take a shower, and do some laundry. My feet felt ok today. I have a couple of tender blisters but they seem to be manageable. I'm starting to feel a little stronger and looking forward to pushing thru to Fontana Dam where Alex will meet me in two weeks. I need to average 10 mi per day out of Neels Gap to make it on time. I just hope the rain stops!
... and then the blisters came.
Day 3 - 3/25
I covered approx. 10 mi today and my feet have paid the price. I woke up at 6am and was
On the trail by 8am. About an hour and a half into the morning I encountered a guy named Adamant John who was finishing up a SOBO thru hike from last year and was having a break in the middle the trail. He left Blood Mtn at 4:30am and had covered 17 mi already. We chatted for a few minutes, i loaned him some salamander paste, he gave me an avocado, and we headed on our ways. I had the avocado at lunch and it was the tastiest avocado I've ever eaten! I considered stopping at Gooch Mtn shelter where i had lunch, but I was feeling good and decided to push ahead. Even though I had climbs all day long I felt pretty strong. That is until my foot blew out a blister about 1.5 mi from camp tonight. Im camping at a major road crossing called Woody's Gap. Tomorrow is going to be painful!
A better day
Day 2 - 3/24
Well, I decided to take it easy today and only did 7.8 mi to Hawk Mtn Shelter. The hike was beautiful all day but especially first thing this morning. I walked thru hardwood forest with huge trees and lush vegetation. I finally felt like I was on the AT. My spirits were pretty low last night after the approach up to Springer. I sat down at the overlook and started thinking about Alex and the life I'm leaving behind to hike this trail. I was overwhelmed for a few minutes and shed a few tears. Today my spirits were lifted and I'm hoping for another boost today. On the trail today I met Grim, Guiness + her dog and friend from Nasville, Mark from Boston, Phil, Mike, and several others. I'm camping with several of the folks from Springer shelter last night also. Good people so far. Well, except Grim turned out to be a little...."grim". Ok, finishing up my coffee and poptart and heading out. I'm hoping to cover 12 mi to Woody's Gap today.
So it begins
Day 1 - 3/23
Started at Amicicolola Falls SP and hiked up the approach trail 8.5 miles to the start of the AppalachianTrail at Springer Mtn summit and then .2 mi to the Shelter area to camp. It was the toughest hike of my life and I was wiped out.
I Met several good folks along the trail and at the shelter today but we were all pretty tired and I was the last one into camp so last to finish up my meal prep and camp setup. I got to bed at 9:30pm. It began raining really hard not long after and the wind was blowing fiercely all night long with gusts up to 60mph. I stayed pretty dry. I had a bit of rain blow under my tent fly over night but that was some seriously hard core weather. I had little appetite last night so I'm sitting here finishing up my Mexican rice w chicken this morning and will be back on trail in a bit. I'm hoping to make Justus Creek tonight at the 13.8 mi mark.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Leaving in the morning
The weather in Nashville has been Sunny and warm and I finally dragged myself out of bed to do some work around the house. As a farewell gift to Alex I planted a peach tree in the yard along with a few flowers. Now she'll think of me every morning when she walks out for work.
I'm hoping that I'll be eating home grown peaches in a few years and telling stories about my 2011 thru-hike!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Minor Delay
I'm all set to depart on my hike. Unfortunately, I've been sick the past three days with strep throat... The plan was to head to the trail head this weekend but it looks like I'll need a few days to get healthy again. No sense in starting out in a rut.
The gear is packed and I'm all set to go.
Stay tuned... The regularly scheduled programming will begin shortly..
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Walls of Jericho
By the time we got to the "walls" at the bottom of the gorge around 2:30, everyone was pretty worn out. At that point there is still a short scramble up the creek bed and a few rock faces before reaching the "end" of the trail at the waterfall/pool. My dad had stopped at the creek, shy of the pool, so I encouraged him to push ahead since he'd come this far. It would have been a shame for him to have done all the work and not seen the falls. He made it and we got a photo to mark the accomplishment. He earned it! It was a TOUGH hike back up to the trailhead, even for a young guy, let alone a 70 year old. Needless to say I'll be thinking of him on my thru-hike whenever I need a little inspiration to keep moving.
Dad and I brought up the rear and made it back to the trailhead around 5:45pm. There were a few bumps & bruises and some seriously worn out folks but we ALL made it and had a great afternoon! I had a great time enjoying the trail with my awesome family and feel blessed to have them in my life. I'll be thinking of this trip often while walking to Maine....
Friday, February 25, 2011
Walking with Sasquatch t-shirts!
Super comfy and great for hiking (85% polyester / 15% cotton)... All proceeds will go towards snickers bars & cheeseburgers (i.e. My trail fund!)
Monday, February 21, 2011
Thru-hike training with Longhorn cattle
It was great to get out and haul my pack around for a bit and I'm confident that I'm in good enough shape to start my hike. I did have some trouble with the Merrill Moab trail shoes and ended up returning them to REI today. The sole is a little narrow and protruded into my heel. It HURT! That's the last piece of gear I need and I'm running out of ideas.
** 2/21/11 UPDATE: I ended up with a pair of Patagonia Drifter AC trail shoes and absolutely LOVE them. They're quite possibly the most comfortable shoes Ive ever had on my feet... Looking forward to logging A LOT of miles in them.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Weird Guy With Backpack
I met up with Bungalow Bill at Cumberland Transit yesterday and had my pack weighed. Base weight without food/water is 21.8lbs. Right where I wanted to be. I added some toiletries last night so that adds a little weight but I'm not concerned about every little ounce. I feel good about my gear choices and have faith that this setup is going to be comfortable. Still need to pick-up a pair of camp shoes and I'm debating on wether or not to spend the money on a new pair of hiking shoes to break-in ahead of time. I'll be starting in my trusted Asolo boots but want to switch to a Merrell type shoe after I'm thru the snow. I already have some well worn New Balance trail runners and plan to use those at some point as well. Also considering purchasing some gaitors at the suggestion of Mr. Bill... Trying to hold onto my trail money tho! The days are flying by and I'm LOVING the awesome weather we've had the past few days. Ok. I'm off for some urban hiking!!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Bungalow Bills AT presentation
Friday, February 11, 2011
Gearing Up...
Tent - MSR Hubba 1
Bag - Marmot Pinnacle 15 degree - down
Pad - Therm-a-rest ProLite 3/4
Pack - Osprey Kestral 68
Cook Setup - Primus canister stove, MSR Fuel Canister, GSI Pinnacle Soloist cook set, snowpeak titanium spork (thanks Thomas!), and MSR frying pan...
Clothing - Mountain Hardware synthetic "puffy" jacket, REI rain jacket, TNF rain pants, TNF Paramount Peak convertible pants, Mountain Hardware wicked lite Tshirt, Mountain Hardware wicking longsleeve shirt, REI wicking boxer shorts, REI midweight thermals top & bottoms (sleep), wool hat, wool gloves, smart wool socks x 3, (Town Clothes) Royal Robins synthetic pants & Sasquatch T-Shirt (poly-cotton blend), wicking ball cap
Footwear - Asolo Fugitive boots (x2 pairs), Patagonia Drifter AC trail shoe (x1 pair), Crocs Classic (camp shoes)
Light - Petzl Tikkina
Water - Katadyn Hiker PRO, 1L Nalgene widemouth, 4L MSR Dromedary.
Tools - small compass, Leatherman
Sacks - dry compression sack for down bag, dry bag for clothes, food bag.
Small First Aid kit - Advil - Ibuprofen, Multi-Vitamin, Neosporin, Assorted Band Aides, Gauze Pads, Gauze Wrap, Medical Tape
Small Toiletry Bag - Dr. Bonners Peppermint Soap, Lip Balm, Sunscreen, tweezers, toothpaste, toothbrush
Assorted Misc. bag of: extra batteries, safety pins, extra straps, bic lighters, clothes line, rubber bands
50ft. light rope for hanging food bag
Standard Orange trowel for cat-holes + 1 roll TP
iPhone - camera, video, email, phone, blog updates
2011 Thru-Hikers Companion
That's most of what I'll be taking. Plus food ofcourse. I think it's a good start and I'll adjust as I make my way north! Im weighing in around 28 lbs before food/water.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Are we there yet!
With just a little over a month left at work my Springer fever is starting to become unbearable... Only 37 more days before Alex drops me off in GA!!! It shall be a GRAND adventure!
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