Elevation: Daleville (1200'), Apple Orchard Mtn. (4000'), James River Footbridge (600'), Bluff Mtn. (3500'), Pedlar River Bridge (1000'), Long Mtn. Wayside (2200')
This is longest hike since the boy and I trekked at the Philmont Scout Ranch some 20 years ago. So much has changed with regard to equipment and fitness. We carried 45 lb. external frame packs (loaded), wore scout uniforms, had only walking sticks we picked up, and leather ankle boots. Now I hiked with an internal frame pack at just about 30 lbs. (loaded), synthetic everything on my body, save those light merino wool socks, amazing trekking poles and trail runners. I am also more fit than I have ever been in my life which makes this a viable operation. Most of my hikes the past year have been solitary adventures, meaning that I did not plan to travel with other folk though I expected to meet some on the trail or in a car giving me a ride. I considered these training hikes: going a bit longer each time, adjusting gear, learning about my capabilities and hiking style, becoming acquainted with AT lore. On my last hike with S&J (Maryland) the experience was different, since we basically stayed in a close group for the entire stretch, adjusting our individual paces to a community match. Being with them was such a bonus in terms of the experience.
This hike basically represents the beginning of my next phase, what I call long-distance hiking which is going out for a week or weeks at a time and covering close to and in excess of 100 miles at a time. Now the trail looks pretty much like many of the other parts of the trail I have hiked in VA and NC, so commenting on its characteristics is redundant and pictures can tell that story. There were some serious ascents and descents as well as some lovely level paths and views, but now these do no make much difference because long-distance hikers just get up in the morning and take (and enjoy) whatever challenge the mountain has in store for them that day regardless of how arduous the trail or how miserable the conditions (for example, pouring rain) because they have their sights set beyond today's hike, in some cases 2200 miles and 6 months from now. One would wonder how someone can sustain themselves with the rigors of an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike from Georgia to Maine (or the reverse). On this hike I got a glimpse of what makes it possible and what can make it such a phenomenal experience. The God of the Universe created us to be in relationship to him and each other: a relationship (love) is the only truly transcendent aspect of life; all the rest just decays and dies, while the soul lives on forever, always longing to be in relation to another and, especially to the One who created us in the first place.
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| Dan and Hank |
And so it was the people I hiked, ate, slept, laughed, struggled, talked, and shared with that made this adventure so different and I could tell countless stories of our time together within those few short days. Most were young college-age kids on thru- or long section hikes. There were a few older section hikers like myself who were out for a week. One young man, Dan from Georgia (he does not have a real trail name yet), and I showed up at the same shelter on my first night out and for the next 4 nights we shared shelter as well and throughout my section I so much enjoyed getting to know him and his other buddies. Dan is a 20-year old upcoming junior at the University of Georgia and was section hiking from Pearisburg, VA up to Calendonia State Park in PA (450 miles). A very mature young man with a deep voice, taciturn demeanor, inquisitive eyes, and a heart of gold. He was the consistent part of my trek; we did not hike the same hike, meaning that we did not hike together during the day. I religiously got up early and was out of the shelters before others. Two phrases I picked up last week were "You've got to hike your own hike" and "See you down the trail." The younger and more vigorous hikers tend to pace themselves faster than I and exert themselves to a higher level and, therefore, have to rest more often. I attempt to hike at a pace regardless of terrain so that I do not get "out of breath" and yet maintain a heart rate well into the aerobic training range for someone my weight and age. I told one person on the trail that as ugly as I was if I were hiking such that I had to gasp for breath with my mouth open I would scare the fur off any bear I would encounter. So, slow and steady is my style, which means that nearly everyone would pass me on the uphill but when I arrived at their rest spot they would be sprawled about sweating and recovering and say, "Hey, you made it" and then to each other, "Look at him: he is not even breathing hard and he doesn't sweat either (not true)." I find this pacing much more enjoyable, though I have to resist prideful over-exertions when around other hikers. The trail community activity was in the shelters, those lean-to affairs spaced every 10 to 15 miles along the trail, so here are brief accounts of each evenings' rest.
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| James, Jenna, Rael, Dan |
Fullhart Shelter - I parked my truck at Long Mtn, on Sunday morning about 10:30a, got a quick ride over to I-81 with George, Bertie, and grandson Brodie who had just spent the weekend with their daughter and boyfriend who were on a thru-hike. I then waited 2.5 hours in the hot sun for a pickup. Walt from SC took me down to Daleville and I started late at 3:00p, my schedule for the day already blown. I had hoped to do 11 m but would settle for 5 into the shelter. Met J&J who were waiting for Rael from NJ whom I had passed on the trail up. They had thru-hiked together in '08. Dan showed a bit later and we shared the shelter. In order to shed weight M made me a fleece sleep sack half as heavy as my down bag, but it let me down on night one when the temp dropped into the low 50s. I'd say it is rated for temps about 60+.
Cove Mtn. - I got out early and hiked the 20 m to this shelter pretty much in solitude. I passed Crush, a student at Brown, beside a creek and later he rested at the shelter and then pushed on trying to catch up with his buddies. Lonnie was already at the shelter and when Dan arrived we talked during a thunderstorm about a wide range of subjects, from God to restaurants. Hikers tend to bypass this shelter since it has no water source but I planned ahead.
Thunder Hill - I had originally planned to finish this hike on Thursday but that would have required me at this point to hike 23 m today, 19 tomorrow and 12 on the last day. I arrived at the shelter after 17 m to find John and Brian, a pair of section hikers with lots of experience. I was debating hiking the additional miles when they asked me what was the hurry? I had told M that I might not finish until Friday, so decision time was upon me. I opted for adding a day to my trek to lessen the number of miles per day needed to finish on Friday and actually follow their plan since they were leaving the trail at the same point as I. This means we would be bumping against each other for the next couple of days. So now I had some luxurious chill time in the shelter with these other folk. I asked a bunch of questions about gear and hiking and got an earful from this loquacious pair. Today I encountered Hat and Bogie, Crush (again), Wolf, and a guy from Annapolis, MD who was on a section hike southbound. He was so obnoxious (and knew it) that he had decided to hike against the flow of the other northbound hikers so he would not have to deal with the same people who would be loathe to find him at the next shelter. He talked a lot and mostly about himself. Others being gracious and accepting wandered off to sleep in their various abodes. He characterized a long distance hike like this: you wake up, you eat, you sh*t in a hole (love those privies at the shelters), you hike, you eat, you hike, you eat, you sleep, you wake up, you... I believe there is a bit more to it than that but he covered the basics.
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| Golden, Dan, and Medicine Man (kilt) |
Matt's Creek - I got out a little later this morning, about 7:30a but still ahead of everyone else. There would be a serious uphill and I wanted to get some miles behind me. Now one of the downsides to being the first out is that fact that there will be fresh spider webs across the trail with a much greater frequency than you can imagine and for some reason spidey likes to string a bunch of them about head level which, if you can also imagine, is quite annoying: they stick your face and glasses and tickle just enough to require a swipe of a hand attached to a trekking pole, no small feat as you are pounding away at the trail. At this point I do not have a trail name, usually a name is attached to a hiker by others because of some distinctive characteristic or a trail mishap, but if I were to choose I would call myself "Webcatcher." Dan and I arrived at the shelter after a 12 m hike about the same time at 2:30p to a gorgeous setting: babbling creek, warm but pleasant temperatures since the humidity was moderate, birds singing, but otherwise quiet. We both unrolled our sleeping pads and stretched out; I did not sleep but that hour was the most peaceful I had experienced so far on the trail. Then something quite remarkable and yet not expected happened. We heard some folks coming down the trail from across the creek (John and Brian were already in residence at the tent site) and as they traversed the creek Dan looked up and this spritely young waif called out with heightened enthusiasm, "Hey guys, it's Dan from Georgia!" and her companions began to whoop it up as if they were the dearest of friends who had not seen each other for years. Needless to say Dan came alive; these were some of his hiking buddies who had gone into town a couple of days before when Dan did not and were now catching up. A slew of kids flowed in and the place was awash is well-wishing and catching up. I just sat, listened, and soaked up the trail love. The evening was full of talking, sharing, eating, playing, sorting out stuff, and making decisions about how much to hike in the coming days. Golden, the trail name of the girl so excited to see Dan was a delight as were the others; she, Dan, Medicine Man, and I shared the 6 person shelter. The others tented in various places.
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| Kids around the fire |
Punchbowl - Out early again because I would be hiking 12 m down into the James River basin, a long and steep descent, then back up the steepest climb so far to Bluff Mtn. and onto the shelter. The kids were coming out early so they were just a bit behind. They caught up to me after the James River and we leap-frogged a couple of times on the way up. During one stretch when I was hiking just behind a group containing Dan, Golden, and Wildflower we were discussing various family situations and Golden remarked that her grandparents lived in a retirement community in Asheville, NC. This piqued my interest since my mother-in-law lives in a similar situation. After a few exchanges we realized that they actually lived in the same housing unit at Deerfield. At the top of Bluff Mtn. there was mobile phone service so I called my MIL and, sure enough, she knew the grandparents and was confident she would she them that evening at dinner. How's that for a coincidence: someone I randomly met on the AT and shared a shelter with the night before was connected in another way to me that I would never have imagined. It then began to rain in earnest so we all hightailed it down the mountain to the shelter. Some of the kids pushed on desiring to go into Buena Vista to meet up with some other trail buddies while the rest of us settled into the shelter for what would be my last night on the trail. Thru-hikers do not usually engage in massive fire-building on the trail: too tired and too much wood gathering required. At Punchbowl a large pile of fallen wood that was relatively dry was discovered not to far away and in order to discourage insects (there was a reasonably sized pond adjacent to the shelter and tent sites) a sizable fire was ignited. Much more camaraderie pervaded the evening but all got quiet around 9:00 except for the bullfrogs, peepers, and not so familiar bird calls.
Long Mountain Wayside - At this point I was feeling the draw of home and family; we had planned a Memorial Day weekend at Pied-a-Terre with the girls, their guys, and a few cousins, so I was looking forward to finishing and getting over there to help M get things ready. I had 12 m to my truck and I was feeling as energetic and strong as ever. I was out by 6:00a and Friday was glorious but tending warmer. I relished those concluding miles and the impending euphoria that occurs when one reaches trail's end. I realize that with resupply I could have physically kept on hiking, day after day, until I ran out of trail. But I have other things I like to do as well as backpack, so spending months on end away from those I love and my comfortable retirement life is not something I long to do. A week or two sounds about right, and that's long enough for me to hike enough serious section miles to be able to finish the entire AT at some point.
More Pictures (by the by, all pictures in my blogs are clickable to full size)
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| Dan, Golden, Wildflower |
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| DK and friend |
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| Is that underwear drying? |
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| Trail head in Daleville |
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| They are still around |
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| Adjacent to Blue Ridge Parkway |
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| Lily of the Valley |
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| Spidey is busy |
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| The Guillotine - How long has that rock been there? |
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| The Mighty James |
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| AT Footbridge across the James |
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| More Spidey on the bridge |
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| Rest Area |
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| Water abounds |
Reflections: I enjoyed myself immeasurably, learned some stuff, felt good, had no new pains, could have gone on longer, saw some beautiful sights, and engaged another world and community unique to this footpath; I am all the better for the experience. I may rejoin the Dan group in PA when they get there in a couple of weeks and hike with them for a few more days just to extend the magic. My sights are set on an even longer hike south of Daleville and one through the Smoky Mtn. Nat. Park after a visit to Asheville, NC and a summer mission trip to the Cherokee Nation southwest of there.
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