Sunday, May 25, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
May 24th
Pearisburg is a nice little town, though it has had better economic times, to judge by the number of empty storefronts downtown. To judge by the Confederate flags hanging in front of town hall, some foks are wishing to go waaay back. (Actually, the Civil War reenactors are recruiting).Unlike Damascus, downtown is pretty spread out, so getting chores done is kind of a pain -- the laundromat is a quarter-mile from the hotel and both are a quarter-mile from the drugstore, so there's quite a bit of walking involved in getting thintgs done.
There is, however, a really excellent coffeeshop, which has free computer access, and actually has computers modern enough to allow the uploading of photos into the blog ... which is how I've just spent the last hour. But now it's late afternoon, and town chores done, I'm going to try to get a mile or two in before dark.
EDIT: Left Field and crowd got a box of frozen burger patties, and corn on the cob, and have fired up the grill next to the motel pool. I'll be here another night and leave in the morning ...
May 23rd
Cloudy all day with occasional drizzle, but it never breaks through into actual rain -- just enough to keep you thinking "uh-oh" every time it sprinkles a bit. Some great views today, overlooking the populated valleys. The plan was for me to camp up on top of the mountain just short of Pearisburg. There is supposedly a spring up on top of the ridge, but I don't find it and before I know it, I'm past the spot and have reached Angel's Rest, a rock outcropping overlooking Pearisburg. I can either walk back .5 mile to try to find the spring and camp there, camp where I am (with no water to make dinner with), or keep on going 2 miles into town (making 15 for the day) Hmmm....
I get into town about 6:30, and book myself into a motel. It's a luxury, having a motel room to myself, one I haven't indulged in for over a month. There's a all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet across the street serving pretty horrible food; I load up four times anyway, before going back to my room and luxuriating in a king-size bed, climate control and a TV. I watch Bear Grylls until I fall asleep...
May 22
Did 15 miles today, crossing Kittredge Creek, which has a cool suspension bridge over it just for the AT, and passing by Dismal Falls, a really pretty spot that would be ideal for taking a zero in, as several people do. Alas, not for me. I yellowblazed up here so I could push on to Pearisburg, so I do. 15 miles today. May 21st
I realize this morning that given where I am on the trail, I'm probably due to arrive in Pearisburg Saturday night; this is bad, as I have a maildrop coming to the PO there, and I just found out that this is Memorial Day weeked coming up -- which means I'll be stuck there until Tuesday. Not good.
So, when, after 6 miles, I run across some section hikers who are bailing off the trail, I decide to do just a bit more yellowblazing -- I get off with them, and then get a hitch a few miles down the road. I skip about 20 miles of trail, but it puts me in line to make the Pearisburg PO before noon Saurday.
Highlight of the day was Burke's Garden -- this is a huge valley, which the AT skirts, full of farms (many of them Amish). Lots of scenic views down onto farms and houses.
May 20th
Part of the deal with Hard Core is that Bob arranges rides for you to anywhere on the trail you need to be. This is possible because some of the volunteers are former hikers who are driving home, and Bob organizes the carpools.
I get a lift from Lugnut, who is heading back to Ohio. I have him drop me off at VA Rt. 42 with a couple other hikers. This is 50 miles farther than I've actually hiked on the trail -- I figure two days of manual labor entitle me to 50 free miles...
I regret picking this spot, however, when I realize that I'm at the bottom of an 11-mile, 2500-foot climb up to Chestnut Knob Shelter. By the time I get there (passing a very cool high-altitude pond), it's rainy, cold and very windy, and my back is hurting pretty bad from hiking uphill a day after sledgehammer work. The shelter is full, so I end up camping outside, which impresses some section hikers who can't imagine sleeping in a hammock in the wind and rain. I sleep like a baby, though, greatly aided by a couple of Tylenol PM, and by Mustang Sally, who supplies me with one of those chemical hand-warmer things that I slip right into the small of my back and lay on all night.
May 19th
Second day of Hard Core has us driving all the way back to Roan Mountain, on the TN/NC border, then hiking 3 miles just to get to the work site. We're again doing a reroute on a section of trail where the trail is badly eroded -- one of the places where the AT basically becomes a streambed when it rains -- and in the process also eliminating one of the AT's ten billion "PUDs," a Pointless Up and Down where you go uphill and then down for no real reason. After we're done, the trail will run along the side of the mountain instead of up and down.It's a very hard day, and I spend the entire time working on a single 50-foot section where the hillside is especially steep and we need to build stone retaining walls to hold the trail up against erosion. Find the rocks, move them down the hill, fit them into a stone wall, and then sledgehammer some boulders into more-or-less gravel for the trail to run over. I spend two hours with the hammer, and by the end of the day I'm feeling it in my shoulders and back.
Coolest part of the day, however, is at the end -- since this is now the official trail route, we have to mark it with white blazes, and all the first-timers get a turn. Three miles north of Carver Gap, there's a rock wall I helped build (look for the massive boulder I named Grendel's Mother), and a white blaze I painted. Very, very cool feeling to be part of the AT this way.
May 18th
I've got a rare chance to actually update my own blog -- I'm behind in doing this week's entries, and I have some rare internet time ...
So I decided that I could do some yellowblazing, but I had to earn it. I earned it by doing Trail Days Hard Core. No, that's not a porn movie, it's a work project that takes place the Sunday and Monday after Trail Days. Bob Peoples, who runs the Kincora Hostel and is more-or-less the head trail maintainer for the Tennessee section, organizes it. About 85-90 people, mostly current or former hikers, met in Damascus and carpooled back to a section of the trail Bob wanted to work on near Iron Mountain. We worked all afternoon with mattocks, picks, shovels, and fire rakes rerouting a section of the AT that had some pretty bad erosion problems. It was raining most of the day, so it was muddy work, to put it mildly. Still, it was a lot of fun to do a different kind of work than the "job" of the hike.
After the day's work, Bob fed us (actually, the ATC paid for it), and everyone crowded into Kincora -- except for those who preferred to hang their hammocks outside...
May 17th
The problem with Trail Days for the thru-hiker is that you're so busy getting town chores done, gear repaired, etc., that you don't have time to do all the cool stuff. Free whittling lessons in the Damascus Library, but no time ...
Bought a summer quilt and mailed the winter one back; also changed to a different hammock, this one with an attached bug net.
Highlight of the day was the hiker parade. Hundreds of past a present hikers walking through downtown Damascus. Locals line the route, and all soak each other with waterballoons, squirt guns, supersoakers, garden hoses, etc. Afterwards, there's a hiker talent show, which I missed most of; someone told me the winners included a guy who plays the bagpipes, and Punchline, who is an actual professional comedian out here hiking.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Damascus, VA
5/10/08
Rain early, but sun was out by the time I crossed the Virginia line. By 1:30, I’d done 10 easy downhill miles into Damascus.
Damascus, VA isn’t a trail town; it is the trail town, and reaching it is a major milestone. It’s often referred to as the ¼ mark, even though in actual miles it’s something more like 21 %. But time wise, most people reach Damascus about a month or two into their hikes. It’s the start of Virginia, which is where the next 400 – some miles lay. It’s where the terrain supposedly starts getting easier, which I’ll believe when I see. And most importantly, it’s home to Trail Days, which starts next Friday. Thousands of former thru-hikers, as well as the large majority of the ones who are still on the trail this year, will find their way back here for a weekend of … Well, I’m not totally sure, having never been to one.
Just in its own right, Damascus is a wonderful place. Coming north on the AT, you leave the woods and basically enter town through someone’s back yard.
Not that they mind – a little girl is playing outside and says hi as you walk by. After that you walk through the public park, alongside one of the two creeks that run through town, then through the town’s main drag, Laurel Ave/US58.
Everywhere, there are yard sales – it’s become a tradition for everyone to have on the Saturday before Trail Days. Everywhere, there are people walking around on what has turned into a glorious spring day. And everywhere you see the signs telling you you’ve reached something like home. Half the businesses have “Trail” or “Blaze” or some other kind of identifier in their name. First Baptist has a sign out front announcing that they love hikers. More impressively, the people themselves are incredibly nice. One of the first people I met was a senior citizen in the park with his granddaughter. He asked me how I was doing, and I, sweaty, dirty, and smelly from the trail, said, “Glad to be here.” He answered, “Well, we’re sure glad to have you.” That would be nice – nicer was having nearly the same exchange ten minutes later with someone else.
Of course, the cynic can point out that the AT, (as well as the other hiking, biking and equestrian trails in the area) pumps a huge amount of money into the local economy, and that explains it all. Screw the cynic. There’s no economic motivation for people to stop their cars on US 58 in order to wave pedestrians across the street. There is sure no economic motivation for the guy who sets up a phone on his front porch and invites anyone to use it. It’s simply a Norman Rockwell kind of town.
By 6pm, I’ve picked up my mail drop from the outfitter’s (thanks, Mom!), dropped my stuff at The Place (a hostel run by First Methodist), showered, done laundry, eaten a stromboli, and met up with quite a few familiar faces – Guns, who I hadn’t seen in two weeks; Mustang Sally, who I hadn’t seen in three; Matthewski, who I hadn’t seen in four. (Matty says he didn’t recognize me because I’d lost so much weight – according to the scale at the outfitters, I’m down something like 45 pounds (and by the way, this is an interesting trail thing – all those dates are guesses. You don’t really think in terms of time, you think in terms of trail – you think in terms of where on the trail you’ve seen them – Erwin, Hot Springs, Standing Bear).
My chores done, I have time to find Damascus’ one tavern nightlife finish off the day.
PS, 9pm: across from the fire-station, under the roofed used car lot, an impromptu bluegrass band is playing; members range in age from about 10 to about 65. People are square dancing.
5/11/08
Zero day in Damascus. It’s been eleven days since my last zero, so I guess it’s okay for me to take one, but it wasn’t necessarily my plan. The Forecast was for heavy thunderstorms all day, but in actuality, the weather alternated between terrific and crappy-rain, sun, rain, sun, and rain. I entertained the idea of hiking out until about 3pm, but finally decided to stay. It’s probably just as well, since I’ve had an achy knee the last few days as well as a couple of proto-blisters.
Today I also ran into my old pal Cool Breeze. He and Guns have both decided to pass on thru-hiking, and are just going to do sections. Guns has his car here, and they’re gonna skip up to Shenandoah and do that and maybe some other parts. They’re happy, and I’m sure they’re gonna have fun-but for me it’s a damn shame to see my friends dropping out.
Rain early, but sun was out by the time I crossed the Virginia line. By 1:30, I’d done 10 easy downhill miles into Damascus.
Damascus, VA isn’t a trail town; it is the trail town, and reaching it is a major milestone. It’s often referred to as the ¼ mark, even though in actual miles it’s something more like 21 %. But time wise, most people reach Damascus about a month or two into their hikes. It’s the start of Virginia, which is where the next 400 – some miles lay. It’s where the terrain supposedly starts getting easier, which I’ll believe when I see. And most importantly, it’s home to Trail Days, which starts next Friday. Thousands of former thru-hikers, as well as the large majority of the ones who are still on the trail this year, will find their way back here for a weekend of … Well, I’m not totally sure, having never been to one.
Just in its own right, Damascus is a wonderful place. Coming north on the AT, you leave the woods and basically enter town through someone’s back yard.
Not that they mind – a little girl is playing outside and says hi as you walk by. After that you walk through the public park, alongside one of the two creeks that run through town, then through the town’s main drag, Laurel Ave/US58.
Everywhere, there are yard sales – it’s become a tradition for everyone to have on the Saturday before Trail Days. Everywhere, there are people walking around on what has turned into a glorious spring day. And everywhere you see the signs telling you you’ve reached something like home. Half the businesses have “Trail” or “Blaze” or some other kind of identifier in their name. First Baptist has a sign out front announcing that they love hikers. More impressively, the people themselves are incredibly nice. One of the first people I met was a senior citizen in the park with his granddaughter. He asked me how I was doing, and I, sweaty, dirty, and smelly from the trail, said, “Glad to be here.” He answered, “Well, we’re sure glad to have you.” That would be nice – nicer was having nearly the same exchange ten minutes later with someone else.
Of course, the cynic can point out that the AT, (as well as the other hiking, biking and equestrian trails in the area) pumps a huge amount of money into the local economy, and that explains it all. Screw the cynic. There’s no economic motivation for people to stop their cars on US 58 in order to wave pedestrians across the street. There is sure no economic motivation for the guy who sets up a phone on his front porch and invites anyone to use it. It’s simply a Norman Rockwell kind of town.
By 6pm, I’ve picked up my mail drop from the outfitter’s (thanks, Mom!), dropped my stuff at The Place (a hostel run by First Methodist), showered, done laundry, eaten a stromboli, and met up with quite a few familiar faces – Guns, who I hadn’t seen in two weeks; Mustang Sally, who I hadn’t seen in three; Matthewski, who I hadn’t seen in four. (Matty says he didn’t recognize me because I’d lost so much weight – according to the scale at the outfitters, I’m down something like 45 pounds (and by the way, this is an interesting trail thing – all those dates are guesses. You don’t really think in terms of time, you think in terms of trail – you think in terms of where on the trail you’ve seen them – Erwin, Hot Springs, Standing Bear).
My chores done, I have time to find Damascus’ one tavern nightlife finish off the day.
PS, 9pm: across from the fire-station, under the roofed used car lot, an impromptu bluegrass band is playing; members range in age from about 10 to about 65. People are square dancing.
5/11/08
Zero day in Damascus. It’s been eleven days since my last zero, so I guess it’s okay for me to take one, but it wasn’t necessarily my plan. The Forecast was for heavy thunderstorms all day, but in actuality, the weather alternated between terrific and crappy-rain, sun, rain, sun, and rain. I entertained the idea of hiking out until about 3pm, but finally decided to stay. It’s probably just as well, since I’ve had an achy knee the last few days as well as a couple of proto-blisters.
Today I also ran into my old pal Cool Breeze. He and Guns have both decided to pass on thru-hiking, and are just going to do sections. Guns has his car here, and they’re gonna skip up to Shenandoah and do that and maybe some other parts. They’re happy, and I’m sure they’re gonna have fun-but for me it’s a damn shame to see my friends dropping out.
5/8/08
This was the day that everything went wrong, but it was all ok.
First was leaving some things behind at Kincora hostel. Nothing irreplaceable but still. Then were a couple of forgotten errands that meant I had to have Bob from the hostel leave me off in “Downtown” Hampton, TN, instead of on the AT – I hitched out to the trail by 10am. Then there was the problem with one of my poles that I didn’t get fixed until 4pm. Then there was taking an .5 mile wrong turn. Then there was an .6 mile detour for water. Then it turned cold and started raining. And yet I still knocked 13 miles before stopping at 6:30, and felt great. It was a bit messy getting camp set up, but now I am fed, warm and dry, snug in my hammock under my tarp as the rain continues to come down. I’ll finish my raspberry tea and go to sleep as soon as it’s dark. Life is good, at least until tomorrow, when I’ll have to put on wet clothes in the morning – yech.
Of course, the way this day has gone, a bear might come in the night…
5/9/08
No bear last night, but it did rain pretty hard most of the night, which kept me up. I was dry and warm, but the wind blew pretty good and I was a bit antsy. One of the downsides to the hammock as opposed to a tent is that even when you are dry and warm, you still don’t have that psychological benefit of a fully enclosed bubble that a tent affords you.
I’d hope to get up early and really do big miles today, but it was still misty /drizzly in the morning, and it was hard to get going, especially after a poor sleep. But once I did, the trail today was pretty easy – ups and downs, but nothing big. Finally call it a day at Abington Gap Shelter – 18 miles, a personal best.
Tomorrow – Damascus.
This was the day that everything went wrong, but it was all ok.
First was leaving some things behind at Kincora hostel. Nothing irreplaceable but still. Then were a couple of forgotten errands that meant I had to have Bob from the hostel leave me off in “Downtown” Hampton, TN, instead of on the AT – I hitched out to the trail by 10am. Then there was the problem with one of my poles that I didn’t get fixed until 4pm. Then there was taking an .5 mile wrong turn. Then there was an .6 mile detour for water. Then it turned cold and started raining. And yet I still knocked 13 miles before stopping at 6:30, and felt great. It was a bit messy getting camp set up, but now I am fed, warm and dry, snug in my hammock under my tarp as the rain continues to come down. I’ll finish my raspberry tea and go to sleep as soon as it’s dark. Life is good, at least until tomorrow, when I’ll have to put on wet clothes in the morning – yech.
Of course, the way this day has gone, a bear might come in the night…
5/9/08
No bear last night, but it did rain pretty hard most of the night, which kept me up. I was dry and warm, but the wind blew pretty good and I was a bit antsy. One of the downsides to the hammock as opposed to a tent is that even when you are dry and warm, you still don’t have that psychological benefit of a fully enclosed bubble that a tent affords you.
I’d hope to get up early and really do big miles today, but it was still misty /drizzly in the morning, and it was hard to get going, especially after a poor sleep. But once I did, the trail today was pretty easy – ups and downs, but nothing big. Finally call it a day at Abington Gap Shelter – 18 miles, a personal best.
Tomorrow – Damascus.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
May 12, 2008
Once again, I'm slow leaving town in the morning, but this time it's OK; I had a bunch of errands that were impossible to run yesterday. Damascus on a Sunday is basically a ghost town, with nobody around but a bunch of hikers saying how bored they are. By 1:00, though I've gone to the clinic (I have not lost 40 pounds as an aberrant set of scales made me think, but only 22), the pharmacy, the post office, the outfitter, the library, the grocery store, and put in a sympathy call to Lotus, who is still off the trail with her bad foot and is going stir-crazy at her parents' house. We chat for a while and I hit the road.
By 7, I've made about 13 miles and I camp, but I'm worried - both knees were really hurting today, and today's terrain was really, really easy. Tomorrow I go up 3000 feet, up to the top of Mt. Rogers.
I'm also wishing I hadn't mailed my gloves home - it was cool and cloudy all day, with temps in the 50s; but up on the ridge it's probably near freezing...
May 13, 2008
Well that was horrible. Woke up this morning coughing up phlegm. As the day went on, I was feverish and achy all day. - I've got the bug that's been going around the hikers. Was sick on side of trail at one point. - Not good to lose those calories.
Only 9 miles today, but a lot of altitude gained. Tomorrow level off then downhill.
May 14, 2008
Must have camped last night at spider central - woke up this AM with daddy longlegs everywhere - a half-dozen had taken up residence in my pants alone and had to be shaken out before I got dressed.
Still feeling ill this AM, but a little better later in the day. Feeling better by the time I come to one of the highlights of the trip, seeing the (cue seven-year old girl voice) PONIES!
Up in the Mt. Rogers area, the USFS maintains a herd of wild ponies. "Maintains" only in that they do an annual roundup to check for disease, and occasionally sell a few off if the herd gets too big; other than that, the ponies roam over a wide tract of land, grazing on the mountain meadows. I knew they were up here, and so came prepared - two apples hauled up from Damascus. I cut them into bite-sized portions, and the ponies eat them out of my hand. They also lick a lot - they like the salt in sweat.
The Grayson Highlands area in general is spectacular - I don't think the photos do it justice. Definitely one of the 2 or 3 areas I want to come back to someday. Made 12 miles today.
May 15, 2008
Two quick downhill miles, done before 9 am, and then the thumb goes out looking for a hitch back to Damascus. After an hour, there's three of us - I'm joined by Bulldog, a 5'6", fortyish retired Marine, and Bearbait, an attractive blonde of about 30. Stunningly we find it much easier to get a ride when Bulldog and I stand back from the road, and wait for Bearbait to stop a car and explain that "I've got these two friends..."
It actually takes us two rides - we get one to Troutdale, where we get off at a diner and eat breakfast, then get another back to Damascus, which we reach by about 1 pm.
Within a couple hours, I've met several people I've been looking forward to. Bilge Rat, is the guy who gave me my trail name (I don't know if I ever explained on here - Chainsaw stuck with everyone), and is responsible for more comedic mayhem than anyone on the trail. One of my favorite bits of his work was buying an electrical outlet, and packing it up to a shelter where he wedged into the wall. (This may not sound funny but it really is) He's here in overalls, straw hat and pink shoes. He's about a week ahead of me, and has been for a while.
Also here are Mozzie and Sprite. They're 100 miles or so behind me. Mozzie alternately thrills and terrifies me. He's a 47 year old who would have a decent chance of passing either for Santa Claus or Ernest Hemingway. On Halloween 2006, a freak accident left his leg broken in six places. He spent the next 11 months in bed. When he got out, they told him he'd need two years of physical therapy. He decided instead to go to Springer Mountain and walk north. He takes it slow, averaging about 5 miles a day, but he's made about 400 miles so far. Sprite is a 23 year old librarian who has become Mozzie's nurse and conspirator since they met in Georgia.
After catching up with all the above, I head over to the rapidly forming Tent City. Thousands of people will be camping throughout an area of over a hundred wooded acres on the edge of Damascus. I've just finished setting up my camp when I run into Cannibal. Cannibal is from Florida, and was an enormous help to me in planning my hike especially, in setting up my hammock rig. He started two weeks ahead of me, and it's been really good to finally catch up with him.
In the evening, First Baptist Church sponsors both a huge hiker feed with fried chicken, chili, burgers and tons more, and not one, but two eating contests. - the first being hot dogs, the second being no-hands birthday cake.
May 16, 2008
Started the day by dropping off both my pack and my poles at their manufacturer's booths to get worked on. After that, I head downtown to catch a presentation by Gene Epsy, the second man to do a thru-hike, back in 1951.
After that, I spend time exploring the vendor booths downtown - a lot of hiking-gear vendors, but also the usual arts-and-crafts flea-market stuff. The vast majority of people in town for Trail Days are not current thru-hikers and so can buy a handwoven blanket and drive home with it.
In the afternoon it's back to Tent City. I'm changing to a different hammock for summer, so I spend some time fiddling with knots and lines and straps.
Dinner is free venison stew, provided by, I think, Granite Gear. The evening consists mainly of spending time among a few of the dozens of different campfires all over Tent City.
I've started to think today about the possibility of doing some yellow blazing. I probably need to explain that. The AT is marked with white rectangles painted on trees called blazes. Side trails or alternate routes are marked with blue blazes - hence someone who does not follow the offical AT route is "bue blazing." Yellow blazing refers to skipping portions of the AT altogether, and jumping ahead via car (the dotted center lines being the yellow blazes).
Strictly speaking, of course, this is sort of cheating. But there tends not to be a lot of strict speaking on the AT. The large majority of thru-hikers do not worry about making sure they traverse every inch of 2175 miles. If you skip a mile or five here or there, most people don't really care. The ATC, which records the names of all thru-hikers, does so entirely on the honor system. Essentially, it's up to you and your conscience as to how many corners you want to cut.
If this seems wrong, consider why most of us are out here. Most people go to the woods looking to get away from requirements and regulations from authority figures telling you where and when you can go. They're here to have fun, have an adventure, to explore... When you have that in mind, scrupulously following an exact predetermined route seems kind of against the point.
I'm thinking of yellow blazing because I'm about 50-100 miles behind a lot of people I'd like to be hiking with. If I skipped ahead now, I could, if I wanted to, come back up here this winter and fill it in. I've mentioned the idea to a few people, and they all say I should do it.
But the cardinal rule out here "hike your own hike," meaning "only you know why you're out here and what you want to get out of it." Thinking about this has really made me wonder what my hike is about. Is it about solitude, or about other people? Is it about having fun, or about setting a challenge and achieving it? And whatever I thought the goals of this hike were before I started - are they ones I still want? And why do I have to make every decision in my life into an angst-ridden crisis? I dunno, but I've got 24 hours to decide.
Once again, I'm slow leaving town in the morning, but this time it's OK; I had a bunch of errands that were impossible to run yesterday. Damascus on a Sunday is basically a ghost town, with nobody around but a bunch of hikers saying how bored they are. By 1:00, though I've gone to the clinic (I have not lost 40 pounds as an aberrant set of scales made me think, but only 22), the pharmacy, the post office, the outfitter, the library, the grocery store, and put in a sympathy call to Lotus, who is still off the trail with her bad foot and is going stir-crazy at her parents' house. We chat for a while and I hit the road.
By 7, I've made about 13 miles and I camp, but I'm worried - both knees were really hurting today, and today's terrain was really, really easy. Tomorrow I go up 3000 feet, up to the top of Mt. Rogers.
I'm also wishing I hadn't mailed my gloves home - it was cool and cloudy all day, with temps in the 50s; but up on the ridge it's probably near freezing...
May 13, 2008
Well that was horrible. Woke up this morning coughing up phlegm. As the day went on, I was feverish and achy all day. - I've got the bug that's been going around the hikers. Was sick on side of trail at one point. - Not good to lose those calories.
Only 9 miles today, but a lot of altitude gained. Tomorrow level off then downhill.
May 14, 2008
Must have camped last night at spider central - woke up this AM with daddy longlegs everywhere - a half-dozen had taken up residence in my pants alone and had to be shaken out before I got dressed.
Still feeling ill this AM, but a little better later in the day. Feeling better by the time I come to one of the highlights of the trip, seeing the (cue seven-year old girl voice) PONIES!
Up in the Mt. Rogers area, the USFS maintains a herd of wild ponies. "Maintains" only in that they do an annual roundup to check for disease, and occasionally sell a few off if the herd gets too big; other than that, the ponies roam over a wide tract of land, grazing on the mountain meadows. I knew they were up here, and so came prepared - two apples hauled up from Damascus. I cut them into bite-sized portions, and the ponies eat them out of my hand. They also lick a lot - they like the salt in sweat.
The Grayson Highlands area in general is spectacular - I don't think the photos do it justice. Definitely one of the 2 or 3 areas I want to come back to someday. Made 12 miles today.
May 15, 2008
Two quick downhill miles, done before 9 am, and then the thumb goes out looking for a hitch back to Damascus. After an hour, there's three of us - I'm joined by Bulldog, a 5'6", fortyish retired Marine, and Bearbait, an attractive blonde of about 30. Stunningly we find it much easier to get a ride when Bulldog and I stand back from the road, and wait for Bearbait to stop a car and explain that "I've got these two friends..."
It actually takes us two rides - we get one to Troutdale, where we get off at a diner and eat breakfast, then get another back to Damascus, which we reach by about 1 pm.
Within a couple hours, I've met several people I've been looking forward to. Bilge Rat, is the guy who gave me my trail name (I don't know if I ever explained on here - Chainsaw stuck with everyone), and is responsible for more comedic mayhem than anyone on the trail. One of my favorite bits of his work was buying an electrical outlet, and packing it up to a shelter where he wedged into the wall. (This may not sound funny but it really is) He's here in overalls, straw hat and pink shoes. He's about a week ahead of me, and has been for a while.
Also here are Mozzie and Sprite. They're 100 miles or so behind me. Mozzie alternately thrills and terrifies me. He's a 47 year old who would have a decent chance of passing either for Santa Claus or Ernest Hemingway. On Halloween 2006, a freak accident left his leg broken in six places. He spent the next 11 months in bed. When he got out, they told him he'd need two years of physical therapy. He decided instead to go to Springer Mountain and walk north. He takes it slow, averaging about 5 miles a day, but he's made about 400 miles so far. Sprite is a 23 year old librarian who has become Mozzie's nurse and conspirator since they met in Georgia.
After catching up with all the above, I head over to the rapidly forming Tent City. Thousands of people will be camping throughout an area of over a hundred wooded acres on the edge of Damascus. I've just finished setting up my camp when I run into Cannibal. Cannibal is from Florida, and was an enormous help to me in planning my hike especially, in setting up my hammock rig. He started two weeks ahead of me, and it's been really good to finally catch up with him.
In the evening, First Baptist Church sponsors both a huge hiker feed with fried chicken, chili, burgers and tons more, and not one, but two eating contests. - the first being hot dogs, the second being no-hands birthday cake.
May 16, 2008
Started the day by dropping off both my pack and my poles at their manufacturer's booths to get worked on. After that, I head downtown to catch a presentation by Gene Epsy, the second man to do a thru-hike, back in 1951.
After that, I spend time exploring the vendor booths downtown - a lot of hiking-gear vendors, but also the usual arts-and-crafts flea-market stuff. The vast majority of people in town for Trail Days are not current thru-hikers and so can buy a handwoven blanket and drive home with it.
In the afternoon it's back to Tent City. I'm changing to a different hammock for summer, so I spend some time fiddling with knots and lines and straps.
Dinner is free venison stew, provided by, I think, Granite Gear. The evening consists mainly of spending time among a few of the dozens of different campfires all over Tent City.
I've started to think today about the possibility of doing some yellow blazing. I probably need to explain that. The AT is marked with white rectangles painted on trees called blazes. Side trails or alternate routes are marked with blue blazes - hence someone who does not follow the offical AT route is "bue blazing." Yellow blazing refers to skipping portions of the AT altogether, and jumping ahead via car (the dotted center lines being the yellow blazes).
Strictly speaking, of course, this is sort of cheating. But there tends not to be a lot of strict speaking on the AT. The large majority of thru-hikers do not worry about making sure they traverse every inch of 2175 miles. If you skip a mile or five here or there, most people don't really care. The ATC, which records the names of all thru-hikers, does so entirely on the honor system. Essentially, it's up to you and your conscience as to how many corners you want to cut.
If this seems wrong, consider why most of us are out here. Most people go to the woods looking to get away from requirements and regulations from authority figures telling you where and when you can go. They're here to have fun, have an adventure, to explore... When you have that in mind, scrupulously following an exact predetermined route seems kind of against the point.
I'm thinking of yellow blazing because I'm about 50-100 miles behind a lot of people I'd like to be hiking with. If I skipped ahead now, I could, if I wanted to, come back up here this winter and fill it in. I've mentioned the idea to a few people, and they all say I should do it.
But the cardinal rule out here "hike your own hike," meaning "only you know why you're out here and what you want to get out of it." Thinking about this has really made me wonder what my hike is about. Is it about solitude, or about other people? Is it about having fun, or about setting a challenge and achieving it? And whatever I thought the goals of this hike were before I started - are they ones I still want? And why do I have to make every decision in my life into an angst-ridden crisis? I dunno, but I've got 24 hours to decide.
Monday, May 12, 2008
May 1, 2008
Folks dropped me off around 11 am, so a shortened day of hiking, which is just as well - after the break, the going is excruciatingly tough. Every muscle aches and is sore - they've gotten fat and lazy from lying on the couch for several days. Stop early, having taken 5 hours to do 6 miles. It's a Tylenol PM night.
May 5, 2008
Muscles very sore again - painful going all day. Feels like I'm back in Georgia, like six weeks of hiking did nothing to get me in shape.
Very stiff climb today, going up Roan Mountain. The combines uphill today is something like 2900 feet. For those keeping score at home, that's something like 2 Sears Towers. Considering the vertical gain and my muscles, I can live with knocking off early and doing only 7 horizontal miles.
I'm camping tonight outside Roan Mountain Shelter. This is the highest shelter anywhere on the AT, at 6285 feet. Roan Mountain is only a couple hundred feet lower than Clingman's Dome, and is supposedly the coldest spot on the AT outside of New England. We'll see - it's been nice all day, but the wind is picking up as it gets later. Did I mention that I dropped off a lot of my winter gear at my parents'?
May 3, 2008
Cold this morning - Roan Mountain lived up to its billing. Hadn't had a morning this chilly since the Smokies - was that only a couple of weeks ago? Seems like forever.
Made decent time this morning, going down Roan then up several gorgeous balds. The weather wasn't especially friendly, though - cool (maybe 50-60), cloudy, drizzly and very, very windy, especially up on the balds. A couple of times I could feel the wind blowing me to the side - other times it was right in the face.
By noon, rain gear was on, and it was a wet hike. Around 2:30, I reached Overmountain Shelter. Now I really had no intention of stopping ... but. This is a unique shelter, in that it's a converted barn. It's also one of the very rare shelters that actually has a view. Shelters are typically tucked into a hollow drop in the forest. This one has a dramatic, commanding view of a valley. And oh, by the way, this is also the shelter that Crawldog, a '98 thru-hiker, and his wife chose to stage their annual stage magic at. They park their car at the nearest road, a half-mile away, and then take several trips hauling a pavilion tent, a camp stove, and scads of food. They provided all-you-can-eat chili, grilled cheese or peanut butter & jelly, sodas and beer. These saints bought and hauled up 120 cans of beer.
On the one hand, I needed to do more miles today, even if it was rainy. On the other, I didn't hike to do miles - I hike to have experiences. And sitting around with new friends, enjoying a cold one as you take in the mountains is a way better experience than slogging down another half-dozen boring trail miles.
By later in the afternoon, the clouds lift and the sun is out. By dusk, there are near twenty people here and a campfire going. By 9:30, I'm going to bed, and I do feel a little bit guilty about not doing more miles. A very little bit.
May 4, 2008
Ho-hum. Typical day on the trail. Get up 7 am with the sun, lay in hammock for half an hour, finally pack up and get on trail by 8:45 or so.
First 3 miles are mostly over open, grassy balds, climbing up about 900 feet, then down 500, then up 600 more to the top of Hump Mountain. All morning it was cold, misty, windy and overcast but the sun came out by about 11:00, just in time for me to make the summit and get a spectacular 360 degrees view. Then it was downhill for 5 miles, dropping 2500 feet to cross highway 19E. This area has a reputation for being hiker-unfriendly; supposedly the Forest Service areas was pretty heavy-handed in how it got some of the land here back in the 80s, and bad blood lingers. But we had magic nonetheless - someone left a case of Pepsi by the side of the trail just down from the road crossing. They were warm from the sun, but appreciated nonetheless - it really is the thought that counts.
Apple House Shelter is right near 19E, and I stopped there to rest for a few. Meatbag and Doxy were there too, and when I mentioned I was low on a couple of things, they helped me out. Gotta love the trail community.
After crossing 19E, it was a gradual climb through lush fields and forests. Up above 4000 feet (I'm sorry, I can't tell if it says 9000 or 4000, so I'm going with my best guess. - Dee) or so, the trees are still bare and winterlike. But down lower, it's definitely spring - it was green all over, except for the numerous white dogwoods and the infinite daisies and buttercups. Quite a few violets, too, and one of the most beautiful birds I've ever seen outside a zoo - it was turquoise and black.
By the afternoon, I'd made Jones Falls, and wet my head in water from the waterfall. Soon after, the trail nicked a corner of North Carolina, before leaving it for the last time. In another week, I'll be done with Tennessee too.
By 6:30 I'm sitting by the banks of the Elk River. It's only 2 1/2 miles more to the next shelter, but my watch and my ankles are telling me to stop. 15 miles, including 2500 feet of vertical gain, is a real good day for me.
For dinner, one of my favorites - instant mashed potatoes with cheese and summer sausage. Add some pepper, and that's quality eating.
I pitch my hammock 50 feet from the river, close enough that it (and a Tylenol PM) will send me to dreamland.
Ho-hum. Typical day on the trail.
May 5, 2008
Crappy day on the trail. Weather was OK, though I didn't see much sky - entire day was spent under tree cover. On the topo mop, today looked to be easy - no big climbs or big downhills. What it was however, was a day full of little climbs, again and again. 100 yards uphill, 100 yards downhill, repeat all freaking day. Going up 2000 feet to a mountaintop is one thing; going up 2000 feet in 20 seperate increments, each followed by 1000 feet downhil ... well that just sucks.
Also kind of spooky quiet. I passed a couple of day hikers going southbound around 9 am ... and then nobody else all day long. Didn't see another soul until I made the shelter at 6 pm.
Adding to the annoyance - at this moment, I am about 6 air miles from where I was 3 days ago. The trail took well over 30 miles to cover that. Feh!
May 6, 2008
Got going by 8:30 and knocked off 6 miles by noon - really good pace for me. Bad news - that's all for today. Good news - it's because I've reached Kincora hiking hostel. 1/4 mile off the trail, it's run by a couple of retirees out of the goodness of their hearts. There's not even a charge - just a $4 "suggested donation", that includes a bed, a shower, laundry and a kitchen.
Nobody's around when I get here, so I do the laundry and take a shower (I am continually amazed at how good a hot shower feels after 6 days in the woods.). By 5 pm, people are here.
Bob Peoples doesn't just run this hostel, he's also in charge of trail maintenance in this area, and it's his trail I've been on the last few days. Baltimore Jack is also here, helping Bob out with some trail work.
We get a lift into town, and I resupply and hook myself up with dinner.
May 7, 2008
Slackpacking. The 9 miles after Dennis Cove include Pond Mountain which is pretty brutal - 1800 feet up-and-down in about 4 1/2 miles. So instead of doing that with 38 pounds on my back, Bob drops me off where the AT meets RT. 321, and I hike the 9 trail miles back to the hostel carrying 7. Two things happen along the way. One is Laurel Fork Falls, an absolutely gorgeous spot. The other is the three bears.
Bear cubs, actually, which was the problem - they were 3 cubs about 20 feet up in a tree, with no sign of Momma. Since she could show up at any moment from any direction, this made things a bit dicey - the only time black bears are really dangerous is when you're between Momma and her cubs. So I had to leave them and head on; as much as I wanted to stay and watch, the lay of the land didn't give me a safe vantage point.
Made it back to the hostel by 4, and we all pitched in to make a spaghetti dinner.
Back on the trail for real tomorrow.
Folks dropped me off around 11 am, so a shortened day of hiking, which is just as well - after the break, the going is excruciatingly tough. Every muscle aches and is sore - they've gotten fat and lazy from lying on the couch for several days. Stop early, having taken 5 hours to do 6 miles. It's a Tylenol PM night.
May 5, 2008
Muscles very sore again - painful going all day. Feels like I'm back in Georgia, like six weeks of hiking did nothing to get me in shape.
Very stiff climb today, going up Roan Mountain. The combines uphill today is something like 2900 feet. For those keeping score at home, that's something like 2 Sears Towers. Considering the vertical gain and my muscles, I can live with knocking off early and doing only 7 horizontal miles.
I'm camping tonight outside Roan Mountain Shelter. This is the highest shelter anywhere on the AT, at 6285 feet. Roan Mountain is only a couple hundred feet lower than Clingman's Dome, and is supposedly the coldest spot on the AT outside of New England. We'll see - it's been nice all day, but the wind is picking up as it gets later. Did I mention that I dropped off a lot of my winter gear at my parents'?
May 3, 2008
Cold this morning - Roan Mountain lived up to its billing. Hadn't had a morning this chilly since the Smokies - was that only a couple of weeks ago? Seems like forever.
Made decent time this morning, going down Roan then up several gorgeous balds. The weather wasn't especially friendly, though - cool (maybe 50-60), cloudy, drizzly and very, very windy, especially up on the balds. A couple of times I could feel the wind blowing me to the side - other times it was right in the face.
By noon, rain gear was on, and it was a wet hike. Around 2:30, I reached Overmountain Shelter. Now I really had no intention of stopping ... but. This is a unique shelter, in that it's a converted barn. It's also one of the very rare shelters that actually has a view. Shelters are typically tucked into a hollow drop in the forest. This one has a dramatic, commanding view of a valley. And oh, by the way, this is also the shelter that Crawldog, a '98 thru-hiker, and his wife chose to stage their annual stage magic at. They park their car at the nearest road, a half-mile away, and then take several trips hauling a pavilion tent, a camp stove, and scads of food. They provided all-you-can-eat chili, grilled cheese or peanut butter & jelly, sodas and beer. These saints bought and hauled up 120 cans of beer.
On the one hand, I needed to do more miles today, even if it was rainy. On the other, I didn't hike to do miles - I hike to have experiences. And sitting around with new friends, enjoying a cold one as you take in the mountains is a way better experience than slogging down another half-dozen boring trail miles.
By later in the afternoon, the clouds lift and the sun is out. By dusk, there are near twenty people here and a campfire going. By 9:30, I'm going to bed, and I do feel a little bit guilty about not doing more miles. A very little bit.
May 4, 2008
Ho-hum. Typical day on the trail. Get up 7 am with the sun, lay in hammock for half an hour, finally pack up and get on trail by 8:45 or so.
First 3 miles are mostly over open, grassy balds, climbing up about 900 feet, then down 500, then up 600 more to the top of Hump Mountain. All morning it was cold, misty, windy and overcast but the sun came out by about 11:00, just in time for me to make the summit and get a spectacular 360 degrees view. Then it was downhill for 5 miles, dropping 2500 feet to cross highway 19E. This area has a reputation for being hiker-unfriendly; supposedly the Forest Service areas was pretty heavy-handed in how it got some of the land here back in the 80s, and bad blood lingers. But we had magic nonetheless - someone left a case of Pepsi by the side of the trail just down from the road crossing. They were warm from the sun, but appreciated nonetheless - it really is the thought that counts.
Apple House Shelter is right near 19E, and I stopped there to rest for a few. Meatbag and Doxy were there too, and when I mentioned I was low on a couple of things, they helped me out. Gotta love the trail community.
After crossing 19E, it was a gradual climb through lush fields and forests. Up above 4000 feet (I'm sorry, I can't tell if it says 9000 or 4000, so I'm going with my best guess. - Dee) or so, the trees are still bare and winterlike. But down lower, it's definitely spring - it was green all over, except for the numerous white dogwoods and the infinite daisies and buttercups. Quite a few violets, too, and one of the most beautiful birds I've ever seen outside a zoo - it was turquoise and black.
By the afternoon, I'd made Jones Falls, and wet my head in water from the waterfall. Soon after, the trail nicked a corner of North Carolina, before leaving it for the last time. In another week, I'll be done with Tennessee too.
By 6:30 I'm sitting by the banks of the Elk River. It's only 2 1/2 miles more to the next shelter, but my watch and my ankles are telling me to stop. 15 miles, including 2500 feet of vertical gain, is a real good day for me.
For dinner, one of my favorites - instant mashed potatoes with cheese and summer sausage. Add some pepper, and that's quality eating.
I pitch my hammock 50 feet from the river, close enough that it (and a Tylenol PM) will send me to dreamland.
Ho-hum. Typical day on the trail.
May 5, 2008
Crappy day on the trail. Weather was OK, though I didn't see much sky - entire day was spent under tree cover. On the topo mop, today looked to be easy - no big climbs or big downhills. What it was however, was a day full of little climbs, again and again. 100 yards uphill, 100 yards downhill, repeat all freaking day. Going up 2000 feet to a mountaintop is one thing; going up 2000 feet in 20 seperate increments, each followed by 1000 feet downhil ... well that just sucks.
Also kind of spooky quiet. I passed a couple of day hikers going southbound around 9 am ... and then nobody else all day long. Didn't see another soul until I made the shelter at 6 pm.
Adding to the annoyance - at this moment, I am about 6 air miles from where I was 3 days ago. The trail took well over 30 miles to cover that. Feh!
May 6, 2008
Got going by 8:30 and knocked off 6 miles by noon - really good pace for me. Bad news - that's all for today. Good news - it's because I've reached Kincora hiking hostel. 1/4 mile off the trail, it's run by a couple of retirees out of the goodness of their hearts. There's not even a charge - just a $4 "suggested donation", that includes a bed, a shower, laundry and a kitchen.
Nobody's around when I get here, so I do the laundry and take a shower (I am continually amazed at how good a hot shower feels after 6 days in the woods.). By 5 pm, people are here.
Bob Peoples doesn't just run this hostel, he's also in charge of trail maintenance in this area, and it's his trail I've been on the last few days. Baltimore Jack is also here, helping Bob out with some trail work.
We get a lift into town, and I resupply and hook myself up with dinner.
May 7, 2008
Slackpacking. The 9 miles after Dennis Cove include Pond Mountain which is pretty brutal - 1800 feet up-and-down in about 4 1/2 miles. So instead of doing that with 38 pounds on my back, Bob drops me off where the AT meets RT. 321, and I hike the 9 trail miles back to the hostel carrying 7. Two things happen along the way. One is Laurel Fork Falls, an absolutely gorgeous spot. The other is the three bears.
Bear cubs, actually, which was the problem - they were 3 cubs about 20 feet up in a tree, with no sign of Momma. Since she could show up at any moment from any direction, this made things a bit dicey - the only time black bears are really dangerous is when you're between Momma and her cubs. So I had to leave them and head on; as much as I wanted to stay and watch, the lay of the land didn't give me a safe vantage point.
Made it back to the hostel by 4, and we all pitched in to make a spaghetti dinner.
Back on the trail for real tomorrow.
April 25-30, 2008
My vacation from the trail. My friend Todd comes out to pick me up and takes me back to my folks' place in Durham. I sleep, eat, sleep, eat, resupply, sleep, eat, attend a Springsteen concert, catch up on email and news, eat.....
April 24, 2008
Uncle Johnny, who runs the hostel, gives me a shuttle this morning up to the trail. It's 19 miles from that point back to Erwin, so I'm going to slackpack it. That means I leave my pack at Johnny's , and carry only a daypack (he has a loaner). With my load reduced from 40 pounds to about 5, I make 19 miles, my longest day so far.
Highlight of the day was walking through a USFS controlled burn--smoke everywhere, and fire right alongside the trail as they burned off the dead leaves.
Highlight of the day was walking through a USFS controlled burn--smoke everywhere, and fire right alongside the trail as they burned off the dead leaves.
April 23, 2008
Well, today was interesting. I got lost. Several places along the trail today, it ran along old logging roads, and on one of them, I didn't notice when the AT turned off. By the time I noticed, I reckoned I'd gone over a mile steeply downhill. Rather than fight uphill, I decided to explore a little and make for a road on my map, then hitch back up the mountain. I make the road, but getting the hitch wasn't easy. After an hour, a pickup pulls up and offers a lift the other way--into Erwin, Tenn. I take it and within an hour I'm in a hostel.
April 22, 2008
Feeling much better thanks to the food last night, which is good since today's 12 miles included a few tough uphills and more than a few rock scrambles--places where you're using both hands to climb over boulders and rock ledges. It's worth it, though, as we get several terrific views from the ridgeline. We're on the western edge of the Applachian chain now, and when you look west, from up on top of a mountain, you can see the flatlands.
April 22, 2008
Still feeling sick all day, very weak and feverish. Two highlights to the day.
The first is running into Guns. Guns is a former Army sergeant that I hadn't seen in over two weeks. He's a character. Whenever someone mentions bear problems, his solution is always to suggest the bear be shot. He's prone to saying things like "I have 10,000 rounds of ammmunition and a six-man cell." Mention to him that you've only ever fired a shotgun and a .22, and he'll tell you that a .22 is a good gun for killing guard dogs. Still, he good company.
The other good thing was some serious Trail Magic. Around 6:15, Guns and I reach Allen Gap, where there is a road crossing. A sign there promised us food if we'd go to a certain house about 400 yards off the trail. If we could make it by 6:30.
We made it, and met Hercules and Fal '99 thru-hikers who have retired near the trail and provide magic to everyone who stops by--waffles, stew, dessert and lots of lemonade. I really needed that meal. After the meal, we find out why they do it when they asked us what we think about life after death. They're Christians and this is their ministry.
Over the next few days, I hear a lot of opinions about Hercules and Fal. Everyone agrees the food was awesome and they were nice people--the debate is whether or not people felt ambushed. More than a few do. I guess I did, a little, but it didn't really bother me much, as I was so glad for the food. Which pretty much the way I feel about the whole thing: they could just put on the sign that a religious discussion would follow the free meal, and I'd bet 90% of the hikers would still stop.
The first is running into Guns. Guns is a former Army sergeant that I hadn't seen in over two weeks. He's a character. Whenever someone mentions bear problems, his solution is always to suggest the bear be shot. He's prone to saying things like "I have 10,000 rounds of ammmunition and a six-man cell." Mention to him that you've only ever fired a shotgun and a .22, and he'll tell you that a .22 is a good gun for killing guard dogs. Still, he good company.
The other good thing was some serious Trail Magic. Around 6:15, Guns and I reach Allen Gap, where there is a road crossing. A sign there promised us food if we'd go to a certain house about 400 yards off the trail. If we could make it by 6:30.
We made it, and met Hercules and Fal '99 thru-hikers who have retired near the trail and provide magic to everyone who stops by--waffles, stew, dessert and lots of lemonade. I really needed that meal. After the meal, we find out why they do it when they asked us what we think about life after death. They're Christians and this is their ministry.
Over the next few days, I hear a lot of opinions about Hercules and Fal. Everyone agrees the food was awesome and they were nice people--the debate is whether or not people felt ambushed. More than a few do. I guess I did, a little, but it didn't really bother me much, as I was so glad for the food. Which pretty much the way I feel about the whole thing: they could just put on the sign that a religious discussion would follow the free meal, and I'd bet 90% of the hikers would still stop.
April 21, 2008
Ugly, ugly day. I mentioned that the food at Elmer's is vegetarian; it's also organic, whole-grain, healthy stuff, which had me up in the bathroom half the night. I sleep late, trying to catch up, but I'm still feeling weak and ill all day. Running a fever, I think. Only make seven miles before making camp early.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
April 20, 2008
I'm sort of going to be stuck with taking a zero in Hot Springs. This isn't the worst thing in the world, but its not choice number one. I'm taking it because it's raining pretty good, and I left my rain gear back at Standing Bear Farm. I don't want to buy anything, as I'll be going to my folks' next week and I have some spare gear there.
April 19, 2008
Town day in Hot Springs, NC. Hot Springs is one of the true trail towns in that the AT goes directly through downtown (all six blocks of it). There's everything you could want in a town-a good outfitter, a few stores, a diner, a pub, a post office, a couple of hostels and natural hot mineral baths.
After picking up my mail and catching up with some familiar faces, I checked in to Elmer's Sunnyback Inn. This is a hostel, located in a 160-year-old house, that's a trail institution. Guests are expected to eat at least one meal at the hostel--vegetarian food, served family-style. The kitchen door is covered with stickers and signs promoting an array of progressive causes--impeach Bush, elect Obama, save the environment, fight Wal-Mart, eat organic. (My favorite bumper sticker--"Compost:because a rind is a terrible thing to waste.") It's an interesting thing about the AT that there is room within the "community" both for this place and for someone like Ron Haven back at Franklin, a pickup-driving, NRA-member, good ol' boy (I'm guessing Ron would have no problem self-identifying as a redneck.)
After checking in, showering and doing laundry, I hook up with Mustang Sally and we decide to check out the springs that give the town its name. Sally is a fifty-something ex-Army nurse with a shaved head. I'm guessing the shaved head is a trail thing (there are a couple other shaved women out here) but maybe not. After the AT, she's pursuing a third or fourth career and taking up truck driving. For $12, we get to soak in a tub of warm mineral water. It's terrific!
After picking up my mail and catching up with some familiar faces, I checked in to Elmer's Sunnyback Inn. This is a hostel, located in a 160-year-old house, that's a trail institution. Guests are expected to eat at least one meal at the hostel--vegetarian food, served family-style. The kitchen door is covered with stickers and signs promoting an array of progressive causes--impeach Bush, elect Obama, save the environment, fight Wal-Mart, eat organic. (My favorite bumper sticker--"Compost:because a rind is a terrible thing to waste.") It's an interesting thing about the AT that there is room within the "community" both for this place and for someone like Ron Haven back at Franklin, a pickup-driving, NRA-member, good ol' boy (I'm guessing Ron would have no problem self-identifying as a redneck.)
After checking in, showering and doing laundry, I hook up with Mustang Sally and we decide to check out the springs that give the town its name. Sally is a fifty-something ex-Army nurse with a shaved head. I'm guessing the shaved head is a trail thing (there are a couple other shaved women out here) but maybe not. After the AT, she's pursuing a third or fourth career and taking up truck driving. For $12, we get to soak in a tub of warm mineral water. It's terrific!
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