Nan's 2014 Appalachian Trail Journal

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June 20, 2014

6/5 Day 68, mile 737.6. After breakfast at the Howard Johnson in Daleville, we set off at 9:30. Another clear sunny day. Last night was rainy and there was a tornado watch. It was a good night to be inside. We had resupply boxes at Daleville and once again I found that I had too much food so I packed up a box with extras and mailed it home for use on the northern section.

I forgot to mention that yesterday we ate at the “Three Li'l Pigs Barbeque” where we had the pork barbeque. They have free dessert for thru hikers--banana cream pudding with whipped cream. The town tries to be hiker friendly.

We are hiking now in the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trail is very user friendly with gradual switchbacks. It is not very rocky so it is great hiking. The views are great from the many overlooks on the parkway. Water is not very plentiful and we have to carry a little extra. We are camping at Blackhorse Gap after a 13.6 mile day.

6/6 Day 69, mile 752.2. Did 14.6 miles and were never very far from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Lots of ups and downs but no real big climbs. The AT zigzags back and forth across the Parkway and comes out at several overlooks. We had a big descent on switchbacks down to VA 614, Jennings Creek. There is a nice camp area there beside the creek with a swimming hole but we decided to try to hitch a ride to Middle Creek Campground, 1.5 miles, where we had a food drop. We had a phone # from them to pick us up but, of course, we had no cell service. This was my first attempt at hitch hiking. The first car stopped but it didn’t take too long to figure out that there was not enough room in the car for us. The back seat was packed with a little girl, pillows, blankets, dolls, and other toys. When the woman opened the trunk, it too, was jammed with stuff. She did have cold beer and offered us one which we turned down. She seemed disappointed to not be able to help. So Freckles and I continued down the road to be passed by a log truck, a school bus, and various other commercial vehicles. After walking for some time we began to think we were going the wrong way. So, when we came to some men fishing in the creek, we asked where Middle Creek Campground was and, indeed, we were going the wrong way! Just as we turned to start back the way we had come, a pickup pulling a 5th wheel came along. We just got our thumbs out in the nick of time for him to see. Guess where he was going. Middle Creek Campground. After finally getting there, we had cheese, cold drinks, and ice cream cones. There was a nice pool in which we took a swim, then a shower, did laundry, and picked up our boxes. Oregon, Little Bit, and Bottle Cap came in just for burgers, fries, and milkshakes. They were camping at the Jennings Creek campsite and there was a sign for food. They had cell phone coverage for a shuttle.

6/7 Day 70, 760.9 miles. Did a short 8.7 mile day after a later than usual start. The kitchen at Middle Creek CG doesn’t open until 8:00 and we wanted to get breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries, toast, and orange juice. It was worth the wait. After packing up we got a shuttle back to the trail head to begin a 1,000’ climb up Fork Mtn. then, of course, a descent to 1,252 before climbing up Floyd Mtn. to 3,560’ elevation so today was a normal day on the AT--lots of rocks and mountains. We are camping tonight at Cornelius Creek Shelter. There are about ten other campers here right now but no one that we know. I just heard some of the hikers say they wanted to get up at 5:00 tomorrow for an early start. I hope that they are quiet.

6/8 Day 71, mile 773.1. Marble Springs campground, 13.8 mile day. Just hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway doing the usual ups and downs. Weather has been nice, a little muggy but sunny. There were predictions of thunderstorms tonight with wind so we were sure to check the trees for dead branches overhead! Four other tents were in the camping area. Strider, who we had camped with before, two section hikers, two hikers that started at Springer Mtn. on March 30th the same day that we started (can’t remember their names), and someone who came in late and was not up when we left.

6/9 Day 72, mile 785.6. Today we hiked 7.5 miles to US 501, just across the James River foot bridge, the longest foot use only bridge on the AT. The bridge, oddly enough, is dedicated to the memory of William T. Foot, a tireless trail worker whose efforts made the bridge a reality. So, I guess that makes it the Foot foot bridge.

When we got to Rt. 501, we met up with Doug and Jeff, Freckles son and nephew, who were going to hike with us for a few days. We then hiked up to Big Rocky Row for a great view back down the valley of the James River and the foot bridge. Doug and Jeff had brought hot dogs and fixings for chili dogs so we found a campsite after the big climb and built a camp fire to cook our hot dogs.

6/10 Day 73 mile 798.0. Another nice sunny day with nice trail and no big climbs. We crossed Bluff Mtn. with wonderful views and a monument for Ottie Cline Powell, a 4 ½ yr. old, who wandered away from school and walked seven miles. The monument is where his body was found in 1891.

We hiked 12.4 miles today which was a little further than we had planned since Doug and Jeff had not been hiking and this was Jeff’s first back pack trip. We had trouble finding a place to camp because the trail skirted a large reservoir for two miles and no camping was allowed along the shore. We finally found a nice site that would hold four tents along a stream with enough water for everyone to get wet and cool off.

6/11 Day 74, mile 808.9. Passed the 800 mile mark. We had a huge thunderstorm last night. Lots of lightning that lit up the tent and heavy rain. Storms have been predicted almost every day but, so far, we have missed most of them. It seems that we cross a mountain and avoid them. Last night we were not so lucky.

We hiked 4.6 miles to Rt. US 60 where Doug and Jeff were getting off. They drove us into Buena Vista to pick up resupply boxes and to get lunch. Freckles and I were back on the trail by 1:30 for a huge climb up to 4,059’ elevation. We started the day at 1,096’. But, once again, great views from the bald that is until another thunderstorm rolled in with pouring rain. We hunkered under a rock out cropping for a while then continued to a campsite at Hog Camp. We have been sitting in our tents as one storm after another passes. Right now it is pretty windy but no rain.

6/12 Day 75, mile 828. Nineteen miles today. Did a long day today since we would like to get into Waynesboro Saturday afternoon. We had originally planned to get there Sunday around midmorning but found out Rich, Freckles husband, would be there Saturday night. He was driving his sister to BWI airport and thought he would drive straight to Waynesboro instead of going home first. So that would give us more town time; two nights in a motel and town food. Always a pleasure after several days of trail food. When we got to the summit of the Priest, we cooked dinner then did the big 4.3 mile descent to the Tye River. We found a camp site for two tents and barely got set up when it started to pour. Third night in a row with heavy rain. We had just about given up on hanging our food, it was dark by the time we had a break in the rain and we couldn’t find a good tree. We thought that we would just sleep with our food bags but neither of us liked that idea so we just found a branch and hung them on it figuring if an animal got them out of the tree that was better than getting them out of our tents. Many hikers sleep with their food bags thinking possession is 9/10th of the law. I’m not sure bear, raccoon, etc., know that rule.

6/13 Day 76, mile 842.2. Well, we really got a soaking last night. Both Freckles and I were pretty wet this morning. It rained so hard in the night that it was like someone was throwing buckets of water on the tent. Freckles said that rain was coming through her tent in a fine mist and she got wet along with the sleeping bag and everything else. I had the opposite problem. The water came up from the bottom. I am using a tarp tent that has no floor. My sleeping bag and most of my stuff was dry but the rain did run in along one side getting gear at that end wet.

Well, we ended yesterday with the big descent from the Priest, 4,063’ to 970’ at the Tye River so, of course, we had to climb back up to Three Ridges Mtn. at 3,984’ in one of the more difficult climbs on the AT. The trail there is back pretty close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and is pretty level but very rocky. We set up camp at Rock Point Overlook. Great Views to the sound of thunder but no storm set in. We decided to set the alarm for 5:00 A.M. to get an early start tomorrow.

6/14 Day 77, mile 857.9. 15.7 miles today. 49 miles in three days and into Waynesboro. Rich picked us up at 4:30 and we got checked into the Quality Inn, showered, and went for a great dinner at Scotto’s.

We had a nice surprise today when my nephew, Will Reisinger met us along the Blue Ridge Parkway to hike for a while. He lives in Richmond. It was good to see him.

6/15 Day 78, 0 miles. Doing the usual town stuff: laundry, resupply, email, eating, etc. Several of our trail friends are here, Cadi and Ho Bo, although Ho Bo is sick. They have been here several days and Cadi decided to get back on the trail. Oregon and Little Bit are also here along with four or five others whose names I can’t remember. This morning Rich made several trips to Rockfish Gap putting hikers back on the trail. He just barely got his breakfast eaten. Getting ready to go to dinner now.

Until later, stay dry!
Drag’n Fly is drying out until next time.

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