My Trails

6/21/12 – 963 miles
I slept well in my tent and managed to crawl out just as the sun was coming over the mountain. It was already hot. A heat wave has hit the area, sapping the energy and strength from our bodies.

We only walked a few miles to US 522 and caught a ride into Front Royal with a nice guy that does a lot of hiking. Just after we exited Shenandoah Park earlier, I saw another bear. CK saw it first and called for me to look. I would have walked right by if it weren’t for her. I probably walked by several bears in the park but never saw them.

I’m at a motel in Front Royal waiting out the heat wave. It’s supposed to be hot again tomorrow and then cool slightly by the weekend. I will pick up my mail drop, resupply, and rest for a day. I think CK will stay here tonight. She was going to push on but the weather changed her mind.

6/20/12 – 957 miles
Only one more day and I will be out of the Shenandoah National Park. I must say that I have – for the most part – enjoyed the hike through here. If it weren’t for one day of rain and one day (today) of 90 degree heat, it would have been perfect weather. Most of the trail is smooth, well graded, and rock free.

I’m the one that’s always up first in the morning so I asked everyone last night if they wanted me to wake them at 5:00 am. Everyone said they wanted me to get them up for sure. Blue Sky, Comma-Kaze, and I were going to breakfast again at Elkwallow Wayside and Rocky and Spicy were planning a long day to get to town. When I tried to wake them at 5:10, all I got was groans from everyone, but eventually they all started to crawl out.

We arrived at the wayside before it opened. There we met Robo and Tink and Pesky already waiting. Everyone was being questioned by a park ranger. It seems that someone had camped on the lawn during the night and the ranger was very upset about that. He was looking to hand out a ticket to someone.

After much food and conversation, we all headed out to face the increasing heat of the day. We did make it 19 miles but everyone was totally whipped. I’m camping here with CK. Everyone else is headed on to get closer to Front Royal.

6/19/12 – 937 miles
When I used to read hikers journals I always thought that they were too obsessed with food. I couldn’t understand it and I vowed not to be like that if I ever became a thruhiker. I’m sorry that I keep bringing it up, uh you know what would taste good? …cheeseburger…milkshakes …pizza ….er, what?…what was I saying?

It rained a little in the night so I hung around camp and let my tent dry. I was the last one to leave except for Rocky and Spicy, a young couple that likes to sleep in. I stopped by Skyland Restaurant for a few snacks, the place is too fancy for me and way too expensive. While I was there I charged my phone while I sipped on a Gatorade. Several people came over and asked me questions about my hike. It makes you feel good to tell them you’ve walked 900 miles even though I know I look like a homeless bum. They are always impressed by what we’ve done.

I met up with SimpleC, Sap, and Vicegrip at a picnic area and I was able to spread my tent in the sun and finish drying it. There was a restroom and water from a fountain, and I used both. Water from a faucet that you don’t have to filter and a potty where you don’t have to dig a hole are luxury to hikers.

6/18/12 – 921 miles
It was a real short mileage day today. On a whim I decided to stay in the shelter last night and it turned out to be a good idea. During the night it rained and I was able to pack up under the protection of a roof. Blue Sky and I thought that if we could get up early and hike 8 miles to Big Meadows wayside, we would be there in time for breakfast. Blue Sky left a little before me but I caught him in the first hour. What makes this hike different and displays the lengths a thruhiker will go to for food is that it was pouring rain the whole way there. We didn’t care, we were hungry for eggs and sausage and French toast. It was a good thing we made it in time. We both had two breakfasts.

6/17/12 – 910 miles
Today I hit the 900 mile mark. It sometimes doesn’t seem real to me that I’ve walled almost 1000 miles. In some ways it feels like I’ve been out here a long time, and then again, it seem like I’ve just started.

The AT crosses Skyline Drive many times as it weaves it’s way through the park. Every time you cross a road there are signs saying you are entering the backcountry along with a list of regulations of what’s allow and prohibited. It seems kind of funny to call it backcountry when the highway is 50 yards away for much of the time.

Everyone has seen bears but me. Blue Sky has seen 5. The Shenandoah park has a lot of bears and they are not to afraid of people. I would like to see one but I don’t want him to be to interested in me.