Day +1 - Normals in the Mist

Today I begin a long study of Normals in their natural habitat‎. To prepare, I have tried to disguise myself as one of them by putting on "jeans" and "a shirt" (see attached Figure). Thus attired, I walked among them for a few hours. It's a grey and misty day, which seemed to help my cause. They were preoccupied with finding shelter and warmth, making it easier for me to pass mostly unnoticed. I did notice some minor alarm whenever a Normal did take note of my strange face, but they generally preferred to scurry indoors than worry about this hairy stranger.

All in all, they're a trusting species and allowed me to interact without incident. I was even welcomed to enjoy a meal at one of their "restaurants." If they were surprised by the amounts that I need to eat, they gave no sign of it. I am hopeful that, in time, I will be treated as just another Normal.

Day 155 - Nero (3/12/2016)

‎This morning the five of us (Flatlander, Blueberry Crisp, Lancelot, and Equinox) headed out for the last 8 miles of our journeys. Our final nero.  I'm deeply grateful to have shared my last 700 miles with them.

Tonight, I'm in a King size bed at the Amicalola Falls Lodge. Tomorrow, I start the drive home with Papa Wallaby.‎ I wonder what the next chapter will bring.

‎Wallaby out.

End: ‎Springer Mountain 

Total: 2,121.4 miles, (67.7 on fire)

Day 154 - One More Sleep (2/12/2016)

Hard to believe that 154 ‎days ago I used the same title before the start of this crazy journey. Today it's a propos. Flatlander has been campaigning for mid-day nap time since we started hiking together 700+ miles ago. She finally got her wish. She, Equinox, and I all slept cold (read, poorly) last night, so weren't moving well. After lunch we curled up in the sun and took a nap. It meant an hour or so of night-hiking, but it was worth it.

Tomorrow we summit. Amazing. I also get to see Papa Wallaby again. It promises to be a good day.

Start: Blood Mountain 

End: Hawk Mountain 

Distance: 21.2 miles

Remaining: 8.4 miles

Day 153 - So Close (1/12/2016)

Just 2 more sleeps now.

Not much happened other than walking. We stopped in at an outfitter in Neels Gap, where we got free ice cream and coffee. It turns out we're only a day behind Legs, Foggy, and Littlefoot!

Start: Blue Mountain

End: Blood Mountain

Distance: 21.2 miles

Total: 2,159.8‎ (30 to go!)

Day 152 - Just Section Hikers (30/11/2016)

I‎ realized this morning that we have 70 miles to do, no more resupplies, and when we finish, we go home. We're just short section hikers now.

It rained most of the day, including over an hour of serious downpours. It wasn't fun, but with only three days to go, I feel a bit like nothing can ruin the hiking now. Besides, with any luck the rain will improve the fire situation, and the forecast is for cool, but dry and sunny weather from now until Springer. We really can't complain.

Just 3 more sleeps until I'm bedding down in a king size bed at the Amicalola Falls Lodge.

Start: Dick's Gap / Top of Georgia Hostel 

End: Blue Mountain Shelter 

Distance: 19.1 miles

Total: 2,138.6

Day 151: 0 = 68 (29/11/2016)

This is it. The day we shuttle past the fires. Because my feet are so sore, I decided that I was going to hostel again near the Dick's Gap trailhead. The others also had less severe foot issues, so no one objected. Best of all, Equinox gave me a prescription strength Naproxen which helped enormously and by the end of the day my feet felt fine. Not great, but the soreness was dull enough that I figured drugs, sports tape, and desperation to finish with the trail family would keep me going.

We got around the fires thanks to the generosity of a friend of Flatlander's who drove 3 hours to pick us up, let us resupply in Hiawassee, then left us at the hostel. We cannot be grateful enough.

Speaking of the trail family, Lancelot reappeared this morning!! He pulled 30 mile days, hiking late into the night to catch up, so we're all together again. It seems Equinox (a German PhD student living in DC) has been adopted as well, so we're thinking of renaming ourselves Katie and the Foreigners. Lancelot is an honorary Canadian, because Connecticut kind of sounds similar. It was either that, or rename himself Katie. 

Since we had a kitchen at the hostel, we made risotto and brownies for dinner. It turns out it is possible to make too much food even for 5 hungry hikers. Still, it was a nice candle lit dinner with wine and friendship. I'm going to miss this group.

In less cheerful news, Gatlinburg is burning to the ground and all of the Smoky Mountains is now closed to AT hikers. Several friends have been evacuated, including Trout. Luckily no one has been physically harmed, but it's a sad situation.

In the end, we're 67.7 miles further down the trail without any hiking. We're also in Georgia, the last state on the trail. The end is truly nigh.

Tomorrow the forecast is for cold and rain. Wet feet are at the root of my foot issues, so it could be a challenge but... only 4 more sleeps to Springer!!

Start: Nantahala Outdoor Center 

End: Top of Georgia Hostel

Distance: 0/67.7 miles

Total: 2,119.5 miles

Day 150 - (Un)Happy Feet (28/11/2016)

Today we head to the Nantahala Outdoor Center, which has a restaurant and hostel. I'm determined to get there before dark both because I'm really tired of night hiking, and because the restaurant closes at 6pm and I really want a beer.

We made it, but only just and I've all but destroyed the undersides of my feet. I can barely walk, but I did get a huge amount of food (a trout cake, followed by a pizza, and an apple cobbler + 2 delicious craft beers). Not only that, but when we asked for the bill, our waitress told us an anonymous trail angel had already picked up the tab leaving us only the tip to take care of! Needless to say we tipped well (and she'd have deserved it in any case). A happy end to a painful day.

Now I go to bed showered and warm. Word is that there are new fire-related closures in the Smoky Mountains. An access road is closed (making Gatlinburg inaccessible), and a shelter. The trail is still open, but you have to go into the park with enough food to hike it's entirety. We're grateful that we got there when we did.

Tomorrow a friend of Flatlander's is shuttling us around the fires, and then it'll be 3.5 more days to Springer!!

Start: Cable Gap Shelter

End: Nantahala Outdoor Center 

Distance: 21.9 miles

Total: 2,059.9 miles

Day 149 - Who's There? (27/11/2016)

These blogs are getting tough to write. I'm so tired in the evenings, I fall asleep writing them then forget they aren't done when I post them the next day. Like yesterday's blog, for example.

Last night we arrived late at our shelter and found it full. There wasn't a lot of stealth around so we decided to head to the next shelter and hope for more space. We got there very late but there was only one other hiker. It's generally impolite to arrive after 8pm and move into a shelter of sleeping hikers, but in the Smokies you have no choice: you're prohibited from tenting unless the shelter is full. So we guiltily (and as quietly as we could) set up our gear, ate, and went to bed.

In the middle of the night, I suddenly heard loud banging on the floor of the shelter. It turns out that Hashbear objected to snoring, and his solution was to wake the entire shelter whenever snoring kept him awake. Since both Blueberry Crisp and I snore, that meant a lot of banging and not much sleep.

When I woke at 5:30, I decided to just get up and get moving. This also meant that I wouldn't have to deal with Hashbear, towards whom I held a fair amount of animosity. I was on trail by 6:30, and the others were still asleep. I figured we all knew where we were headed so we'd meet there. I was quite excited that I'd be able to hike the whole day and probably avoid night-hiking. I shouldn't have gotten excited. At Fontana Dam, I stopped for lunch planning to leave after an hour. After 45 minutes, Flatlander and Blueberry Crisp came by. 2 hours later, we hit the trail again... our little trail family has too much fun (and I may have been running out of steam for the day).

It was a very smoky day... you could really feel that we were getting close to fires. I'm also carrying another rock (but for a much better reason this time - see the images).

The shelter we're at is tiny and in terrible shape. Since I have a slow leak in my mattress already, I wasn't keen to risk it so I tented tonight (we're out of the Smoky Mountains National Park now).

Start: Russell Field Shelter 

End: Cable Gap Shelter

Distance: 21.2 miles

Total: 2,029.9 miles

Day 148 - Clingman's Dome (26/11/2016)

We woke up early this morning to try and beat the crowds to Clingman's Dome (the highest point on the AT at 6,667'). I'm glad we did. While there were a few people about, we outlying got to enjoy the views quietly.

To be honest, though, I mostly just ate breakfast there. 

I was much more excited about something else: we hit the 2,000 mile mark today! I've been reluctant to count down since I preferred to focus on how far I'd come than on the end result, but it's official now. I'm thinking about the end. Seven more sleeps, 110 more miles. I can almost taste it.

The end of the day was very cold. Once again the trees were covered in ice, reminding me that I'm not entirely ready for the rest of this...

Start: Mt. Collins Shelter 

End: ???

Distance: 22.4 miles

Total: 2008.7 miles

Day 147 - Ripley's Believe It Or Not (25/11/2016)

(I seem to have missed a day somewhere in the blog sequence, hence no Day 146)

I was a late starter and fell behind the others for most of the morning. We were heading in to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a resupply and hopefully a festive meal. On my way to catching Blueberry Crisp and Flatlander, I came across a woman who had fallen and injured her elbow quite badly. She wasn't handling it well. I had some painkillers with me to help with the swelling, and got her to her feet before her party showed up to walk her out.

I raced down past hundreds of day hikers and came to a parking lot thronging with people and we realized the 15 miles to Gatlinburg might be a lot more difficult than anticipated. Luckily, Cinderella and Waterboy had a shuttle arranged for drop off, so we hitched a ride into town with them.

Gatlinburg, it turns out, is nothing but a tourist trap with overpriced motels and ridiculous attractions like the Guinness Book of Records, and Ripley's Believe It Or Not. Do not recommend. We were almost stuck staying there, when an angel appeared and offered us a ride. He turned out to be mildly insane, but in a friendly way.

The long day and weekend meant that we fully expected our shelter to be full of weekend hikers. Luckily we were wrong and had another shelter just to the three of us.

There wasn't much time to celebrate though because it was late, so we quickly went to bed to get rested before Clingman's Dome tomorrow.

Start: Peck's Corner Shelter

End: Mt. Collins Shelter

Distance: 14.5 miles

Day 146 - Show Me The Place (24/11/2016)

I walked alone most of the morning, listening to Leonard Cohen. It made for a lot of self-reflection and slow walking. At one point I was looking out over a view while Cohen sang "Show Me the Place." It was as near to a perfect moment as any. I tried to get a video with the music in the background, but my phone wouldn't play music while recording video (it's too large for me to email, so it'll have to wait until I'm at a computer).

The Smoky Mountains have been beautiful for walking, even if the most of the views are too hazy. What you can see is mostly ridges with dead trees, so it's a bit dreary anyway. I think it'd be better to visit either earlier when things are alive, or later when winter has really come. Still, this is the last of the major iconic sections of the trail, so I'm enjoying it as much as I can.

It's American Thanksgiving today, and I think Flatlander is a bit bummed that we don't have anything planned. She missed Thanksgiving with her friends last weekend, and now isn't getting one on the day itself. Personally, I'm a bit bummed we didn't arrange to be in Hot Springs for the town-hosted Thanksgiving. It would have slowed us a but, but it seems like one of those experiences I promised myself I wouldn't miss. Travelling with others means compromise so we gave it a miss, and I definitely didn't want to break up the party. Tomorrow we stop in Gatlinburg for resupply, so we'll try to do a celebratory lunch of some sort.

Start: Davenport Gap Shelter

End: Peck's Corner Shelter

Distance: 19.7 miles

Day 145 - Of Mice and Men (23/11/2016)

Despite sleeping in tents because of mice in the shelter, Blueberry Crisp, Flatlander, and I all woke up to acorns in our gear. Flatlander in particular had dozens of them in her pack. Other than that, it was a pretty work-oriented day. We walked a lot.

We did see Danger Mouse and met Someshine, another flip flopper that we'd crossed paths with in Hot Springs. On the other hand, we lost Lancelot to Thanksgiving. He's hoping to catch back up in a week.

Crossing Max Patch this afternoon, we could see the Smoky Mountains in the distance... they looked huge. It reminded me of looking at the Whites in New Hampshire. Tonight we entered the Smoky Mountains Park and are bunked down at a shelter with a fence at the entrance to keep bears out. The question is, will we just be locking the mice in?

Start: Walnut Mountain Shelter 

End: Davenport Gap Shelter 

Distance: 23.6 miles

Day 144 - Loot! (22/11/2016)

Lev from the 12 Tribes Drove us back to Hot Springs to get back on trail. We picked up coffees at Starbucks on the way where I introduced him to the double espresso. He is a fan. Gladheart also left us with dozens of maté tea bags, and a pound or so of maté energy bars. Once again, their generosity and hospitality was second to none.

Before hitting the trail, I had two packages to pick up at the post office, and we had to arrange permits for the Smoky Mountains. As always, friends have been far too generous and I have a bag packed to capacity with ANZAC treats. Katie & the Canadians (+ honorary Canadian, Lancelot) will be eating well for the next few days.

We've settled on Dec 3 as our end date. That gives us one day to do Thanksgiving in Hot Springs if we can find a way back and forth, and one more day of flexibility (all assuming the fires continue, which seems all but certain). 

So onwards until then! 

Start: Hot Springs / Asheville 

End: Walnut Mountain Shelter 

Distance: 13.1 miles

Day 143 - Asheville, NC (21/11/2016)

New shoes! I exchanged my shoes at REI and even got some money back because they were on sale. I also bought a new stove that won't be as sensitive to the cold as my alcohol stove. That, a warmer liner for my sleeping bag, and a few Xmas Clif bars and I'm ready to face the cold again.

After resupplying, we all headed into downtown Asheville to check out the brewery scene. Asheville has 15 breweries in the city, so it's kind of a big deal. We settled on Lexington Avenue Brewery where Blueberry Crisp, Lancelot and I each ordered a sample flight of their beers, and I had delicious tacos and a rib sandwich. I definitely liked this town.

Since I'd now done 3 nights at 12 Tribes communities, I thought I should pop in to their Gathering: twice a day (before breakfast and dinner) they meet up for song, dance, discussion and prayer. There were a few things that I noticed : first, the discussion was very much focused on confirming everyone's beliefs rather than dusagreeing, and second, only the men discussed. The latter point made me wonder where the women fit into the communities.

Start: Gladheart Farms 

End: Gladheart Farms 

Distance: 0

Day 142 - Twelve Tribes (revisited) (20/11/2016)

We'd been puzzling over how to get to Asheville, until Flatlander remembered there was a Twelve Tribes community in the area. Given that most of us (Flatlander, Lancelot, and I) had had great experiences with their other communities on the trail, we decided to ask if they could host us.

As usual, they were generous and welcoming beyond reason. We got in to Hot Springs early enough to get dinner and a beer before they sent a driver to pick us up almost an hour away. We arrived at Gladheart Farms just in time for dinner, and met several of the community members. After dinner, we all congregated in the dining area and helped package the maté energy bars that they sell.

At the end Blueberry Crisp commented on just how friendly everyone was. Another convert.

Tomorrow we'll do some gear shopping/exchange (I've had another pair of shoes die) and resupply, then spend another evening with the community. 

It's nice to be warm, both physically and communally.

Start: Little Laurel Shelter

End: Hot Springs, NC

Distance : 19.6 miles

I'm not doing ETA's anymore because too much depends on the fires further south. If they don't clear, we'll be spared 3-4 days of hiking. If they clear, we'll be later.

Day 141 - Winter Is Coming (19/11/2016)

The beautiful sunrise I watched from the privy did not foreshadow the rain and bitter cold that was to come. We walked some high ridges with stunning views: the wintry winds had frosted half the mountain, leaving the other half seemingly dry and autumnal. Tonight I sleep with everything I own because temps are expected to dip to -5. I am not thrilled and warns the others that if I was too cold to sleep, I'd likely pack up and head off early.

Tomorrow, we head into Hot Springs, followed by a zero as we head to REI in Asheville for some gear. First up for me: either a sleeping bag liner or a quilt to make the nights more bearable. But I also need to replace my shoes again, get trekking poles, and buy a fuel stove since the cold is making the alcohol stove less and less effective.

Start: some shelter somewhere

End: Little Laurel Shelter

Distance: 20.7 miles

Day 139 - Icee! (17/11/2016)

It's resupply day! Always nice to walk with a light pack. We headed into Erwin planning to stop at a hostel and shower, do laundry, and pick up food.

Flatlander has been searching for something called an Icee since, apparently, Pennsylvania. Today we passed by a Shell station and on a lark decided to pop in and see if they had one. Despite all the amazing views and experiences, I'm pretty sure the Icee machine is Flatlander's highlight for our walking together. To be fair, I had a Cherry Dr. Pepper Icee, and it really was worth the excitement.

If I'm honest though, the cold and fires are starting to make me think it's time to go home. I've been considering ending the trip in Hot Springs. The Smokies are going to be cold, and apparently smoke covered. The next section is on fire. It's beginning to feel a bit pointless to do the rest of the trail. Tonight's night hike up a mountain didn't help. We'll see what morning brings.

Start: ??

End: some shelter somewhere

Distance: 18 miles

Day 138 - (16/11/2016)

Some days are so forgettable that I completely forget what happened if I don't write that night.‎ My logs are blank for this day.

Start: Roan High Mountain

End: ??

Distance: 22.9 miles

Day 137 - "why is there still frost?!?" (15/11/2016)

Today we headed back to over 5,000', and are sleeping at 6,275'.‎ On the climb up here there was frost on the ground in the late afternoon, and we even found some ice.  Flatlander was nonplussed, Blueberry Crisp was thrilled. I was planning to pitch my tent in the shelter for warmth. 

Luckily this shelter turned out to be a fully enclosed space, unlike the usual 3-sided lean-tos... with 5 bodies inside, we should be OK.

The walk here was beautiful. It was warmer than the Grayson Highlands, so I was able to enjoy the Roan Highlands more. Stunning views, though they are marred by smoke from the forest fires.

Start: Campsite 

End: Roan Mountain Shelter 

Distance:‎ 17.8 miles 

ETA:‎ Nov 30 - Dec 5

Day 136 - (14/11/2016)

‎After the late hiking last night, Blueberry Crisp and Lancelot had their hearts set on a sleep in and late start. I'd spent the evening discussing job options over email (I have to go back to the real world eventually), so I wasn't moving quickly in the morning either. ‎We finally hit the trailhead around 10:45, only to be met by yesterday's trail angel again. More free food and chat, and we finally hit the trail at 11:30.

It was a slow day. Blueberry Crisp still wants to sleep at 6,200' tomorrow night. We've agreed to assess the situation at the shelter tomorrow, but this will mean falling well off our 20 mile per day pace. I may choose to hike to a lower elevation for the night and wait for the him and Flatlander to catch me the next day. Regardless, we will have some seriously long days ahead to make up the time.

Start: Walnut Mountain Rd

End: Campsite

Distance: 10.9 miles

ETA: Nov 30 - Dec 4

Day 135 - SNOBO (13/11/2016)

Over breakfast this morning, the hostel owners convinced us to slackpack 23 miles. So for my 7th day, I'm a southbounding NOBO (SNOBO).

It was a lucky choice: mid-afternoon I stumbled on amazing trail magic. A dad who was slackpacking his daughter was making pancakes, eggs, bagels, & fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. Not only that, her hike was almost over so he had several bins of dehydrated foods and supplies they were giving away. I scored some gatorade, beef jerky, and lots of dried veggies. Meals are going to get a lot more interesting.

I'd set out to do the hike as fast as I could, so I was well ahead of the other 4 (Flatlander, Blueberry Crisp, Lancelot, and Danger Mouse). I didn't quite make it out before dark (in part because trail magic lengthened my lunch), but I was still pretty fast. The others came in 2 hours later (they were even more delayed by magic than I was).

The plan is for a sleep in tomorrow, and Blueberry Crisp is campaigning to sleep at the highest shelter on the trail a day later. The trouble is it would mean low miles for two days just after a couple of shorter days into and out of Damascus. We'll see what happens.

Start: Walnut Mountain Road

End: Boots Off 

Distance: 23.3 miles

ETA: Nov 30 - Dec 2

Day 134 - Boots Off (12/11/2016)

My tent had a bit of frost on it this morning. Tonight's forecast was for -2 Celsius, so it didn't take much for Blueberry Crisp and Flatlander to convince me that another hostel night was in order. Boots Off is a new hostel that people have been raving about so we decided to try it since it satisfied Flatlander's mileage requirements. 

It's a great hostel. The owners are terrific, the set up is very well planned with each bunk having its own curtains, light, and power outlet. A definite high-five to the hosts.

Danger Mouse and Lancelot are also here, and Cinderella and Waterboy had beat us here earlier. We watched Mad Max: Fury Road while eating McDonald's.

A good day with some good people.

Start: Double Spring Shelter 

End: Boots Off hostel

Distance: 23.5 miles

ETA: Nov 30 - Dec 3

Day 133 - Fire! Fire! Again (11/11/2016)

Back on the trail today after a rest and some blueberry waffles. All the talk of late has been about forest fires. Right now there are about 35-40 miles of the trail closed for forest fires, and they're recommending people avoid the Smoky Mountains. We'll be there in about a week, so we're watching to see what happens.

Start: Woodchuck Hostel 

End: Double Spring Shelter 

Distance: 18.7 miles 

ETA: Nov 30 - Dec 3

Day 132 - Damascus (10/11/2016)

We cheated today. There was a detour from the Appalachian Trail onto the Virginia Creeper Trail which is a nice flat, wide walking and cycling trail that runs straight into Damascus. When the detour ended and returned up the ridges, we decided to "not see the end of the detour." I don't regret it at all.

First up in Damascus: second breakfast at a diner. Then we did a tour of the three outfitters in town (I bought another layer of Merino wool, and some gloves, and got a free pair of hiking socks from a friendly shop owner). Then we checked in at our hostel (the three of us have a room to ourselves), and headed out for a food resupply.

When we got back, Blueberry Crisp made a spinach and cottage cheese lasagna that could have fed a village, and Flatlander made brownies. We polished off the entire lasagna (with lots of garlic bread), then most of the brownies. This was after eating a pint of grape tomatoes, a snickers bar, half a can of pringles, and a few other snacks. Watching hikers eat is disgusting, but I'm not hungry anymore. For now. I'll probably finish the pringles before bed.

Tomorrow, back on the trail after breakfast. For now, it'll be nice to sleep without my water filter (freezing a Sawyer filter can destroy it, so we keep them in our sleeping bags), and wake up warm.

Start: Saunders Shelter 

End: Woodchuck Hostel, Damascus, VA

Distance: 9.3 miles 

ETA: Nov 30 - Dec 3

Day 131 - Fire! Fire! (9/11/2016)

Today is the two-week anniversary of our little trio hiking together, which is strange for me. I was never the sort to be looking for trail companions. I've had fun hiking with people in several sections (Trout and Pancake especially), but I've always had my own pace and spent most of the trail walking solo. It's a happy coincidence that I've stumbled into a small group with a similar pace, and it's been good for me.

It's especially nice on cold days when it seems worth it to make a camp fire. This was just such a day. Another young Flip Flopper (Torch) was with us as we all sat around a warm fire having dinner. I still had some candles left from Flatlander's 100th celebration, so we drilled holes into Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Minis and had a little anniversary celebration.

Tomorrow we have around 8.5 miles to Damascus, which is basically the end of Virginia. The others have mail to collect and we all need a little gear before we start into Tennessee/North Carolina. It'll be nice to hostel for a night and wake up warm for a change.

But that's tomorrow night. Tonight it'll be another night buried deep in my mummy-style sleeping bag with all my clothes on.

Start: Thomas Knob Shelter 

End: Saunders Shelter

Distance: 18.8 miles

ETA: Nov 30 - Dec 2*

* we've been moving quickly with no neroes lately. I think this is overly optimistic. Dec 3 or 4 seems more likely.

Day 130 - Ponies!! (8/11/2016)

Other than the Shenandoah area, NOBOs tend to rave about the Grayson Highlands. Today was the day we'd finally enter them. It's also the day we leave them. I was expecting a few days, but it turns out the trail only does a few miles there.

It was fun to see wild ponies, but I don't think the late autumn is the best time to be here. I was underwhelmed.

Blueberry Crisp has been very excited to shelter‎ at Thomas Knob, because it's at over 5,000'. I'm less thrilled because a) it's sheltering, and b) it's cold at 5,000'. Blueberry Crisp is even more excited that it might snow tomorrow (rain and cold is forecast, but at this elevation...). Flatlander is less excited.

It was a nice day of walking, and we saw Cinderella and Waterboy several times which always makes me happy. And we got Flatlander to admit Dec 3 might be an OK finish date, so basically she's given up resisting. I think it's because she's afraid of the weather in the Smokey Mountains, and figures her best chance at survival is to stick with the Canadians.

Start: nonexistent campsite 

End: Thomas Knob 

Distance: 21.1 miles

ETA: Nov 30 - Dec 3

Day 129 - Maximalist Hiker Gear (7/11/2016)

Yesterday Flatlander suggested that we pack out fajita supplies during our resupply in Marion today. Blueberry had suggested that we could heat flat stones ‎in a fire and use them to cook. It just so happened that there were tonnes of them about, so we each selected a small one to pack out in case our campsite didn't offer good options.

That's right. After months obsessing about minimizing pack weight, I added a 1lb+ rock to my gear. Waterboy nearly exploded with disbelief when he heard. (I got to see him and Cinderella again!)

After Marion we set out for a campsite that turned out not to exist. I was tired and hangry, so we stealth's there anyway, but without a fire ring there was no fire, and so no need for the stones we'd hauled 19 miles. So we carried rocks for nothing.

Still, the fajitas turned out great. Flatlander is already plotting our special meal after the next resupply.

Start: peak of Glade Mountain

End: nonexistent campsite

Distance: 19.5 miles

ETA: Nov 30 - Dec 3

Day 128 - Water Shortage (6/11/2016)

The time change is messing with us: the day is bright early, but also I'm going to bed at 8pm.

This morning I left camp cold, and waterless because there was a source two miles down the trail and I was running late. Unfortunately (but commonly in this area) that source was dry. On we went with me starting to be more desperate for a drink (Flatlander and Blueberry Crisp were better prepared). We arrived at a campsite and there on a log sat a Gatorade bottle, which Blueberry Crisp uses as garbage cans. He went over, picked it up and said "oh... someone left camp without their water this morning." Which was great, because I needed water badly.

Then, just as I was about to get my water bottles out, Blueberry opened it and slowly dumped the contents onto the ground as I watched in horror. "Oh,... sorry" he said, when he finally glanced up to see the disbelief on my face.

At which point we burst out laughing. Fortunately there was a creek right next to the site, so no harm was done.

Over dinner tonight I found out that both Flatlander and Blueberry Crisp had similar "ground apple" stories to mine, so we're now part of a secret society of people without pride or shame.

Another good day. We've also got Flatlander committed to staying with us until the 20th, and she even admitted she might be willing to delay her finishing date until Dec 2.

Start: Knot Maul Shelter 

End: peak of Glade Mountain

Distance: 20.8 miles

ETA: 1-3 Dec

Day 127 - Sub-zero (5/11/2016)

Last night was as cold as any I've had so far. I woke at 5 and couldn't sleep, but we'd set 7:30 as our departure time so I shivered in my sleeping bag until 6:30. Getting moving would have been the better choice.

Walking was good though my socks are starting to give me blisters. I have two pairs of Darn Toughs, and I love one but hate the other. I may look at replacing one when I get to Damascus. I may also buy more base layers and another pair of gloves: if I was this cold when temps were around 2 Celsius, I need a better solution for camping at 5,000' in the Smokey Mountains.

Still gettin' lots of smiles in though. We're all looking forward to brunch at The Barn tomorrow. I'm glad to have Blueberry Crisp around - he's on top of all the food options along the trail. 

Start: Campsite near cascades

End: Knot Maul Shelter

Distance: 24.5 miles

ETA: 1-4 Dec

Day 126 - Trumpets and Brownies (4/11/2016)

Not a lot on the journal front today. We decided to do midday brownies to celebrate Flatlander's 100th, so we had a campfire (a rarity among hikers) and ate brownies. It turns out the mix with chocolate chips doesn't work as well because the chips burn and stick to the pot more than usual. Still, it was a nice treat.

We continued on until our campsite, and could hear Sleeping Beauty playing his trumpet from a distance. I like Sleeping Beauty. He's fun to chat with. But he's not a terribly good trumpeter, and only knows about 4 bars from around 3 songs, so the trumpet isn't my favourite thing about him. We found some tent pads far enough away to keep the horn at bay.

Another mostly good day, with some good smiles.

Unfortunately I seem not to have data on my phone much in southern VA, so blog updates are falling behind again.

Start: Jenny Knob Shelter 

End: Campsite near some cascades

Distance: 18.8 Miles 

ETA: 30/11 - 7/12

Day 125 - Flatlander's Century (3/11/2016)

Another uneventful day, but full of fun and (s)miles. We'd planned to celebrate Flatlander's 100th day on trail with scrambled brownies (paying it forward after Pancake did the same for my birthday), but had to reschedule for rain delays.

I'm finally getting why NOBOs talked about the long green tunnel in Virginia: we spend a lot of time in rhododendron groves which form a canopy overhead. I think it's beautiful, and can only imagine what it would be like in full bloom.

Start: Docs Knob Shelter 

End: Jenny Knob Shelter

Distance: 24 miles

Finish Date: Dec 1-9 (based on recent mileage)

Day 124 - Spaghetti In My Shoe (2/11/2016)

There was spaghetti in my shoe this morning. We're still confused about a) where the spaghetti came from, b) how it got in my shoe, and c) what it means.

I think it's a miracle of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Others have blamed squirrels. I guess we'll never know.

Other than my Pastafarian baptism, today was marked by laundry, all you can eat Chinese buffet, friendly Virginians in Pearisburg, and a lot of laughter.

I also finally made it to some mailed treats from my colleagues in Sydney. We stuffed our faces with Tim Tams, Anzac biscuits, and other assorted deliciousness. Thanks so much, friends down under.

Start: Rice Field Shelter 

End: Docs Knob Shelter 

Distance: 15.7 miles

Finish Date: Dec 1-10 (based on recent mileage)

[Ed. Note 2020-10-26: Four years later, Blueberry and Flatlander have admitted that they were the squirrels.]

Day 123 - ABC (1/11/2016)

It's amazing to think that I've now been hiking for four months.

One third of a year.

What a life I've managed to lead.

Today we did 20 miles. Since pairing up with Flatlander, I've done 142 miles in one week. The only other time I've hit those numbers, I was slackpacking with Papa Wallaby. 

Tonight I'm sleeping in a shelter for the first time since probably Maine. There's just Blueberry Crisp, Flatlander, and me here and we're all sheltering. Our campsite last night ended up being overrun with misty clouds, so all our tents/hammocks could benefit from being hung out to dry.

Tomorrow, Pearisburg and a mail drop from my former colleagues in Sydney. I can't wait to get it.

Start: Windy Rock

End: Rice Field Shelter

Distance: 20.4 miles

Day 122 - Hiker Halloween (31/10/2016)

This morning I ignored my alarm and figured I'd get another hour of sleep or so. Turns out I was pretty tired because instead I slept an extra 2 hours. When I woke, I could hear Blueberry Crisp breaking camp, but half expected to find Flatlander already gone. Happily, she was still there. We packed up camp and headed out.

The day was pretty uneventful. The long night's rest was good for me: walking felt fine. We'd settled on sleeping at a campsite with a view at around 20 miles.

In the end we not only landed at a campsite with a view, but we were welcomed with a pre-built fire and complimentary s'mores ! ‎When we got there, there was already a group of day hikers hanging about with a fire. They were just there for the evening, but they told us to help ourselves to their s'mores supplies. Flatlander is a patient marshmallow roasting perfectionist. Not a bad Halloween.

Flatlander is talking about maybe pushing on ahead of us after Pearisburg. Negotiations are still ongoing.

Start: Eastern Continental Divide 

End: Wind Gap viewpoint 

Distance: 20.4 miles

Day 121 - Dragon's Tooth (30/10/2016)

As planned, we all woke up early and headed up to Dragon's Tooth to watch the sunrise. Our plan was not as well thought out as we hoped: the climb was much tougher than anticipated, and we nearly missed sunrise. We got there in the end, and enjoyed one of the most spectacular views on the trail.

The rest of the day was a bit of a struggle. After 80+ miles in 4 days, my body wanted a rest. Blueberry Crisp wanted to do a 16 mile day, while Flatlander is really trying to get us on board with her "no less than 20" mantra. In the end we compromised around 18 miles, which means I've done over 100 miles in 5 days.

Boy are my feet tired.

Still, despite the fatigue, it was a nice day and we made it to 1500 miles! There are no real landmarks tomorrow, so I might be able to just walk at a comfortable pace, though I do need to get to Pearisburg soon to resupply (and get a mail drop!)

For now though, it's time rest my weary bones.

Start: just north of Dragon's Tooth 

End: eastern continental divide

Distance: 18.6 miles

Day 120 - Smilin' and Milin' (29/10/2016)

The plan today was to hit McAfee's Knob, the most photographed feature of the AT (very popular with day hikers), and then race on to Catawba, where Blueberry Crisp had heard that the restaurant Homeplace was worth a hitchhike into town.‎ It turned out to be the kind of day that was both unremarkable, and yet thoroughly enjoyable. We had a good time and some nice chats at the knob, and then an amazingly filling meal @ Homeplace. From there, the nicest southern couple gave us a ride back to the trailhead, including patiently waiting for me to buy a few things I forgot in our last resupply.

It's also been nice having Blueberry Crisp around. I had a conversation in French for the first time in a really long time.

It was all skittles and rainbows today, until I saw my first ever black widow spider*. Crawling past the door to my tent while I set up... <shudder>

Basically I'm just loving the trail right now, and looking forward to Dragon's Tooth at sunrise and 1,500 miles tomorrow. As Flatlander put it when I told her to focus on smiles, not miles: "I'm smilin' *and* milin'."

Start: Lambert's Meadow Campsite 

End: tentsite just north of Dragon's Tooth 

Distance: 17.5 (s)miles

* there is now one less black widow spider in the world. You're welcome.

Day 119 - the percentage of the beast (28/10/2016)

Things that happened today:

- 5:15 am wake up

- 10 fast miles into Troutville

- pass the 66.6% point

- shower and laundry 

- race to Daleville (1.5 miles)

- BBQ and resupply

- race to 9 miles to campsite 

- stop to climb Hay Rock for sunset

So after my first day beginning and ending my hike with a headlamp, I'm too tired to add more.

Start: Wilson Shelter 

End: Lambert's Meadow Campsite

Distance: 20.3 miles

Day 118 - (27/10/2016)

Another early start this morning, with Flatlander and I hitting the trail at 7. Nothing really remarkable to note. More beautiful autumn hiking, and some nice views. Near the end of our day we ran into a friendly couple who were out watching for hawks. They gave us water, pretzels, goldfish, and grapes and we had a good chat. Blueberry Crisp (a hiker from Québec City) caught up to us, and we all three made our way to the shelter.

Tomorrow we head into Townville for showers and laundry at the fire hall , then on to Daleville for resupply and BBQ!

Start: tentsite

End: Wilson Shelter 

Distance: 23.9 miles

Day 117 - Throw me the idol; I’ll throw you the whip! (26/10/2016)

Flatlander and I had planned to get up early, have breakfast at Bosses, then try our luck with an early morning hitch to the trailhead. Breakfast was foiled by Bosses bring closed on Wednesdays. We made do with breakfast sandwiches from the grocery freezer.

We lucked out on the ride, though. A former thru-hiker who was on his way to do some trail work saw us, turned around, and gave us a ride so we hit the trail at 8am.

Mostly we hiked separately, but met for lunch, and to play on the Guillotine. Flatlander and I are on different schedules, so I imagine she'll dart off ahead eventually, but it was nice to have a hiking buddy again for the day.

Speaking of hiking buddies, Pancake had to have a root canal done today, so cross your fingers that she recovers quickly.

Start: Glasgow, VA

End: Campsite below Floyd Mountain

Distance: 21.5 miles

Day 116 - Dog Days of Autumn (25/10/2016)

Coldest morning to date. Temperatures dropped to 2 Celsius, which would have been colder at elevation. The wind didn't help. Between that and the start of an illness (a cold, of course), it was a slow start. And an odd one.

Around a half hour into my walk, I saw a motionless lump in the middle of the trail. Now, the trail here was narrow, and with a steep ascent on my left, and a steep drop on the right. I thought maybe someone had dropped a piece of gear. Until it lifted its head and i realized it was a dog! Clearly a family pet, since it had both a collar with a bell on it, and either a bark collar, or an invisible fence collar. In any case, I tried to get her to come to me but she was very wary and immediately started down the trail. She'd go up a but, stop and look back, then when I got too close she'd move on again. Eventually I lost her at a fork in the road where I think she took the side trail.

Too bad. I'd built up a little fantasy where her owners didn't want her back, so I had her join me all the way to Springer. In any case, I hope her family finds her soon.

The day ended in Glasgow, VA when I (and 3 other hikers) waited over two hours for a hitch into town. It turned out there was a nice town-provided shelter with power and a hot shower. That and the chance to have some wine and play gin rummy was enough to keep me in place.

Start: near Saltlog Gap

End: Glasgow VA

Distance: 8 miles

Day 115 - Congrats, Beef Jerky! (24/10/2016)

I finally got to watch a beautiful sunrise this morning.

Other than that, just another day on the trail. I met a section hiker who had been doing the trail a week at a time from age 13. He took a shine to me and I scored some free food (he had a resupply coming up and was all too happy to lighten his load).

Also I heard from Beef Jerky that he's completed his trail, which makes him officially the first person I know on the trail to finish. He says he still eats like a hiker a week and a half later, so he's putting on weight.

A solid hiking day, I think.

Start: near Tar Jacket Ridge

End: just before Saltlog Gap

Distance: 21.7 miles