Date: 2022-09-17
From: Pine Swamp Shelter Mile 657.9

To: Angels Rest Hiker Haven (Exit at VA 100) Mile 638.2
Miles today: 19.7

Got up at the usual time of 5:45 and it was pitch black out. Got packed up mostly in the dark. Around 6:30 there started to be enough light to see outside but the shelter was still pretty dark until just before we left. We had a good climb to start the day of 1300 feet over four miles so it wasn¢t steep but it was pretty long. We got cell service on the top of the mountain and I spent some time working on getting a resupply box sent to an upcoming hostel as well as working on making hostel reservations for an upcoming hostel hop. Once we got up to the ridge we had a long ridge walk through lots of overgrown wildflowers and bushes. In addition, just to make things more complicated, there were long sections of Pennsylvania style rocks partially hidden by the brush. To add insult to injury, the trail also meanders quite a bit with little semi circle loops going briefly down the hill and then back up which makes it tough to maintain momentum. It¢s also the type of terrain that is conducive to snakes but which makes it really hard to see them. You spend a lot of time watching your feet, checking for bees on the wildflowers and looking for snakes that you have to remember to work on making sure you are checking for blazes, looking around at the scenery and looking for bears. After one turn I popped out into a herd of six goats. I knew goats were in the general area and had been scanning for them but I didn¢t see them until they moved right before I was on top of them. After the initial fright, on both our parts, they came over probably expecting to be fed -which we weren¢t going to do. We got some pictures and videos and then continued on. The goats immediately started following us. As long as we were walking they were coming down the trail single file. If we stopped they¢d bunch up and start eating, although not necessarily the brush hanging over the trail. This continued for 10 minutes or so. Found out later both Coach and Bloom saw the goats, but they weren¢t followed. We caught up with Coach and hiked with him for a while until he pulled away after a brief stop by Orchid and I. We passed the shelter that Bloom was staying at for sunset and sunrise at the top of a bald. We¢d been hovering around and at times briefly over the West Virginia state line and there were some good views into WV. Heading back into woods we started a long, very cruisy, descent with a great trail tread almost the entire way down into Pearisburg, VA. It was surprising how nice and different this section of trail was compared to the morning. We hiked a much of the first part with Coach and caught up with him for the last mile across the New River and through town. We got a shuttle from Angels Rest Hiker Haven to the hostel where we grabbed showers and started laundry. Orchid, Coach, Bloom, Trailmix and I headed out for a Mexican dinner and then Orchid, Coach and I picked up breakfast and lunch for the next bit of hostel hopping. Orchid and I cooked breakfast sandwiches back at the hostel and we arranged for some of our gear to be sent to the next hostel for a slackpack tomorrow. There¢s 7 in the bunkhouse tonight as well as some private rooms and tents, including Early Bird, Cross Word and Cat Water. This is the most southbound hikers in one group that I¢ve seen so far. Steps 42300Weather Forecast: 82/57 Sunny