Date: 2016-06-17
From: Pearisburg

To: Rock Fish Gap Shenandoah National Park
Miles today: 225.0
Weather: broken clouds

Thursday June 2 through Saturday June 17 ¢ Pearisburg to Rockfish Gap VA ¢ 225 miles in 16 days ¢ Average 14 miles a day.First off Marilee is also posting pictures on our Face Book so please feel free to go there and look or leave messages. Our Facebook Page is ¢SCAMPING WE WILL GO¢Departed Thursday from Pearisburg with the first stop for the night at Rice Field. After a climb to 3400 feet, the next few weeks would be some of the best hiking I have done so far. The climbs are beginning to thin out on a daily basis and the views are much better. The trail at times begins to follow creeks and better views and in good shape so my daily miles completed began to climb. I am now up to 11 miles a day average over the entire route with a goal to reach an average of 12 per day which would make the entire trip right around the six month mark ¢ end of September or early October.On the way up to Rice field I came across Full throttle, a 52 year old retired broker. We were about a mile from the shelter when we met and by the time we got to the top, the sky was dark with a major thunderstorm building right behind. Along came Darkness (Bear Wall) and Slosh/Scavenger, a British couple who completed a year of hiking in Chile and Peru and now were trying to complete the Appalachian Trail. Without a doubt this would be my best night sleeping on the trail.The area on top was void of trees as this use to be a grazing field high above the valley and small towns thousands of feet below. The view was awesome looking to the west into West Virginia and to the east into Virginia. The English couple planned to continue hiking up to a camping area a few miles up the trail. We watched them disappear over the top of the hill and into the woods about a half mile away. A few minutes later I see them returning to the shelter. As they ran towards the shelter I jokingly asked them if they were lost, to which they told me to look behind the shelter. So we all got out and looked around the corner at a monster storm building right over our heads. We all decided to run into the open field to get a better view of the storm which was getting very impressive in both size and the speed it began to move at. We could see the clouds passing below us and above us at an incredible speed with lightning in the background and strong winds bending the trees. It reminded me of living in Minnesota in the summer sitting on the porch and watching storms roll across the plain states. Within a few minutes we felt the first drops of rain so we scrambled back over the field fence to the shelter Just in time before the sky opened up with a deluge of rain that would last over an hour. As we stayed dry in the shelter we had more hikers running towards us to get to the shelter that got caught in the rain while hiking. They were all soaked.We were also smart enough to grab wood and throw it under the shelter to keep dry. AS the rain stopped and the thunderstorms began to fall apart we started a fire and decided to go back to the filed to watch the sunset along with the storms now in the distance with lightning dancing across the twilight sky. I sat on the top of the fence ladder and Riley joined me sitting right next to me as if he was also enjoining the views. You could see almost a hundred miles in all directions of rural Americana. Below were the faint lights of small town homes with an occasional car on a country road. This must have been what it was like hundreds of years ago other than now electric lights and cars instead of oil lamps and horse buggies. The sky was a brilliant array of orange reds and blue colors as stars began to pop out. I was probably looking at 30 thousand square miles of what had to be some of the most beautiful views. In the evening sky was three hawks floating in the winds coming over the top of the field. They flew at eye level in front of us silently and effortlessly floating along the ridge to find prey. Off in the distant you could hear a train whistle blowing and a plane flying overhead. It was so quiet and peaceful and could hear the sound of the plane for a nearly ten minutes, something that does not happen in a city because of all of the other noises. It was all in all a perfect night and the most enjoyable I had all trip, a true period of complete peace and serenity.Left Rice Field in the morning in what would be the beginning of more along ridge paths at the top instead of constant ups and downs. A heavy fog set up overnight on the mountain top giving an eerie sense to the trail. AS the sun burnt away the fog, you could see down into the small towns and hamlets below. The trail crossed several large open fields full of flowers and both raspberry and blackberry plants beginning to bloom their fruit. Too bad I was not here a couple of weeks later to enjoy the fruits. It reminded me of our trip with Marilee in Washington State waking up to eating blackberries everywhere we went and camped. I connected with both Bear Wall and No-Name as we hiked all day and came to a stop called The Captains, a private home next to the trail where the owner allows hikers to camp on his property. The trail was on one side of the river and his house on another so he installed a zip line to cross the river. It was quite a challenge to get myself, Riley and our backpacks across without falling off into the water. Just like yesterday we got there just minutes before another large storm and heavy rains started. When the rain stopped we decided to move on another five miles to avoid starting a large hill first thing the next morning, choosing to get it out of the way today. When the rain stopped, the sun returned as did the high humidity making those five miles miserable. Bear Wall told me the story and showed me the video he took of his bear encounter back at Lake Watauga. Apparently Commissioner decided to be a trail angle by getting a dozen cheeseburgers and hand them out on the north side of the lake ¢ the same north size with big warning signs he failed to see that there was no stopping or camping because of active bears. The group after getting the burgers came across a mom with her two cubs. The mom charged the group and everyone other than Bear Wall ran instead of standing together and waiving their poles in the air. So mom charged Bear Wall who now was standing alone. He screamed at them to return which they did and mom stopped about five yards short of Bear Wall. He said for a moment te thought he was going to get mauled. He showed me the picture of the bear just in front of him and she was a big bear by any standard. By the time I got to the shelter area I and Riley were both exhausted and soaked with sweat. I literally sat down in a stream, clothes and all to cool off and to wash the stink out of the clothes a littler. It felt good to actually be clean getting into the sleeping bag.Saturday departed Bailey Gap for Warspur only nine miles away. Today was a terribly hot day and I could see Riley exhausted. Warspur also was along a creek so I again sat in the creek upon arrival to cool off and wash away the sweat. As evening came yet another large storm popped up washing out the campfire we started earlier. I was now running with a different group to include Bear Wall, No Name, Slosh and Scavenger. We chatted and made clean fun of the English who claimed they were here to return America to England. Bear Heart, a Minnesota Paramedic joined us coming in soaked from the rain. Slosh told us that he already lost 50 pounds from the hiking and that they had visited Colorado before coming here with the sole intent of spending three days smoking pot. They admitted that they got more than they could use and left it for others. We laughed as they told us that they had to prove they had enough money to be in this country to get a travel visa.Moving each day was much like life. When you came to a shelter, others would help you, pointing out where the water was and ensuring space on the table to take your backpack off. It became clear that life is supposed to be an adventure and that any adventure will be full of surprises, things that will go wrong and experiences you never thought could happen making all of the hard work OK. My sister Gail asked me if I was having fun. It took me a day to come up with the right answer as fun is not really part of the equation, or at least the actual hiking portion of the adventure. Each day was filled with long days hiking in brutal climbs or trail conditions, filled with bugs and dirt everywhere. I thought about it and answered that this was an experience that I am both glad I am doing and completing and one that I would always remember. It is a great trip with experiences I never could have planned for or imagined that I would never trade away. The end of each day, with the camaraderie, the night sky and stars along with a hot meal washed away all of the days pains and misery ¢ just like real life. The lesson here was knowing that to be alive really meant that you shared you experiences with family and friends and that taking a chance leads to experiences you will take with you throughout life. More important is that most things require hard work, gets easier as you keep going and enjoy the trip as much as the intended destination or goal.Marilee and I took a four month trip around the west states. We had both great times and stressful times but now I only remember the great times I had with her. We saw fish hatcheries, oceans, coastal fog, and night skies filled with meteors and stars. This hike is much like that trip other than she is not with me. Without a doubt some of the best moments of this trip will be with Riley sitting with me or just being part of the group. When I flip, he will be headed back to Colorado and Marilee and I will miss him a lot.As we hiked I came across a huge pile of bear poop, so I began to whistle and sing songs and kept Riley close by my side for a while. Today was a light rain and cool breeze that felt good. We came across the Keffer Oak tree, supposedly the largest tree east of the Mississippi. Its girth was huge and the trunk was about 6 feet across holding up this stately oak. The trail wandered back and forth from inside the woods to open fields and streams until reaching Sarver Gap and the best shelter I have seen on the trail to date.Left Sarver knowing that I was down to one day of dog food so any plans had to include getting to a local store just ahead. We passed the Audie Murphy memorial, a sign where he died in a plane crash on top of the ridge line. The 4 pines hostel was a full day of hiking but included hiking the Dragons¢ Tooth ¢ a terrible and dangerous section of trail that required you to scramble over boulders the size of buses that had rebar embedded for something to hold on to. Without this was one of the worst planned sections to have hikers come through here. Several hikers coming the other way stopped to tell me that they were scared for Riley because it was so dangerous to climb down. After about ten minutes of trying I abandoned this scramble and backtracked to a road I crossed about a mile back and went down and around direct to the hostel. The hostel was more like a frat house than a hostel. Large sofas filled a three car garage and most people were either playing games, drinking, smoking or outside playing bean bag toss with the owner.Tuesday morning headed out for what is the most photographed section of the entire trail ¢ McAfee¢s Knob,, a huge granite slap of mountain sticking out 300 feet above the valley floor. As you stood on it you felt like you were floating in air ¢ because you were. A couple of pics with Riley and lunch before we moved on.As I hiked I began to think about my medical situation that I seem to want to avoid. I am a cancer survivor first diagnosed back in late 2008. I was still in the Air Force but never told my supervisor or unit as I knew that day that my military career was over. If I told them I would be medically assigned to a special status and likely either forced to turn over my position to someone else or retired. I stopped my Air War College needed to get promoted to Colonel as I knew no such promotion would be in my future. Instead I planned how I would end my career on a high note and leave my unit in the best shape possible. I completed surgery and several months of radiation therapy. I kept this from everyone other than Marilee and close family and friends. It was a sad day when I talked to my commander when we talked about my future. Instead of telling him the details, I simply left him knowing that I prefer to be retired without a lot of fanfare. My last two years was both a rewarding yet sad time for me as my life I had was coming to an end. My biggest fear now is that it will all come back. Most people do not understand that and try to make you feel good that you were cured, but¢¦.. you are not cured and every time I go to get tested I am in constant fear that I will bet bad news. So I have stopped going for test because I simply do not want to know. This trip has both forced me to face reality and also to give me something to achieve in my life rather than dwell on my cancer.I hiked in on Friday into Daleville VA. Overall a great hike and great end to a week of hiking other than the last few miles that forced us to hike below power lines in brutal heat and a terrible trail into town. Commissioner came in behind me and we joined his parents and sister for dinner. They came to visit him and see how he is doing. The next morning we went to breakfast then I headed out while Commissioner took his family back about 20 miles to McAfee Knob to see the site. He also had to make those miles up as he hitched into Daleville to get there in time for his family. So right now he should be about two days behind me.Leaving Daleville began the last of the mostly ups and downs as we closed in on the Blue Ridge Mountains Parkway (BRMP)with Shenandoah National Park just a week away. I was now more than 700 miles into the trip and looking forward to better trails ahead. I made it about 22 miles that day and decided to literally camp on top of the BRMP area. There was an overlook and parking lot. With a hige grass field behind it. I decided to sleep cowboy style under the stars with just a sleeping back. Big Sky came up and decided to do the same. It was illegal to camp so close to the woods but we figured the ranger would not care as long as we did not cause problems. The weather was perfect. A storm in the far distance lit up the evening sky as we watched sunset over the mountains and valley below. Yet another perfect night on the Appalachian Trail. I talked to Paul, my friend in D.C. regarding dates to arrive at Front Royal to meet him. My decision to send Riley back to Marilee was not set in stone and I knew it was the right decision. Sleeping with Riley that night under the stars was sad knowing that Riley had only three weeks left with me. I can tell he is tiring each day and concerned that carrying a backpack everyday might cause long term health issues. He is still growing and that is a long time to carry weight. Also snakes are getting a lo more frequent and if Riley would get bit, it might be fatal as getting him help could take a long time to come out of the mountains and get him to a medical facility in time. This is not a chance I am willing to take and I know Marilee misses him as well.. By the time we reach Paul¢s Riley will have completed nearly half of the Appalachian Trail. He is a great dog and I am so happy how well he handled the trip and how much he loved being with all of the hikers every day. By Friday, June 17, I am now only one or two days from entering Shenandoah National Park. We stopped into Waynesboro Friday to get some resupplies and will go back to slack pack the prior 20 miles before Waynesboro. I was originally going to continue another night on the trail, but the temperatures were in the mid-nineties and hiking was brutal so I hiked to the BRMP and hitched a ride into Waynesboro instead. Tomorrow will be a slack pack day then Sunday enter the National Park. I should reach Paul¢s place by next Sunday, June 26th