Date: 2019-05-21
From: Marion VA

To: Bland
Miles today: 57.5

This is the first part of our hike to finish the south and our last in Virginia. Greenie and I flew down to Roanoke starting at separate locations with myself leaving from Boston and Greenie from Portland Maine, which is closer to his new home now Vs making the trek to Boston. My flight was late but we finally met at the Roanoke Airport, rented a car and drove down to Marion where we were to start this final walk in the south.Wednesday Morning 5/22Greenie and I were awake before 5:00 this morning. We went to breakfast at the Econonlodge where we were staying and met a NOBO hiker by the name of Chug. We had to get to the post office early this first morning to mail our bounce box to Woods Hole where we would finish the trail and gave Chug a ride there as well as she also had to mail something.After the PO run we dropped Chug back to the hotel and continued on to US 11 and the Barn parking lot where we were to meet Jim Sparks who would drive us back to the Mt. Rogers Headquarters where we would start this walk. Jim was early as usual to provide our ride. We also stopped into the Barn restaurant and made a donation for leaving our car in their lot. The new owners don't charge to leave your car there like the previous owners, but we felt it good Ju-Ju to make the gesture.We started walking at 10:00 at Mt Rogers heading NOBO. We made the Chatfield shelter around 1:00 to find a crew from Inside Edition there doing a story about Stronghold and how the hiking community felt about the safety on the trail at this point in time.later, we stopped by the Homesteader School house for some trail magic in the form of cold soda and fruit before hiking onto our car at the Barn. We finished about 3:30 and headed back to Marion. Tomorrow we meet Jim Sparks at 8:00/8:30 at the car rental place where he will then take us back to the Barn parking lot where we will start day two.Sighting of the day today was a rose breasted Grossbeak.Thursday 5/23Passing through the area where Stronghold was murdered.Today was going to be a somber day as we were passing through the area where the recent incident happened on the AT. Jim met us at Enterprise rental, early as usual, and dropped us off at the Barn Shortly after 8:30. We were walking before 8:45 AM. We passed a woman hiker after about a mile and then another young woman packing up camp after a few miles in. Lots of open fields this morning and with the heat building so when we finally got into the woods the coolness was nice.We took a quick break about 10:30 and only stopped briefly around noon to get some water. There was a group at the water source, so we just pushed on. Some British guy was jogging with a full pack and the young woman that we had passed breaking camp caught up to us and eventually went on ahead.We could not help to think about Stronghold and what happened in this section. I kept wondering, what would I do given the same set of circumstances. It seemed there were lots of places to get off the trail to get away and hide, but that is easy to conjecture about when it is daytime (Vs nighttime) and you are not in that kind of situation.We made it to the Quarterway Inn before 1:00 PM and had lunch. Tina passed us on the way out and gave us the quick run-thru when she got back. Odie was here (AT yearbook fame) who we had met yesterday with the Inside Edition crew.We got cleaned up and had Pizza and Ice cream for dinner along with picking up a couple of fuel canisters from Tina's gear shop at the Inn. Coffee is at 6:15 in the morning and breakfast is at 7:00. This is a really NICE place to stay!Sightings today: 2 deer, red winged black birds, Swallows and the brightest Oriole I have ever seen in my life.Friday 5/24/19Up at 6:00 AM this morning, washed and went downstairs for coffee. We had a wonderful home made breakfast - one of the best I have had on the trail. After breakfast we packed, squared off with Tina and headed out before 8:00 AM.We had the initial road walk to the trail, and then traversed open fields for a while before entering the woods. The view back to where we had come from just before entering the woods was pastoral. The trail for the initial part of our day was gentle and rolling until the climb up Brushy Mountain where we worked up a good sweat in the morning heat. At Knot Maul Branch shelter, Chug and another hiker caught up with us. We moved onto Lick Creek reaching the shelter around noon and stopped for lunch. Lick Creek was to have been our finish point for the day but it was too early to stop so we pushed onto Chestnut Knob Shelter another six miles out.The climb up to Chestnut ridge was long and hot, but not as bad as it could have been. We met two section hikers from the west coast, one of whom was originally from Shrewsbury Mass, the next town over from where Greenie and I live. Chestnut ridge was open and beautiful with lots of blackberries growing up top. We stopped for water before the shelter, and made camp just beyond it.Master, who was at the hostel joined us as did one other hiker who had only stopped at the hostel and moved on the day prior.14 miles today and 5,449 feet in elevation change. I also was able to connect with Bubba for our shuttle on Sunday/Monday to and from Bland.Good Day today but no major sightings. Did see a Rufous Sided Towhee, a Cardinal and lots of cows!Saturday 5/25/1910.7 miles planned today and 2,659 feet in elevation change - - and hot as all get out!Started this morning at 5:45 AM, made coffee and broke camp. Master left just ahead of us as there was to be trail magic in the form of a hillbilly hiker feed at Walker Gap 1.4 miles away.We headed down and joined him. Met Rabbit (she) who is doing her second thru-hike. We had all kinds of fruit, veggies, home made chilli, potato salad, hot dogs, deserts and sodas. The three guys that put on the feed have done so for about 12 years. They even had post cards for the hikers to send home (the wife of one of the guys is the local postmaster).Today was not too difficult elevation wise, but was largely down hill and hard on the knees.We stopped at VA 632, called home, and hiked on.We passed the side trail to the Davis Farm Campsite where we would have spent tonight had we not gone longer yesterday and kept hiking to Jenkins shelter, arriving around 1:00 PM, where we are now. Shepherd, who we met a few times over yesterday and tented near us last night came in after us. He was suffering from shin splints. I hope he takes a break and lets them heal or he is going to get knocked off of the trail.We had lunch at the shelter and set camp. Washing up at the stream and resting with the heat today is a must for me. I did not see the point of pushing on another 4.4 miles today to the next camping spot when the heat was so bad and I was fairly spent. Tomorrow is about 11 miles and about the same in elevation change, but our destination is Bland to resupply, shower and do laundry. Our shuttle is not until 3:00 PM so we will have plenty of time and if possible, take a swim if we find a good spot.Sighting today was lady slippers.Sunday May 26, 2019Had some light showers last night just after dark. We heard some thunder off in the distance so I closed down the awning on my tent putting it into storm mode. We had a bear in camp last night, but he did not bother anyone.Up with first light and began packing up. We hit the trail around 7:15 AMToday the heat and humidity was much less than yesterday, so we made a good pace. We had a nice and easy old woods road walk for a distance and reached Laurel Creek in no time (4.3 miles). We stopped to stretch and water up as this was the last water for the day.We ran into '59 Olds, Huck and Shepherd among others still in camp who had tented near the creek. The trail was kinder today and with the comfortable breeze and lower temps we made US 52 by noon. We called Bubba who picked us up 20 minutes later and had us at the Big Walker Motel 20 minutes later. We grabbed our supply drop boxes in the lobby and were in our room by 12:30. Greenie and I showered and then Greenie walked over to the Circle K for been and snacks. We had dinner at the Subway down the road and then stopped over to the Dairy Queen at the Circle K where Greenie got some ice cream. Bubba will take us back to the trail around 8:00 AM Monday morning when we will start the second half of this hike and the completion of Virginia.