Date: 2015-10-11
From: Daleville, VA

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 92.9

10/7 Day 127: 15.4 miles M1476.8Campbell Shelter (on McAfee Knob)Got up at 4:00am to wash/dry clothes, went back to bed after putting them in the dryer. Got up again at 7:00am for breakfast then took packages to mail home to the UPS store (I had picked up the resupply package with new poles and new shoes from Lynette the night before at the front desk of the hotel). I had some great decaf coffee, then picked up some food resupply at Kroger, had lunch and checked out of the hotel. Began hiking at around 1:00 pm, then at the top of a ridge called to talk with Lynette for an hour. Loving the new poles and shoes! Hiking on through the late afternoon across 10 miles of a ridge, I came upon Tinker Cliffs with very nice views, good weather, and a setting sun. Amazing! I hiked on for 1 hour after dark and could see the lights of Roanoke, I believe the largest city I've seen yet from the AT. Impressive light show were the city lights of Roanoke, VA. I arrived at the shelter at 8:00pm hopeful to find water 'behind' the shelter but learned it was 0.2 miles down a steep trail. I passed on the trek to water in spite of the fact I had no water. I set up for bed immediately upon arrival at the shelter in hopes to awaken in time to see the sunrise from McAfee Knob with French Press (who had set his alarm).10/8 Day 128: 21.0 miles   M1497.8Awoke to French Press' alarm at 5:00am, hiked in the dark to McAfee Knob. One of the more memorable times of this thru-hike, the weather was perfect. We could easily pick out constellations during the dark over the Knob. The sun slowly began to light the horizon making the fog in the valleys visible. French Press was so kind to offer me coffee. We had breakfast as the sun rose and took many pictures. The views were spectacular. The Roanoke lights, the colors and clouds of sunrise, the fog, the chill in the air...heaven. I enjoyed the entire morning hiking out the next 10 miles with French Press. I stopped for water at the first opportunity of the morning at the 10-mile mark after McAfee Knob and ate last night dinner for lunch today. The water was very good. I hiked up further then to Dragon's Tooth, a real climbing challenge, lots of fun to get there. Great views from here too, and fun to meet a handful of college students out for a day hike. I hiked the next 7 miles with Crusty Tishooz and his little dog (Esso). Fun day all around. Tired now looking for my reward of sleep after 21 miles. Good hiking day.10/9 Day 129: 18.5 miles M1516.3Laurel Creek Sheltera bit of a slow start today with the rain all night and into the morning. The rain let up soon after I began hiking. I enjoyed my stop at the Audie Murphy Memorial, which has become a shrine for many other than Audie Murphy. I took a wrong trail today, cashed in some of those frequent hiker miles and got at least two extra bonus miles I can add to the 18.5 AT miles I clocked today. Yea!The afternoon hike was a very nice hike along the ridge line of Sinking Creek Mountain. I passed a SOBO hiker with a 50lb pack, trail name is "Breathing Machine" -- I guess so."Kevlar" and "Crusty Tishooz" in this shelter are both sick. Hiking at the end of this day across a field as a storm front came across, I felt vulnerable to lightening (carrying aluminum poles) but pressed on as I put on my rain gear and headlamp for night hiking needed to get me the last two miles, across two streams, and into the shelter.10/10 Day 130: 18.5 miles   M1534.8Pine Swamp Branch ShelterRained all night and through the day until about 3:00pm. Not too cold, managed to stay dry. Shelter for 8 really only sleeps 4. Got the top bunk with the spiders, big ones, and very little room for my legs and feet. But at least today I didn't have to hike across a field in a lightening storm. Very rocky from War Spur Shelter to Bailey Gap Shelter, wet too, so I had to go very slowly. I am looking forward to Pearisburg. Did LSU win the game against South Carolina? I miss watching college football more than I thought I would. I've had no cell phone signal lately. This part of Virginia is very remote. I encountered deer hunters and bear hunters today.10/11 Day 131: 19.5 M1554.3Holiday Motor Lodge, Pearsiburg VAStarted early, Crusty Tishooz alarm at 5:00am woke me, so got up and out by 6:30am... all very good to get an early start, especially with the shortening daylight hours. Fog was present all morning climbing the mountains but otherwise I really enjoyed not having to wear rain gear today for the first time in a while. I climbed to the top of the first mountain in the dark hoping to see a nice sunrise, but too much fog. Didn't see much until noon when I crossed under a power line. Also, got the first signal in days on my phone enough to get a text or two out. Walked along the VA-WV border today and stood in WV a while to see a great view to the west in front of Rice Field Shelter. On the long descent towards Pearisburg, I saw many short-term hikers struggling with the climb.   I felt glad to be in shape and zipping up the hills these days hardly noticing or caring whether hiking up or down. The trail was very well-groomed and easy. I pulled into the outskirts of Pearisburg at 3:00pm and was offered a ride into town as I left the trail for town. I was glad to accept and learned this gentleman thru-hiked the AT in 2006, then bought a home recently in the area because of his experience in the area during his thru-hike. I had a great margarita, some good Mexican food, picked up some resupply items, and as it was Sunday, watched a bit of football. The rest was quite nice.