Date: 2016-07-22
From: Bland, VA

To: Va 612
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

After an early start, we arrived at Pearisburg, Va after driving two hours. Bubba, our shuttle driver, met us as planned and we followed him to a parking area next to the trail. After shifting our gear from Sheepdog¢s truck to Bubba¢s van, we were on our way south to Bland to the start of this section. It was 9 am and already it is warming up quickly. There is a low layer of clouds hanging over Bland, with the mountain ridges sticking up above. I remember this from when I was here in June; it is very pretty. The sun will burn it off soon. On our way up the road, a car is stopped ahead of us and the driver is pointing out the window to the side of the hill. Bubba slows and we all look, and lo and behold, there is a bear peeking out of the brush. It looks so small and cute; it just draws you to wanting to pet it! It is an unanimous decision: bears should have been created to be incredibly ugly so humans are not drawn to want to pet them! We also comment that while we hope it crosses the highway safely, it also means it will put it on the same ridge we will be climbing. Sigh.Bubba drops us off and wishes us safe journey and down the road we go. The first mile is on paved road, curving downhill and I remember it well. Soon it is time to turn off into the woods, and we take time to get our special buffs (presents from Sheepdog!!) wet in the creek. It is turning into a hot day. Thankfully it will be spent in the shade of the forest. I chowed down a Cliff bar (how can I possibly be hungry after only one mile) and we began to climb the ridge as the trail rose along the side. After 15 minutes, the sweat was pouring and we were stopping for frequent rest breaks to calm our breathing. Heat and humidity make this harder that it really is. Crumpet is having trouble breathing, my back is being cranky and I am way too hot. Sheepdog is acclimating well (did I mention she is the youngest and strongest; an incredible hiker?).We finally reach the ridge top and sit down to rest and reassess. It has taken us far too long to go so few miles. Decisions have to be made. Crumpet is truly not feeling well and reluctantly makes the wise decision to turn around and hike the 2 miles back to our starting point. We call Bubba to see if he is available to pick her up and take her to Pearisburg to the truck so she can go to a hotel, urgent care or whatever she feels necessary. That is set up, and we sadly part ways. It feels uncomfortable to have her hiking by herself while not feeling well, but it is only 2 miles and downhill. We turn on our phones and make a plan to text every 20 minutes until she reaches the shuttle. Sheepdog and I continue on. I am able to pick up the pace a bit now that we are on the ridge and we move along well, but after 30 minutes of that, I begin to realize that I am fading quickly. My back jolts with every uneven step and I am rapidly running out of water. I know we still have to climb Brushy Mountain before we camp for the night and I question whether I can do it without dehydrating. There is an abysmal lack of water in Virginia due to the excessive heat over the last few weeks. We hear from Crumpet, she is safe and at the road waiting for Bubba. Sheepdog and I sit and rest while snacking. My calf twinges with a cramp. That is not a good sign. With a sigh, I own up to the truth and admit to Sheepdog that I need to bail out as well. There is just no gain for this ¢mature¢ body in pushing through this heat. We check the map and see that there is a road crossing where I could be picked up. Again, a call is made to Bubba and a pick up arranged. I still have to hike 3 more miles but it will be mostly downhill. Off we set and the pace gets slower as the day¢s heat keeps increasing. My watch shows it to be about 93 degrees. A slight breeze picks up and helps me to feel more comfortable. Having been here before, I put my head down and just hike, hoping to end the misery as quickly as possible. Sheepdog is encouraging and we finally get to the bottom to find Bubba waiting and Crumpet wilted in the back seat.We make a plan: Crumpet and I will get the truck and head to the Plaza Motel in Pearisburg for a night of air conditioning. Sheepdog will continue on in her quest to complete the Va section of the AT this year. We will meet her at Dismal Falls tomorrow at lunch time and provide trail magic for her in the form of icy cold Gatorade. Thankfully we can drive to Dismal Falls!!Crumpet and I are devastated to be off the trail but try to pump ourselves up by acknowledging the wisdom of our decision.Total miles hiked today: 9.9 (but they don't count in my total because I already counted them before)