Date: 2011-05-31
From: Buena Vista, VA

To: Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 162.2
Weather: broken clouds

05/24: Paid $20 to get shuttled back to the trail, but it was worth it to get a relatively early (0715) start on a town-leaving day. 2K feet of uphill to start, then bounced around. Clear early, then clouded up, then some drizzle. Anyway it cuts the heat a bit to be up higher, but of course there are no views. (They really need to take the word 'Scenic' out of of the ANST designation.) Late afternoon, 3K drop from The Priest, down to VA56 and the Tye River. Much stuffier down here, but there are campsites along the river, and I'm ready to stop. 25.1 miles.05/25: This was a hard day. Extended 3K climb, hot, and bugs were the worst as one reached the top of the climb. (This highest altitude bug intensity seems to be the rule.) Lots of boulder stumbling after the top. Very warm and little breeze. My right foot was aching all day. Heal also feels like it wants to crack. The stumbling went on and on. Finally down to Paul C. Wolfe shelter, for tenting. Only one other here. More hours, less miles (24.1) than yesterday, but very drained. 05/26: Short bit to get to Waynesboro access point, out to the highway at 0800. Instant ride from trail angel Kathy, who was just dropping off two other hikers. Into Waynesboro for resupply at Kroger, shower at the 'Y', internet at the library, laundry at BZ, sandpaper from Ace Hardware and heel balm from CVS, both to use on my heel, then Kathy took me back to the trail that same afternoon, hiking again at 1530. Thanks Kathy! Now in Shenandoah National Park and so chose to tent at Calf Mountain Hut. 12 miles for the day.05/27: Bit of rain in the early AM. Significant rain expected tonight, so want to make miles before it hits. Relatively easy trail tread, and so my right foot is not screaming. Mostly clear, breezy, warm but not as bad as it has been. Making great time, 16+ miles by noon. Anticipating hitting Loft Mountain camp store for treats. SOBO hiker mentioned trail magic at campground so detoured there for a while. 'Papa (???)' made me a burger with cheese and bacon included, chips, salsa and soda, nice. Off again, still stopped at camp store for ice cream. Only 1430 when leaving the store, 20 miles already and 6+ more to objective of Pinefield Hut. Got there at 1730, got the tent up, and thereafter lots of wind, some rain, but not too bad.05/28: More elevation change today compared to yesterday, but still relatively moderate, and trail tread is not foot-abusive. The ironically-named Bearfence Hut was closed due to bear activity, but the park provided free tentsites at the nearby Loft Mountain campground. My day ended there at 1415, a bit short of 20 miles. The shower ($3 all in) was a great refresher, hot and sticky is the hiking norm these days. Just a few other thru's here, plus some hiking shorter distances. Bought a couple packs of hot dogs, bread and condiments, others contributed beer, firewood, and fire-building skills and we had a fun evening. Didn't want to stay at the campground, figured it would be noisy, so went a quarter mile up a side trail and found a flat spot to tent.05/29: Easy tread again. I think my right foot, the one thing that has caused continual pain, is getting better. Stopped at the Big Meadows Resort for a late breakfast, good omelet. Stopped again in the afternoon at Skyland Resort for soda and ice cream. Was going to stop at Luray, but had enough food to get to Front Royal, so pushed on to Pass Mountain Hut for tenting. Another hot, sweaty night, but no rain. Really looking forward to laundry and a shower. Tripped for first 'face plant' of the hike today. Smacked a tooth into the ground but no apparent harm.05/30: Stop at the hostel or go four more miles for Front Royal? THis I debated all day. Started the day at 0615, and made it to the Elkwallow Wayside before it openend at 0900. Waited and had a breakfast burrito and other stuff, and plowed on an hour later. Hot as per the norm, but again no rain. Second day with an nice trip-and-fall! This one left me with a sore shoulder.   The gnats/flies have been fierce, just recently figured out I could use my headnet to keep them out of my ears without covering whole head (and sweating to death). But they have been having a field day with my forehead and temples. Really pissed that I missed the turn-off to the hostel. The way the AT guide described the turn-off in the data spread, the end of park kiosk and the hostel access trail should have been in the same location, so I watched for the kiosk. Unfortunately, it was a quarter mile past the access trail. Next thing I knew, I'm descending a cliff, rocks, rocks, rocks, four more miles to US522 and in to FR. Had my thumb out at 01715, got immediate ride, landed at the Quality Inn, laundry and shower, tried to hunt down what I wanted for resupply to get to Harpers Ferry, stayed up way too late. 05/31: Zero in FR. Expecting heat index of 105 today. Power failed while I was in Kmart. May let the town vortex hold me one more day, some more heat and storms would pass. One comment about hiking through Shenandoah Park on Memorial Day weekend. It was nonstop motorcycle noise. It is the one park characteristic that stands out in my mind. Not recommended, to say the least.