Date: 2005-04-05
From: pearisburg, va. 

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

starting where i left off in 2004 north of pearisburg. will arrive apr. 5. attempt to finish section hike of a.t. at port clinton. hope to hook up with some of you on the way. pa kettleAPRIL 5, 2005 WELL surprise surprise, discovered after i got home that tape recorder not working again for first part of trail. don't know why i didn't check it now and then. but i do have some notes from journal.   took the bus to roanoke va. and got a city bus to outskirts. got a hitch from a young man and did not remember his name for the journal. darn it. took me to the trail north of pearisburg. va. 42. good guy. camped at campsite. APRIL, 6 left camp site around 6.COOL day but not too bad. no one out on trail or i missed them? nothing to report other than i am glad to be back and hope to finish.APR. 7 campbell shelter. long day. don't know why i do that. already getting blisters from going to much too soon. raining. i ache all over and sinus is acting up. no hikers again. must be too far ahead of the crowd starting from springer.APRIL, 8 bivouacked again tonite. was going to try for fullhart shelter . stopped and got water but then was too heavy so stopped and set up tent. cooked but not hungry. threw half of it away. i had stopped at a store at a hwy and got soda. got a blister on right toe and one started on right heel. left knee hurts going down hill. falling apart already. saw no one again on the trail today. made 20 miles today. APRIL 9 SAT. MADE 16 miles today.so so day. met crispy and sassy today. section hikers. great views today and was a warm day with lots of sunshine. met up with twinkletoes today. and he is in shelter with me tonite. he is from hudson n.y. hiked last year from springer to daleville. want to make it to bear mt. this year. also lazlo in with us at shelter. was a lt. col. and was in iraq. is now retired and is hiking from pa. to springer, then will return to pa. and hike to katahdin. he and twinkletoes had some interesting discussions about iraq. seems lazlo is brainwashed by bush and co. too bad seems to be a nice guy otherwise. and seemed halfway smart. amazing how people can justify the war no matter what. stayed in bobblets gap shelter.APRIL 10 SUN.   MADE 14 miles yesterday. got in shelter last nite at 3:30 and left this morn at 7:30easy day i guess. still tired and have sinus drainage, but seems to be less. blisters on both heels now. what else is new? same old shit. the one on the big toe is a bitch. walked thru pine forest today. nice. sat along a mt. stream and had lunch. nice rest. young couple with 2 kids were picnicking. saw 3 deer. met hot flash and nucleasr wussman. sect. hikers. said they asre going up north of waynesboro and come south next week. might see them again. stayed in bryant shelter. jaybird came in late. had hiked the trail in 95. is a fast hiker.APRIL, 11 mon. at harrison spring tent site tonite. made 14 miles today. met jiggs and shamrock today . sect. hikers. older ladies from pa. and new orleans. was some nice views today. va. is beautiful country. sinus still bad and blisters on heels bad. is cool tonite. rain and cold coming. have 2 days of food left. really like my new tent. sets up fast and just enought room for me and my stuff.    was thinking about my dad today. funny how much time you have out here to think about things. i visualized him in his striped bib overalls and long sleeved light blue work shirt with the sleeves rolled up most of the time. he had big muscles. wore a green cap. his dress up clothes were dickies or key pants and dark gray shirt. he was a hard worker. and honest. as for the cap. he was an alcoholic and he would go on a bender many times. when he would come home us kids would watch for him to drive in the driveway and see how far his cap was turned to the side. if it was clear sideways we would run and hide. his cap was a barometer of how mean he was going to be.APRIL 12 TUES.   made 12 miles today. rainy day but good trail. got a ride with eric smith to glasgow. talked about his first triathlon. is excited about doing another one. in glasgow did laundry and resupplied. kind of miss old twinkletoes. hope he will catch up with me. was fun to be around. hitched a ride back with an old duffer in a p.u. that i did not think would make it over the mt. hiked on up to the shelter. is cold tonite. looks like rain. set up my tent inside shelter. just to not be bothered by mice. had ramen with spicy chips mixed in. and a moonpie for dessert. stayed johns hollow shelter.APRIL 13 WED. made 18 miles today. staying at brown mt. shelter. swift moving stream right in front of shelter. set up tent again inside. is a spring 100 ft. away was full of leaves so cleaned it out. rained all morning. but my poncho works great. was cold so wore my mittens. felt good. saw 4 deer did not see a soul today. long climb in the morn . aft. easy but still tired. fell crossing a stream on the slick rocks. hit my knee and forearm hard. seems to be ok. right now. will see what it does in the morn. built a fire tonite. getting to be a real boy scout.. sun is shining on me sitting at shelter. southern exposure. nice.APRIL, 14 THURS.   masde 16 miles today. stayed at seeley-woodworth shelter boring day except for the 2 balds where they keep the grass mown. knee is ok. but was tired today. lots of climbing. tried to call mary all day but no service up here.. saw some whitetail deer. am passing the time thinking about an idea i have for a movie script and how i am going to clean out my garage and organize it for once in my life before i die. also planning on going to work somewhere. blisters on right heel are acting up again. will be glad to get into waynesboro and get a shower.APRIL, 15 FRI.   staying at maupin field shelter made 20 miles today. long day . whipped. but did see a human being. first one in 3 days. thought i was in the twilight zone. his name i stumpknocker. and visited with him for a time. he is sobo. was a cold morning. har to get out of warm bag and get moving. glad i brought my mittens. and i sure love my marmot driclime shirt. thee is a tent set up right off the trail but no one around. suppose to freeze tonite. left foot hurts going down hill. the ball of my foot. blisters are getting better. i really stink but too cold to wash tonite. my sinuses ar getting better also. walked along waterfalls for about 2 miles today. great views of va. farmsteads down below and am seeing deer every day. met the guy who was in the tent. he is out for two weeks and is headed south. has hiked most of va. name is eddie. seemed to be afraid of me. but he came over later and wanted to buy some food. i gave him a ramen,hot chocolate, and oatmeal. chris hook came in to stay at shelter. was just out for a day hike. APRIL, 16 SAT.   made 16 miles today. staying at paul wolfe shelter. very nice two story.saw lots of day hikers today. some nice views of va. farms again today. lot of rocks on trail. hunter and rollercoaster are in. sect. hikers. also two men and their young sons hiking for 10 days. i did take a sponge bash tonite.cant' stop thinking about going into town tomorrow. met a 2004 thru hiker named scuba from waynesboro. HAD his dog cadbury with him he remembers a lot of people i hiked with . seabreeze and light foot came in . have hike the long trail, alleghany, john muir,cdt etc. professional hikers i would say. they will be going out to do the whole pct. soon.APRIL 17, SUN. hike 5 miles into visitors ctr. waynesboro. scuba aka alex hausrath took me to town from rockfish gap. took me to his hime and let me shower and wash clothes. then took me towalmart. emailed everyone from his comp. then took me to quality inn. he offered to let me stay there but i like to have my own space. i rest easier. bought groceries. new tape recorder and ate at ayce steakhouse. still no hikers appetite. strange. cell ph. working now. called mary.APRIL 18 MON. just sitting here watching imus in the morning. have til 11 to check out. going to get 3 more cards and go to p.o. then breakfast at weasies ayce pancakes. sept so so . last nite.       couldn't eat much. ready to see if i can get a ride back to rockfish gap. i shouldn't even stay over in town . i only hiked 7 miles and it feels like 20. really tired for some reason. trail is pretty good but for some pretty good climbs. staying at calf mt. shelter tonite. no hiker register here.