Date: 2012-05-09
From: Niday Shelter

To: 4 Pines Hostel
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: light rain

4 Pines Hostel - 16.8 rainy miles Up and out at 6:20. It is dry and the walking is good. I reached VA Rt 621 in no time, and started the climb up Brush Mountain. The climb was long, but the trail was smooth and had many switch backs. So I just kept rolling. I reached the top of Brush Mountain within an hour of starting to climb. I felt good. I walked on over to the Audie Murphy Monument. Audie Murphy was the most decorated soldier in WWII. He was also an actor in many WWII movies. He died in a plane crash near here. I stayed, took pictures, and had a snack. While I was there, Mr Wrong and Lime Green arrived. We all left at the same time. As we hiked on, Lime Green mentioned that I should reserve a room for the HoJo in Daleville. I thought, oh yea, and stopped to call. I couldn't get a cell signal. I had just had one at the monument but 2 minutes up the trail, no signal. Next thing I know, Dakota Dan caught up too. So much for my early, hard walking. I stopped and everybody was catching up. Dakota Dan agreed to split a room in Daleville, so he tried to call (he has Verizon); no luck. Dakota walked on while I packed up again. I walked on another 10 minutes till I came to another high point and called the hotel again. This time I got through. I got the last room. Apparently Virginia Tech is having their graduation this weekend in Blacksburg and everything is booked even in Daleville. They wanted $110 for a room for which they normally charge $49.95. I took it. I walked along in no particular rush. When I reached the next stream I stopped to get water and to have another snack. From there it was supposed to be 4 miles to Dragon's Tooth, a huge rock outcropping that looks like a Dragon's tooth. The trail quickly became rocky and climbed; it started to rain, again. It went on forever. There is no way that was only 4 miles. I have a good idea of my pace and it doesn't take me 2 1/2 hours to walk 4 miles. I caught up to Dakota Dan on the way there, and we walked over the rocks together. After passing Dragon's Tooth, the trail turns down steeply over dangerously slippery rocks. The rocks are tricky when dry and extra dangerous when wet and slippery in the rain. We had to go very slowly probably about 1 mile an hour using both hands to let ourselves down the rocks. After a long time we got down the mountain and reached the road. There is a hostel 0.3 miles to the right and a store 0.4 miles to the left. We need to resupply but wanted to get a spot at the hostel and get out of the rain. So we went right to the hostel. We reached it about 3 pm. There was space available on the couch and we each took one. I got showered up and put on dry clothes. Mad Hat was there and he started a fire in the wood stove. I put up a clothes line and hung my wet clothes. About 5:00 Joe Miller, who owns the place, offered to drive us to the store. I got a pizza and bought my resupply. Tonight the hostel is dry and warm. I am sharing it with Lime Green, Dakota Dan, Mad Hat, Bottomless Pit, Gotto, the 3 Australian hikers: Big Brother, Little Brother, and Little Sister, and a bunch of section hikers.