Date: 2019-06-08
From: Sarver Hollow Shelter (VA)

To: Sarver Hollow Shelter/Blacksburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0

When I woke up it was still raining. I went to the privy (where there was also cell service) and the weather app said there was supposed to be rain all day today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow. I went back to the shelter and told myself I could do it. We only needed to hike 6 miles today to the next shelter, 10 tomorrow, and then on Monday we would be picked up by some friends and get off trail to dry out.I sat down to heat up water for oatmeal. I could get the stove started but couldn¢t get a consistent burn. Then it would just go out without warning before the water was hot. I tried everything I could think of, but one of the things I need to figure out my stove is to listen to it. Because of the constant rain, I couldn¢t hear what was going on. I finally got enough water hot enough to make some oatmeal. By this time the other two were up. It took some time before our shelter-mate was packed and ready to get on trail. His plan was to hike to a road crossing 15+ miles north and see if a hostel would pick him up. I was still trying to figure out our next move. SC is pretty much up for whatever, so I often find myself in the position of being the decision-maker. We only had 6 miles to hike (6.4 if you count the hike back to the trail), and it looked like there might be a window in the afternoon of less rain, so I had some time to think.The pros of moving forward: more miles under our belt.Cons of moving forward: stove not working, SC¢s pack cover was not keeping her pack dry, my feet were in bad shape from being wet, I was having trouble keeping my sleeping bag dry, everything we owned smelled like wet dog, and the thought of spending 2+ more days in the rain made me want to cry. I didn¢t think we could make 15 miles to get picked up by the hostel, and I figured with all the rain, the hostel was probably already full. There was nowhere else to stay in the next town. Looking at Guthook and seeing the comments, I decided to try and see if we could get a ride from one of yesterday¢s road crossings into Blacksburg. I went to the privy and texted a number I found in Guthook. Next thing I know, we have a ride set up!I go back to the shelter, and SC and I start packing. Two others have just arrived at the shelter for the night. We bid them farewell, and went back to the trail.It felt like a sort of defeat to be walking the wrong way. The good news is that I was able to appreciate those beautiful steps going down this time. SC had missed the Keffer Oak yesterday and was able to see it today. We bumped into several hikers who we thought were ahead of us. It made us feel a little better about getting off trail in the rain. Also, this is the first real test of our gear ¢ the others have had months to dial things in. We made it to the road, our trail angel picked us up and drove us to Blacksburg, she refused to accept any compensation, and we got checked into a motel that is across the street from an outfitter. After taking a shower, I walked to a drug store to get something for my feet. We also got pizza, and it was from a place where I could get a gluten free one rather than just having a salad! This is much better than eating a tepid dehydrated meal before crawling into a damp sleeping bag.