Date: 2016-04-07
From: Sarver Hollow Shelter

To: VA 624 - Four Pines Hostel
Miles today: 22.8
Weather: scattered clouds

You know the saying about being careful about what you ask for? That saying applies to me today. I've been pushing and our hiking bubble has been doing pretty big miles. When we left Pearisburg, we carried food for 3.5 days but I said we may be able to reach Four Pines Hostel in 3 days. We got to Four Pines Hostel in 3 days. Having done it, I'd never do it again as a 2 mile per hour average hiker. The hike from Pearisburg requires too many hours of difficult hiking to be easily done by a 2 mile per hour hiker.Fresh Ground and I began hiking at first light while Blues Brother, Rambo, and the Kid started hiking at 9:30. We all ate at Homeplace Restaurant - something I highly recommend. My energy was bad all day because I failed to eat a complete dinner the night before. I don't intend on making that mistake again. Weather today was all over the place. Sunny at times with at least 2 hail showers. Fresh Ground and I saw an ugly looking set of clouds approaching us just 30 minutes before we summited Cove Mountain to reach Dragon's Tooth. This was the first time during this hike that we hastily put on rain gear as we feared we were about to be drenched. The storm passed with little fanfare - luckilyDragon's Tooth is a highly touted attraction on the AT and rightly so. The climb from the north to Dragon's Tooth features climbing over and between tall rocks that seem like scaling the back of a dragon if you let your imagination run a bit. It's a lot of fun, but is tiring too. At the top of that climb is a blue-blaze trail that takes hikers to the a vertical rock that seems to just jut upward for many yards to form the dragon's tooth. Hikers like me that are afraid of ledges can't hike such a vertical challenge. When David (my son) and I hiked this last year, David went to the very top of the tooth and stretched his arms as he stood on its narrow crest that seems to be just a 4 foot ledge - way too risky for me as I was afraid just looking at him do it. The climb after Dragon's Tooth is hard too.The climb up Brush Mountain required energy but it was admittedly a nicely graded climb with numerous switchbacks. Whoever created that climb did a masterful job. Another highlight today was the Audie Murphy Memorial. Audie Murphy is a World War II hero whose plane crashed nearby. The memorial features an American flag, a commemorative stone, and many tributes left by veterans paying their respects. The memorial is quite moving emotionally. Thanks to all veterans reading this journal. I am lucky to be hiking with many veterans this year and am so happy to have hiked the short blue-blaze trail to pay tribute to this hero.Four Pines Hostel was full tonight with many hikers I've met before - Booty, Candle Maker, Marathon - and many hikers I've heard stories about. We apparently have caught up to some faster hikers who will put distance between us beginning tomorrow morning. It was good to meet and speak with these hikers. Candle Maker was Big Critter's hiking companion for most of Critters' hike and he told us what we feared - Big Critter's hike is over because of his foot problems. Too bad for all of us because Big Critter is a great young guy who was a pleasure to hike with.Hiking this far on the AT isn't easy. I was reminded again about this with tonight's news about Big Critter. Some of these hikers have done a great job maintaining their weight. I am not one of them and I clearly need to improve my nutrition on the trail and become less reliant on resupply stops like today's delicious meal at Homeplace Reataurant. That's my wish as I drift back to sleep tonight.