Date: 2015-05-28
From: Pearisburg, Virginia

To: Daleville, Virginia
Miles today: 18.0

Hello from Daleville, VirginiaThis is trip day #50.   I walked about 6 miles into town this morning, and will stay at Howard Johnson¢s tonight. I am at northbound milepost 727.   So I am 1/3rd done.   I am also more than halfway through the approx 500 miles of the state of Virginia.   This is not to infer that the entire trip consists of ¢getting done¢, or getting to milepoint ¢X¢, but the mile markers show progress. I have not suffered any ¢Virginia blues¢, famous for AT hikers, because the state is so long, over 500 miles.   Perhaps because I am going fast enough to not suffer any such blues. I see steady progress, and know that one mile in Virginia is the same as a mile in any other state.   But Virginia remains a tough state, for up and down.   Virginia is no better and no worse in up-and-down than the previous three states.   I relish the flat terrain, whenever I get it, but have come to just get through the up and downs.   The AT is infamous for it¢s vertical, and it¢s true.   The hiking path was particularly tough, for several miles, recently. I took pictures, and they will show how tough. In a couple sections, I put away/tossed away my hiking poles so I could use my hands. Feet alone were not good enough. I am in the Howard Johnson lobby, using their one computer.   But nobody else seems to be using it, so I got permission to use it for awhile.   Daleville, population 2500, does not have a library, so this is the only computer I can use, other than my smartphone.   This Howard Johnson computer is even more locked down than most library computers, so, even though I connected my smartphone via USB cable to the desktop computer, it won¢t recognize the smartphone drive.   I will try to upload my photos later today via Wi-Fi. Weather continues to be dry and warm.   We wish it would rain more (!) so the intermittent streams have water. They don¢t now, so we have to carry more water.   Since the ¢green tunnel¢ is in full effect, I can safely hike without a hat and shirt, and often do. Bugs are minimal, at least for now. Brad/No Worries went back home to the Washington DC area on Memorial Day Sunday. His ankle did not allow him to continue then.   But he visited the doctor, the doctor told him he could continue, so he will, but hike southbound, from Harpers Ferry (milepost 1000) back to Pearisburg, or something like that.   So we have tentative plans to reconnect, going northbound, at Harpers Ferry. All TBD.   One interesting tidbit is that many hikers make plans to visit with their families at Harpers Ferry, WV. I have heard of several that are doing so, and I will do so, and will probably go visit Washington DC, close by. I have re-connected here in Daleville with ¢Gunner¢, who I met a couple weeks ago, and will now hike with him, until, perhaps Harpers Ferry. He is my age.   I have met other hikers my age and speed, and have been getting to know them. I have been working, mentally at least, on the reasons why I am doing the AT through hike, and hope to post it today.   We¢ll see. Sorry to keep stringing you along.   But I am in the woods most of the time, and I have limited time and access to computers at libraries.   I have yet to eat much today, and I need to work on that!. And I¢m going to get most of my head/face hair cut off, to help me get through the hot weather that is surely coming. Meanwhile, I will answer these questions from my former 3M co-worker, Betty David. (Former in that I¢m no longer there.) Questions from Betty David, May 22, 2015Question: How are the trees/plants/flowers, soil, & rocks different and the same as what you found on the SHT or other Minnesota hikes in the spring? Answer: Similar to Minnesota, but Minnesota has more brush and less mature trees. The AT has enough mature trees that you can be under complete shade cover from the leaves, but still see 100-200 yards, into the woods. That makes it pleasant.   The trees are about the same kind as in Minnesota.   Pines and other deciduous trees. A difference of the AT is the rhododendron bushes.   They are thick at times, and make the tunnel even more of a tunnel.   They are also now in bloom. I took a few pictures. Question: Because you are now mostly under tree cover, are you spotting wild flowers? Answer: Yes, early on, in the Smokies, we saw a bunch of very small wild flowers. I can¢t tell you what they were. Question: Have you seen any agates, our state rock?Answer: Nope, because 1) I¢m not looking for them, and 2), the trail does not have small rocks.   But it does have very large rocks that we hate, because they slow us down. Question: Do any of the hikers forage along the trail or a ways off of it?Answer: No, at least not yet. There are no berries now.   Maybe later, if we see them, then perhaps we would pick them.   But I/we are mostly focused on getting down the trail . Question: Are there other trail users? Bikes, horses, pack animals (donkeys, llamas, dogs)?Answer: Only dogs, and very few of them recently, which is fine with me.   Everything but human and dog foot traffic is prohibited on the AT, except for the Smokey mountains, where horses were allowed, and kept the trails < 15% grade, which we welcomed. Question: What have you or will you miss back home while hiking that you look forward to enjoying next year? Festivals, county & state fair, family gatherings, weddings, graduations, concerts?Answer: Yes, this is a sacrifice that being on the trail requires.   My own son and daughter-in-law returned from two years in South Africa earlier this month.   My daughter had a welcome back party for them. I of course was not there.   But I will see them and my entire family in mid-June.   This is just a price you pay for doing the trail non-stop. And, being from Minnesota, it¢s not feasible to got home except for emergencies.   Not impossible of course, but I won¢t go back home unless there is an emergency.   I will also miss my 45th high school reunion, which I regret, because I¢ve attended all previous ones.   But not this one.   I will miss three nephew/neice high school graduation parties.      Too bad.   I would return for any neice/nephew weddings, but there are none.   State fair can wait until next year. I am of course missing time with all the rest of my family, but don¢t feel sorry for me.   I knew that would be the case. I'm going now to get groceries and get my haircut, and to EAT!.   The reasons-why post will have to wait until later today, or just later.