Date: 2017-05-28
From: Narrows Road Parking Lot/Pearisburg, Virginia 

To: Unnamed Campsite at Mile 656.0
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: light rain

5/28Narrows Road Parking Lot (Pearisburg, Virginia) to Unnamed Campsite at 656.0Miles: 20.6Total miles:  656.0I slept well and was up by 6:30.  Since everything was pretty much packed the evening before, I was ready to go by 7:15.  Juan Gone and I left the hotel and hiked over to Hardee's, where we ate breakfast. Afterwards, we split ways.  Juan Gone had gotten off the trail at Cross Avenue, while Gravity and I had hiked an additional 1.1 miles of the AT, and had gotten off at the Narrows Road Parking Lot. I had an easy stroll down Main Street to Narrows Road.  We left Hardee's at 8:00, and I was back on the AT by 8:20.  I briefly hiked through the woods, and then exited the trees to hike along US 460 on the Senator Shumate Bridge.  I exited the bridge by circling under it and walked adjacent to the Celanese Factory before reentering the woods. I enjoy the few urban snippets of the AT, since they add an interesting contrast to the usual experience. The original concept for the AT was that small communities would develop along the walkway. That never happened, but the AT does occasionally pass through everyday life.  There were two significant climbs early in the day, but both had good trail.  I passed by numerous Red Pink flowers.  The flowers are bright red with a v-shaped notch in each petal, so the Pink in their name has the same origin as Pinking Shears and not the color.  I also walked out of the woods onto a grassy area that was alive with flowering plants. The trail has pretty much dried out, and what was sticky mud two days ago was spongy trail today.  The morning was cool and sunny, with rain in the forecast beginning at 4:00.  It clouded up around 3:00 while I was eating my lunch sitting on a comfortable log.  It started sprinkling as I finished my Spam and Cheese burrito. I put the rain cover on my pack, but the rain never amounted to anything. It was partly cloudy the rest of the day. It was pretty much a perfect day to hike.  There was a long stretch without water this afternoon, so I made sure I had all water bottles filled at the last water source for over ten miles.  The afternoon hike was pretty typical of the trail lately; mostly easy trail with lots of ups and downs, with a healthy sprinkling of rocky areas thrown in for good measure. I concentrated on "Embracing the suck" at the rocky areas, took my time, and greatly lowered my frustration level. I made good time and planned on doing some pretty big miles today.  There were notices stapled to trees that the Pine Swamp Branch Shelter and surrounding area were closed to camping due to the large number of standing trees that had been killed by the gypsy moth infestation.  A mile beyond the shelter was "The Captain's Place." Famous for years among hikers, the Captain allowed people to camp in his yard.  His place was reached via a zipline over Stoney Creek, which is a substantial body of water. Unfortunately, the Captain has taken ill, and the zipline has been rendered unusable.  I hiked a few tenths of a mile further, looking for a stealth site.  I noticed a nice one next to a ten foot waterfall.  Then I saw that Juan Gone had aleady set up camp there.  I joined him and set up my tent. My new tent stakes worked like a charm. When looking at the creek to see where to get water, I discovered a substantial rock wall still standing along the waterway. I wonder if perhaps a mill used to stand there. I started the day passing modern-day industry and ended it by camping next to the remains of yesterday's industry.  It was late when I got to camp, having hiked 20.6 miles of the AT today, in addition to the early hiking to get back on the trail. I ended up completing my chores using my headlamp and was settled into bed by 9:30.  As I was getting undressed for bed, I was reminded of one of life's little pleasures: dry socks.  For the first time in many days, I took dry socks off of my feet  at the end of the day.  Oh, happy day! That would be it for today except for the Mystery of the Reappearing Tent Stakes.  Yesterday, I emptied my pack and checked it numerous times in my search for my  missing tent stakes. I had Juan check.  I looked again this morning. Nothing.  This evening while unpacking my pack in the deep twilight, my original tent stakes showed up.  I have no idea where they had been hiding. I'm guessing they were somehow caught in a fold in the bottom of my pack, except that there aren't any folds in the bottom of my pack. I've decided I am going to use my new tent stakes this week and then send them home with my friend Sharon, who is bringing my next pair of shoes to the railroad convention next weekend. I'll pack my original stakes where I can be sure to find them. I'm going back to sleep now. I plan on a shorter day of only 17 miles tomorrow.