Date: 2023-04-21
From: Campsite at 604.8

To: Woods Hole Hostel 
Miles today: 20.7

Hiking Day 42, Ending Elevation 3384 feetWe got off to an early start because we decided that going into a hostel might be more enjoyable than waking up and trying to pack up in the predicted rain. The only hitch being that said hostel would require us to walk more than 20 miles, a bit of a stretch for us. It may or may not rain early tomorrow, but we are going to bed having eaten a real meal (offered by the hostel), which included a large helping of salad greens grown in the garden¢¦.just what we needed! Woods Hole Hostel is apparently the oldest on the AT, it is run by the original owner¢s granddaughter, Neville, who seems very nice. She made us all stand in a circle and give our names and what we were thankful for. A nice touch but a little more touchy-feely than I like.Today was a long, but rather nice day. It started when about 1/2 mile from our camp spot, we ran into Sticks packing up. He told us he was ending his planned section hike today. It turns out he is a pilot for United Airlines and active duty military in the reserves. When he returns to his car, he has a 7 1/2 hour drive home to New Jersey and his wife. Then tomorrow he reports in for military service. We enjoyed talking to him for a couple of hours, then we all walked the 1/2 mile or so to Trent¢s Grocery for breakfast (Kerry had a sausage and egg sandwich and Felix and I each had a hot dog¢¦all washed down with coke and Gatorade) and wrapped up our conversation with Sticks. He then drove us back to the trailhead. So, today if one were to include the side trip to the grocery and to the hostel, we actually walked 22 miles, which is rather a lot.After we climbed the required mountains, we had a level walk for maybe 8 miles or so. Perhaps this is the bit, or one of the bits, people refer to when they say Virginia is flatter? Although 8 miles of flat in 530 or so does not, I think, qualify the state for that descriptor. That said, we¢ll see what the next 400 or so miles hold!But the ¢flat¢ walking was wonderful: nice duffy ground to walk on, tunnels of rhododendron forests to keep the hot sun off us and lovely babbling brooks to walk beside. It was idyllic. Then we climbed another mountain!  The ground was quite rocky in places, in the higher elevations especially. There is still not enough green in the trees to provide real shade but a periodic breeze made us a little more comfortable. Every day a little more of the forest disappears behind the green as more shrubs and young trees leaf out. More birds are singing, more butterflies flitting and quite a lot of large bees traveling around the trail at foot level. Felix is on constant alert for animals and smells so we remain very vigilant with him. He didn¢t eat much food today and I¢m wondering if he just doesn¢t like the brand or if the puppy food is too rich for him. We¢ll see how he does tomorrow. Shorter walk to Pearisburg tomorrow, 12 plus miles, but we won¢t start until mid morning probably because Kerry wants a proper breakfast and that won¢t be served until after 8 a.m. Meanwhile, I¢m hoping for a good night¢s sleep before our walk in the rain!People TodayChurchmouse who Kerry met yesterday Sunkist who remembered meeting us in Damascus (but we didn¢t remember her)Superior, tired and looking forward to a day off in Pearisburg.ConductorTrapper John finishing his section hike at the hostelSo many more!