Date: 2013-06-25
From: Va 610

To: Pearisburg, Va
Miles today: 76.3

6/22/2013 4.5 milesFrom Va 610 to Knot Maul Branch ShelterSo woke up this morning and me and Alphus headed out for our drive to take me back to Va 610 so that I can continue the journey of hiking the AT. WHAT??? Yep I'm back out! Long story short after getting off the trail on 5/23/2013 I was fine with my choice. Still am. But after talking to several people I realized a Truth about myself that I never admitted out loud before. I don't follow thru with goals. Hmmm what an amazing revelation! True. I mean yep I have two Masters and I have my CFE and so many things. But the big things... The BIG DREAMS I rarely follow thru with. So here I was talking to My FRIEND/My Family/My Pastor Pam and here partner Kathy (Yes they are). And with their help and talking with them I realize this Truth, and decide that it's probably best for me to come back to the trail and finish now... THIS YEAR!! Also, with the support of my friends and family I'm back out again. Especially my Big SIS Bette who said shell help me finish this and make sure I don't have to worry about losing my car. I LOVE YOU BETTE!!! So on my time off/zero days or "Break" as my buddy Alex would say, I went to visit friends and family, went to Disney (for the 30th time), and went on a cruise to Mexico. Upon returning I really realized I wasn't ready for "reality" yet. So I explained that I'd go out this time but only connect and update once a week so that I have 6 days of me time. So that is my plan, just update for 7 days in one posting a week. So me and Alphus made it to Va 610, he took a pic of me leaving and I was off. This was a great easy 4.5 mile hike. Not to bad of grades and but beautiful views of the south upon leaving the road. The highlights of the day besides being on the trail again. 1. I saw a bear on day one of being back out. It was right by the road Va 42, but ran so fast away I didn't get a pic. Then right north if this I had my first trail magic!!! This must be a sign that I should be back. A bear and TM on day one!!! YES!!! I made it to camp in about 1hr and 20 min. "Itsthesmallstuff" was here. A 60 guy who started March 7th. He says he's slow. :-) Several hikers are a couple miles ahead or a day or so. According to the log. I'm glad I'm here!! I'm truly blessed!! 6/23/2013 23 miles todayTotal 27.5 milesFrom Knot Maul Branch Shelter to campsite 2 miles from US 52Today had to have been one of the best days on the trail. So I wake up around 5:30am and eat, pack up, and head out around 6:38am. Much later than I wanted, but o well!!! The trail was a nice grade today. Only two up hills, but compared to Ga it was easy. The only thing was that part of the trail today was called Rock Gardens... Enough said!! LolI did pass one SOBO, section hiker, and two other section hikers headed to Damascus. So the fun parts, I saw 3 deer (one of which I got video), saw a rabbit, and heard that there was a bear on the trail. Well I never saw the last one. I did manage to drop my phone in the water while filling up my bladder!! I was sure it was a goner!! than goodness it wasn't!! It's my lifeline!! But it dried out by the time I left Chestnut Knob Shelter. That is a cool shelter, if I wasn't trying to do high miles I would have liked to stay there. I also ran into some awesome trail magic today. I had just filled up with water at Va 615 and was headed to the trail when two cars pulled up and asked if I was a Thru Hiker. I said yep and the guy was so excited. Said he did it in 1995 and wanted to pay it forward. I ate a whatchamacallit, drank some cold water and had some pop corn.. Yummy!!! I was going to try to make it to Helveys Mill Shelter some 6 miles from where I'm camped out, but my body said stop. So I listened. I will say it's strange not having lots if people on the trail, or knowing people you have met will be heading your way to greet you. This is a new journey now, one that appears will be hiked alone until I catch up to the tail end of the NOBOs. So this is my 2nd night sleeping alone, as in, no one is around for miles. It's a bit strange and scary at the same time. But this is the journey I've chosen and it will work out. Later!!!! 6/24/2013 23.5 miles today51 miles total.Day 3 of the journey back on the trail as been a very eventful one. I started looking at where I wanted to be tonight and realized I didn't go as far as I thought yesterday. Under by 3 miles. Well it's cool I still did 23 miles yesterday. So I headed out with the intent on making it to Wapiti Shelter, some 32 miles from where I camped last night. On the way I passed a really great campsite up the mountain that overlooked the valley, probably 2miles from where I was. I so wish I knew it was there, I would have loved it. Oooo well, I'll live. I did see a bear and deer during the first 7 miles. Again they ran away. The trail was a steady grade up, then down. The trail had a nice view of Bland as you crossed I-77. Right after this tho the trail was not marked all that well going down the hill. Well it was, but it was heed by flowers, so the trail right across the bridge to the left is not the right trail, just FYI. I figured I could get water at the creek by 612, nope I didn't. The water looked very dirty!! I decided since I had what I thought was a litter I'd get water at Harvey's Mill Shelter. I made it to Harvey's Mill Shelter after climbing a really thought mountain!! I want the rolling hills I was promised in Va! I needed water but didn't stop because this shelter is off the trail .3 miles, downhill!!! Umm I don't want to add more miles today. So i decoded Id try to make it to the next shelter, but i know there has to be some water source along the way...Nope!! ugh!!! I did run into a day hiker, Maps a section SOBO, and Ladybug a section SOBO. Ladybug gave me some water to help out. Two swigs, but I was thankful. It's crazy how when you have something you don't think about it much, but when it's gone!!! It's all you can think about. Maps did tell me that the water source at Jenny Knob Shelter was not really good, to just head on another mile to the stream. At first I was against this, but when I saw that Jenny Knob Shelter was off the trail downhill as well I skipped it also!! Saw another deer and baby, and another bear!!! Yay!!! So i made it to 611 filled up with water, Then the rain started, but was nice because of the hot day. I made it over Bushy Mt, then finally to Kimberling Creek Suspension Bridge. At this point I was exhausted, and decided another 8-9 miles was best left for another day, like tomorrow. I headed the .5 miles west to Trent Grocery, it has been going for some 40 years, it serves hot meals, and I drank a whole half gallon if chocolate milk, yummy!!! Ate most of my burger and fries. For $6 you can csmp, shower, and use the layndry. worth the stop!!! I did meet a section NEBO, named Salsa. I like having someone to chat with. Also meet Poet, he's taking a friends ashes up north. Just section hiking tho. So lessons learned. Get water when you have the chance!! 23-26 mikes is plenty, and it's ok to change your plan!! Also I passed 600 miles today!! Wooohooo!! Later!!! 6/25/2013 25.3 miles today76.3 total miles back on trail in 3 & 1/2 days... Not bad!! 630.8 total AT miles NOBOWhat a day!!! I didn't think I'd be able to get far yesterday after I did 23.5. After today I'm thinking 20-23 miles days are best. My feet hurt... But not as bad as I'd thought. They are really blistered tho! But they are worth it. So I left out of Trent's Grocery campground around 8:53 this morning. Told Salsa I might stop at Doc Knob Shelter, which is where she planned on going. At the time my blisters were pretty sore! After the first up it was really nice all the way to Wapiti Shelter. Lots of nice grading mostly down or flat. See prayer does work... Va rolling hills. :-) I think I caught another glimpse of a bear today, but I did see many deer and a quail. And some butterflies making out in a Butterfly orgy!! Hehe!! I did well today getting water at the stream that guided my way toward the shelter. I skipped the Falls, from what I read in the hiker logs at the shelters I should have went, well next time I guess. After Wapiti it was a hard mountain up!! But I knew by other hikers pics it would be worth it. And it was!! The hike to and beyond Doc Knobs shelter was cool also, it was funny to have so many tunnels to go through. I had to duck a lot...Rhododendron tree tunnels that is. Docs knob is a nice shelter also, but a little creepy glad I didn't stay....sorry Salsa. I was still feeling great at this point, so off I went to get at least 23 miles in. So off I went toward Pearisburg, not sure I was going all the way, but it was a good hike again. For some reason I thought I had another big climb, but it was just a little one. On the way up passed the big power lines that went over the trail, I ran into a doe. This time the doe didn't run off, she just started walking away a little. I started calling to her kind of like you would a dog. I told her she was so pretty, and thanks for sticking around for me to get a good look at her. I got like 20 feet from her. And I snapped a pic. Not a great one, but it's ok. She then just walked away. It was a great moment. My pinky to started to hurt after this, due to a nasty blister. :-(I keep going tho, looking for maybe a place to camp, or maybe make it to the town. Passed several great look-outs!! Then came upon some day hikers, they said the town was 2 miles away downhill. I took a look at Angels View lookout... Really nice view if Pearisberg. I then headed down and boy was it a crazy down!!! Kind of like Blood Mtn. So glad I didn't have to go up this. I'm already praying that tomorrow's hike out of here is not like that. I made it to the city, but couldn't get ahold of the Holy Family Church Hostel, but no one whould answer. :-( it was cheap and very nice from what I heard. So I had to walk up a large hill to the main strip to stay in the hotel. Cost a little more but at least I had a shower to clean my blisters and a bed. Can't keep staying at places, but one night is ok, kinda like a reward for making it so far. Well now for some R and R Goal tomorrow, get out of town by noon and get at least 20miles in. Later!!!