Author: jpetesd

Day 54 Buena Vista, VA Zero Day 795.8 miles total

This is getting frustrating!

Shuttle to trail scheduled for 9AM today. Woke up to view of mountains below. Light drizzle and low clouds.

Was prepared to walk in that but started raining harder right before shuttle arrived. As forecast for afternoon was for steady rain, I canceled hiking plans for day.

Got to Post Office and sent back fleece jacket and stove. Just taking up space in pack.

Afternoon showers tomorrow and Th PM in forecast. Going a little stir crazy so hoping decent weather in AM.

Happy trails!

Day 53 Petites Gap to Punchbowl Mtn Overlook (20.8 miles) 795.8 miles total

Mostly cloudy but no rain today.  Southern VA has gotten 5.5″ of rain so far in May.  Looking at 2 more inches over next 3 days.  Probable flooding in areas south of where I am.  Hoping just rains at night.  Got miles to make!

This is the James River footbridge. Longest foot-use-only bridge on AT. Just before crossing was a lady doing some volunteer trail maintenance (whacking weeds with a scythe). She offered me some watermelon. Refreshing!

Looking back down at James River and area of footbridge.

View from Big Rocky Row after 2000 ft elevation gain in 3 miles. That’s steep and generated a lot of sweat.

Hitched a ride into Buena Vista, VA at end of day. Expecting rain tonight (again).

Next stop Waynesboro, VA. Will have some new shoes waiting for me there. My Merrill Moabs have been great but 800 miles is a lot of steps! Starting to come apart. Hope Krazy Glue holds or I’ll have some wet feet next few days.

Happy trails!

Day 52 VA 614 to Petites Gap (18.7 miles) 775.0 miles total

Cloudy and very foggy today. Not a good day for photos.

Some hikers have packages of food sent to them along the trail. Unnecessary in my opinion (unless you are on a special diet) as you can resupply every 2 to 3 days.

Package below was sent to campground I stayed at last night. It was taken from the mailbox and opened by a bear. Three other packages went missing this week as well. I imagine bear saying “Where is the mail? It’s 3:00. Should have been here by now.”

Big jug to right is strawberry wine fermenting.

Started raining about 7PM. I was in tent already so dry and cozy.

Weather for tomorrow is same. Cloudy with shower possibilities increasing later in day. Hoping to make 20 miles to Buena Vista, VA.

Happy trails!

Day 51 Bearwallow Gap to VA 614 (5.6 miles) 756.3 miles total

I felt a little lethargic this AM but got on trail by 9:30.

Saw a fisherman catch a big trout in this stream. Probably close to 24″. Also saw a big, brown snake swimming along. Probably close to 48″!

Shuttle driver said to me this AM “Be careful up there today. It’s gonna storm up there this afternoon.”

When you’re hiking in forested mountains you don’t see much horizon so difficult to see storms approaching. I heard yesterday’s thunderstorm much earlier than I saw clouds.

I knew leaving that a campground (with lunch) was 6 miles down trail and a shelter at 10 miles. If it was like yesterday, there’d be a passing thunderstorm then clearing.

Got to campground little after noon. Not raining but I was actually hoping it would start so I could justify not hiking and getting a cabin.

About 1:30 clouds started moving fast. I got a cabin. By 3:00 major thunderstorm. Made me feel vindicated and not such a slacker!

Rained pretty good for about 4 hrs. Electricity went out. My cabin (no running water) was dry though.

Weather for next 5 days is very similar so will do what I can to make some miles.

Happy trails!

Day 50 US 220 to Bearwallow Gap (21.6 miles) 749.7 miles total

Warm and humid this AM. Beats cold and rainy! Did have about an hour long thunderstorm that cooled things down a bit. I was close to a shelter midway through the rain so was able to stay mostly dry.

The trail crosses the Blue Ridge Pkwy numerous times through here.

Hiking was fairly easy today as not a lot of big elevation changes.

We’ll be heading to that big peak tomorrow.

Got to Bearwallow Gap about 5:30. No cell service to call for shuttle. Had to hitchhike the 5 miles to Buchanan, VA. Not a lot of traffic but got ride after about half hour.

Off and on rain for next 3 days. Hopefully mostly off!

Happy trails!

Day 49 Pig Farm Campsite to US 220 (15.5 miles) 728.1 miles total

7 weeks in and just 2 miles short of 1/3 point.

Starting to see a bit more farm land in valleys.

Nice day today. Sunny and about 80.

Weather should be good again tomorrow. I’ll keep on trekking.

Happy trails!

Day 48 Pickle Branch Shelter to Pig Farm Campsite (16.9 miles) 712.6 miles total

Not a lot of miles but some rewarding ones. Two big climbs of 1000 ft+ over 2 miles. That will test your lung capacity!

Grock (experienced hiker) also told me the other day that I would get faster as my trail reading skills got better. Chuckled to myself as I thought “How hard can trail reading be? Even I haven’t made any costly wrong turns.”

Well…happened twice today! Cost me about an hour and a half of time. One was bad. Climbing down this gully slipping, sliding, and thinking a lot of people must get hurt here. Ten minutes down and I knew it couldn’t be trail. Took me 30 minutes to climb back up.

I think we all know where this is going. Right up and over that hill. Nice hiking through non-forested land, even when uphill, because no roots and few rocks.

McAfee Knob. Probably 20 day hikers and 1 thru-hiker there when I arrived. Day hikers scattered when I went out on Knob. Not sure if it was beard, stench, or the fact that I looked like I had just hiked all day to get there.

Just Rocky…King of the Knob!

Panoramic view from McAfee Knob. Better, Legs?

15.5 miles left to Daleville, VA. If I feel good and weather is good, I will just stop and get something to eat and go another couple hours further. If not I’ll stay at motel in town.

Happy trails!

Day 47 Laurel Creek Shelter to Pickle Branch Shelter (22.5 miles) 695.7 miles total

Much better hike today. Have to admit that yesterday I had my first serious doubts about whether I can make the whole way. Guess I may be trying to push too many miles.

There is a really nice ranch/farm house in this pic. Beautiful setting.

Keffer Oak is more than 300 years old and is over 18 feet in circumference. Second largest oak tree on AT. Dover Oak in NY is slightly larger.

Lot of today’s hike was along ridge line. Easier hiking than going up and down mountains. Very similar terrain as ridge in pic below.

Was not aware that there is an Eastern Continental Divide.

Audie Murphy was most decorated US soldier of WW II. This monument is about 100 yds off AT. Very impressive. Flag flying at half staff and lots of flags, dog tags, and other memorabilia left there.

Supposed to be sunny again tomorrow. Will be passing McAfee Knob, one of the most iconic photo spot on trail.

Happy trails!

 

Day 46 Bailey Gap Shelter to Laurel Creek Shelter (14.6 miles) 673.2 miles total

Very disappointing mileage day today. Good weather but rocky terrain beat me up.

Getting to Daleville in 4 days (94 miles) was a bit too much of a stretch. Going to take me 5 days. I was trying to make up for Saturday’s unplanned zero. Not going to happen.

An experienced hiker, Grock, told me a few days ago that I’d finish if I don’t push myself too hard. Told me to stop for rest when I start to make “bad steps” (tripping, slipping, falling).

Today about 4:30 I was navigating across a stream and slipped in. Bad step plus my shoes and socks were soaked!

I’ll get a little extra rest tonight and do the remaining 54 miles to Daleville in next 3 days.

Happy trails!

Day 45 Cross St to Bailey Gap Shelter (24.3 miles) 658.6 miles total

Got a nice day today…finally. 70’s with a few clouds. 3 more days like this will make Just Pete a happy hiker.

Trail was in pretty good shape considering all the rain. 95% of trail was dry. Just a few spots where had water still flowing on trail. Shoes and socks pretty dry.

I’ve had countless people tell me this hike is inspiring them. That makes me happy but I really hope you do something with that inspiration. Turn that into a goal. That will really make me happy.

I’m a huge believer in setting goals. I started this hike with 2 goals: thru-hike all 2190 miles and raise $50,000 for the charities I’m hiking for. Almost everything I’ve done for the last 45 days has revolved around those goals.

If you don’t have a personal goal(s) you’re working to attain now, start! You can set a goal to volunteer at a local charity, exercise, diet, save money or virtually anything important to you. Just make it something you are truly willing to commit to.

Happy trails!