Category: May 7 – May 31

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!

Day 44 Pearisburg, VA Zero Day 634.3 miles total 

Good day of rest today. Watched about 8 hrs of golf!

The Players is held at TPC Sawgrass which is a couple of miles from our house in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

View from Holiday Motor Lodge. Nothing fancy but dry and beats sleeping in a tent!

No rain forecast for next 4 days. Hoping to make 94 miles to Daleville, VA in that time.

Happy Mothers Day to Kris, my mom, and all of you other moms. Have a great day!

Happy trails!

Day 43. Stealth Stream to Cross St (22.1 miles) 634.3 miles total

The mountains kicked my butt today. By far the most difficult day of hiking yet and not because of the terrain.

I started hiking at 8:30 hoping to finish 22 miles to Pearisburg about 4:00. Temp about 55, fog and drizzle.

The trail was a sloppy mess. Water and mud all over because of last night’s rain (along with last 3 week’s). My shoes and socks were very wet early in the day.

The undergrowth of the forest is filling in. You now brush against some of this growth as it encroaches upon trail. When it’s wet, you get wet!

At 2:00 I was still 8+. miles out. Still foggy and drizzle. Probably a little cooler as well. Now I’m starting to hear thunder. Checked my guide book to see if any road crossings between here and town where I could be picked up by shuttle if necessary. No such luck.

By 3:00 it was ugly. Steady rain and temp dropping. Progress is slow and it will be at least 2 hours until town.

Now I am really questioning why anyone, especially me, would do this. I should be just finishing golf and heading to The 19th Hole for a few Budweisers!

Your pledges and the charities I’m hiking for kept me going.

The last 2.5 miles were brutal. Still raining and now Iin mid-40’s. My hands are freezing and water sloshing in shoes. Have gloves but they’re deep in backpack.

I lumbered through the last mile slipping and stumbling. Finally saw the road that leads 0.7 miles to town. Trail got steep and very slippery at end. Of course I slipped and slid about 10 feet through mud. Now I’m freezing and covered in mud!

I walked that last .7 miles as fast as a frozen, muddy person can. Got to hotel at 5:30. My hands were so cold it took 5 minutes before I could operate a pen to sign in.

Soaked in hot shower then went across street to Mexican restaurant. Several Buds and a carnitas dinner later and feel much better.

Cloudy tomorrow with chance of rain early. I will be taking day off and watching The Players Championship. Not a planned day off but I deserve it!

Sun in forecast Sunday through Thursday. Can’t wait!

Happy Mothers Day to all moms.

Happy trails!