Day 105: Rest day in Waynesboro
Day 106: 19.1 miles
Rockfish Gap/SOBO mile 1333.9 to Reid’s Gap/SOBO mile 1353.0
Easy day today. Since the forecast calls for downpours and thunderstorms from tonight through tomorrow night, I extended my stay at Quality Inn. Slackpacked today and will sit out tomorrow and keep myself and my gear dry. Another zero! Zeroes everywhere! Ah, but they are needed.
Absolutely lovely trail again. Had only one major up, a 2000-ft elevation gain ascent of Humpback Mountain. The switchbacks felt so gradual that I almost never felt like I was actually going up.
Had a couple nice viewpoints here and there throughout the day, and the final few miles were surprisingly rocky (for VA thus far). I did the 19.1 miles in seven hours. Of course, not carrying all my gear didn’t hurt my speed.
Broke in a new knee brace I bought yesterday. I started the AT wearing one on my right knee for preventative measures. I accidentally left that one at a shelter in CT and replaced it in MA. Then I bought a stronger one after I tripped over air in NJ and banged up my right knee. Now I wear the same kind of stronger one on my left knee too since that knee started feeling wonky a few days ago. Both knees now feel more supported, though I can’t tighten the left brace as much as I would like because of vein damage issues in my left leg. The insoles still help my feet. I think I am managing things as they pop up well enough..? We’ll see. Tomorrow something else might start to hurt, who knows.
Day 107. Zero day in Waynesboro to avoid a storm that never arrived. Ack. Could have hiked.
Day 108. 10.7 miles
Reid’s Gap/SOBO mile 1353.0 to VA Route 56/SOBO mile 1363.7
It was either 10.7 miles or 36.1 miles today since I am slackpacking again and staying in the same Waynesboro hotel tomorrow to avoid another supposed incoming storm. There is only one road crossing between Reid’s Gap and Route 60 (36.1 miles away) and that is Route 56 (10.7 miles away). Since I am not (yet) insane, I chose 10.7 miles. It’s expensive to slackpack, but I wanted to get SOME miles in today instead of taking three days off in a row (yesterday to avoid a bad storm that never arrived and tomorrow to avoid another bad storm).
Had breakfast at the motel and met another thruhiker (SOBO). He’s done both the PCT and the CDT, and he told me the AT is way, way harder than either of the other two. He said if he had known the AT was this difficult then he would have done it first. I asked him in which ways it was more difficult, and he said: the terrain, the daily elevation gain, the heat, the humidity, the rain, the bugs, and the mental aspect of having no reward (views) most of the time after hard climbs. This made me feel better as even hikers seasoned from other long distance trails have difficulties with the AT at times.
Got my shuttle (Zubin of Valley Shuttle Services – great guy, good prices) to Reid’s Gap and continued hiking south. Had only one real climb, a 1200 foot elevation gain ascent of Three Ridges, a 3965-foot peak. I think that’s the highest peak I’ve been on since Maine. There was a gorgeous viewpoint on the way up. Truly stunning. Then it was a 3000-foot descent down to Route 56. On Sunday, after the storm passes, I will ascend over 3000 feet up The Priest.
Did the 10.7 miles in four and a half hours at what felt like a relaxed pace.
I really, really like the trail in Virginia. Usually dirt, sometimes rocky but never for that long, tons of switchbacks, and so far lovely scenery at the viewpoints.
Day 109: Zero day waiting out storm
Day 110: 18.2 miles
VA Route 56/SOBO mile 1363.7 to Hog Camp Gap/SOBO mile 1382.8
Finally left the motel in Waynesboro! Zubin, my shuttle driver, took me back to Route 56 where I had left off hiking before yesterday’s storm. It did actually storm yesterday, pouring rain nonstop, so I felt better about having had yet another day in the motel.
Started my hiking day with a 3000-foot climb up The Priest, which I believe is my first 4000-footer since Maine. That felt difficult with my pack full of resupply, but I took it a thousand feet at a time and took breaks. Then I had lots of smaller ups and downs across a ridge, staying above 3200 feet all day. I kept forgetting I was so high up since the vegetation doesn’t look much different from the valley. It is not like the Northeast, where the trees turn to krummholz at a certain altitude.
Had some absolutely breathtaking views from various spots. My favorite was the view from Tar Jacket Ridge. Have to say yet again that I very much enjoy the trail in Virginia.
Arrived at a camping area around 5pm and called it a day. I’m tired and sore. Over 5000 feet of total elevation gain today, I think.
A NOBO section hiker named Whisper is sharing my campsite. She is from San Diego and prefers the AT over the PCT because she really likes trees. Well, this is definitely the trail for people who like trees! She’s a nice woman and I enjoy speaking with her.
Day 111. 17.6 miles
Hog Camp Gap/SOBO mile 1382.8 to Punchbowl Shelter/SOBO mile 1400.4
Reached 1400 miles today! Yay!
Began my day with climbs up to Cole Mountain and Bald Knob. The views!! Stunning! Just as pretty as anything I have seen in the Whites. So incredibly gorgeous.
After that it was a descent into the Brown Mountain Creek area, the location of a sharecropping community from the post-Civil War area until the 1920s. Interesting history.
Lastly, a series of arduous ups and downs that prompted pep talks to my feet. “Just keep taking steps!”
The humidity has me sweating profusely every time I do an ascent over 100 feet. Sweat drips from my face, my armpits, even my hands. My clothes are always so gross. I will be happy not to sweat through them after the weather eventually cools.
Experienced great pain in my left knee at one point. I stepped down and pain shot through my knee all the way up through my thigh into my groin. Took a short break, then kept hiking. That happened once more before the end of my day. Hopefully whatever that is goes away. Not cool, knee.
The pain in my right knee never completely subsided, but it is always manageable with the brace.
Got to the shelter and, since it is supposed to rain tonight, I decided to use it instead of setting up my tent. It’s a little shelter, big enough for six if those six squeeze. It began raining as soon as I finished getting all my things in order. So nice to be dry inside and watch it rain outside.
There’s a little pond right by the shelter. I wonder if I will hear frogs or if the rain will drown them out.
So far I am the only one here. It’s early though. Two hours until darkness. Another hiker might show up.
Day 112, 10.6 miles
Punchbowl Shelter/SOBO mile 1400.4 to trailhead parking for James River Bridge Footbridge/SOBO mile 1411.0
It’s lovely sleeping in a shelter when it is raining outside. Rained all night and into the morning. I enjoyed hanging out, just me, listening to the rain hit the trees and the roof. I did have one mouse and one bat visit during the night, but they didn’t stay long, and I didn’t mind.
Started hiking just after sunrise and while it was still drizzling. Lugged myself up the rest of Bluff Mountain and was once again floored by the beautiful views.
Passed a memorial for Ottie Cline Powell, an almost-5-year-old girl who got lost and died up here in the late 1800s. Very sad.
Had some other views on the ridge between Bluff and Rocky Row mountains – again, gorgeous!! – then began the long descent toward the James River Footbridge where I met the shuttle driver from Stanimals, a local hostel. I will stay there tonight, resupply, then continue onward tomorrow.
My knees are back to aching, but they don’t hurt. They just ache. I also find I am not as energetic as I was during Shenandoah NP. I had high hopes for knocking out 20+ miles every day from now until Springer, but I think a more realistic goal is averaging 18. With a zero a week, of course.
I do worry about what will happen when the weather gets cold. That being said, right now I would love for the humidity to back off and for the temps to be ten to fifteen degrees colder. That would be perfect hiking weather. If it could be just like that for the rest of the hike, I would love it. One thing I am really tired of is sweating through my clothes within the first hour of hiking and then reeking until I eventually get to town and do laundry. I can smell myself now. I used to not be able to smell myself, but now I can, all the time, and I gross myself out.
But if it gets really cold and snowy eventually..? I do worry about that.
Got to Stanimals Hostel and had a semi-private room to myself. Spoke with Flight Risk, a NOBO section hiker, and a couple of other SOBO section hikers. It was good to be social.
Also got texts from both Fin and Silver Bullet! So good to hear from both of them. Silver Bullet is back on trail, taking it slowly for now. I am happy he is healing and can continue his thru-hike.
