Southbound.

-->

August 5-October 2, 2011 

Hop 

Excerpts from my journal

Day 82 August 11, 2011, PA, MD, WV, VA

The moon and stars above Pen Mar Park were bright and beautiful. I, however, could not fall asleep. Pesky teenagers kept making noise in the park until 12 or 1 and the trains running the mason dixon line chugged by every two hours. I was laying on my tarp feeling itchy and sweaty. Once I finally did fall asleep I was awoken by the obnoxious sounds of a couple having sex only 30 yards away from me. This is not how I wanted to start my big day...At 1:45 AM I decided to give up on sleep and just start hiking. I made my way back to the MD line and started out. The first few miles were rocky, slow and frustrating. I did not think I was gonna be able to do the 4-state 50 mile day. Throughout the dark morning I started to feel a bit better. The shining stars, and setting full moon really picked up my spirits. By 5:45 I had done 10 miles, and right there I set a schedule for the rest of the day. 10 miles for every 4 hours. 6-10 AM, 10-2 PM, 2-6 PM and 6-10 PM. If I followed this pace I would finish the day. It became my goal to shave off a little time with each 10 mile section. All throughout the day I saw animals: 4 fawns, 2 buck, 8 doe, 2 goats (wild?), and a screech owl. By the end of my 3rd section I had shaved off a full hour and had walked through Mt. Vernon Park and some very historic sections (Civil War battlefields...etc). I started to feel a bit delirious and out of it during my 4th leg, but when I hit Harpers Ferry well before 5, I was encouraged. I ate a filling supper and sat at a picnic table to rest. I popped a few Ibuprofen for my feet and crossed the Shenandoah River. The last 9 miles in WV and Virginia were not bad except for a few rocky sections. I hit my destination, David Lesser Memorial Shelter at 8:35 PM. Just at dark. Now I rest. Hiking 50 miles is a long day. Welcome to VA!

Day 89 August 18, VA

The rat! I heard scurrying in the night and I was pretty sure the culprit was bigger than a mouse. So during one of my pee breaks I took a look and found him. A rat! The size of a small cat. It actually was kind of cute. Other than that I slept really well...BUT I awoke to a sock missing. A rat and a sock thief. I was scared I would be down a sock, but after 10 minutes of searching I found it tucked in a crack on the upper level of the shelter- phew. I didn't leave the shelter until 10 or so because I thought I was only doing 13 today. I took another long lunch break and started hiking on when I decided, why not do 20 into Waynesboro, then a 5 tomorrow instead of a 12 and a 13. So I decided at about 3 PM to book it. I saw 2 bears today and one nice 8 point. I left Shenandoah and the manicured trail behind. I met a NOBO about to flip flop, got a ride into Waynesboro with a political ranter from Mr. D's old school in Charlottesville. I showered at the YMCA and visited the public library. I slept on a park bench behind the YMCA. A good day. I'm glad I decided to go to town because I would have been bored doing a 13 on a beautiful day, plus the shower felt great, first one since August 4th!

Day 102 August 31, VA 

I woke up early for the big day, 34 miles to Chestnut Knob Shelter. High Life, " you are doing 34? well I guess I will come with you." Great. I passed Harvey's Mill Shelter by 9:45 and banged out 15 miles by noon. We were flying. The trail was flat, easy and followed a lot of forest roads for the first part of the day. I lunched at Laurel Creek (site of an infamous trail murder) and filled up my water bottles. From here on out, 14.8 miles remaining, the trail turned pretty tough. The climbs were steep and had rugged footing. I saw a large rattler about 5 feet off the trail and also saw plenty of deer. I came down into Walker Gap, tired, out of water, and ready to be finished for the day. I took the trail to a spring but the spring was completely dry. I walked out to the road to look for another source and HL, but no one or water was around. I ran back to the spring to dry and dig, but no luck. All I could find was puddles on the road, water laying in the deep mud tracks of a truck. I took it, I had to other choice. I filtered the mud water with my bandanna but my water bottles still looked like the Conestoga after a good rain. I was completely pissed off and had to climb another 1,000 feet of elevation to a shelter, which had no water source. I treated the water I had and tried not to think of getting Guardia. The shelter had a great view of the sunset and stars, but I struggled to enjoy them.

 Day 123 September 23, TN/NC

I slept well through the rain. I'm surprised that it has not been colder up here in the Smokies during my time. I'm thankful for that because of how wet it has been. I headed for Fontanta Dam expecting it to be downhill and dry. The day however was a tougher hike than I expected. My body, mainly toes, were in pain as I went up and down the whole way into Fontana. I also hit a hard downpour about midway through the morning. I saw one bear up in a tree. A lot of day hikers were hiking toward Shuckstack fire tower and kept asking me how far? how long? 123 days and 2,000 + miles was what I wanted to say. I just said about a mile to every one of them. I made my way down to the Fontana Dam and visitors center around noon. A damn big dam. As I took off my boots, William came out to talk to me. He offered me a ride into the village, which I heartily accepted. Him and his wife were very kind. I recharged at the F.D. village Gen'l store, laundromat, restaurant/ grill. I had a great BBQ sandwich and washed it down with a Southern Tier Double IPA and two Yuenglings. Best beer on the trail. I dried my culprit wet socks by the quarter fed machines. My shuttle back was 3 dollars. I got a free shower then hung out at the Hilton Shelter. I got a nice fire started and read comics. A good end to the day, 13.8 miles hiked

 Day 131 October 2, GA

A hungover morning. Pounding head but the hot fire is a cure. Weed and rum in excess the night before and 8 miles from the end. Legs moving and more food donations from Kinder helped me on my way. Solar Joe and Steve are gonna drop off beer for me at the base of Springer Mountain. I reached waterfalls, small creeks meandering through rhododendron groves and cute shelters. I passed a family-they gave me licorice. Others talked to me. "How long have you been hiking?" They couldn't believe I was soon finishing and neither could I, to be frank. I reached the Springer Mountain forest road a bit after high noon. I found a note and 2 other campers--both of which pointed me to the beer hidden behind a big old oak tree. I threw it on my back and climbed the last 1.1 miles of the entire Appalachian Trail. The final mountain was not much of a mountain. Sunday afternoon, so groups of day hikers were canoodling around. I blended in, thankfully. I touched it. I walked it. the whole way. Maine, 2000 miles. Had I? I didn't feel like I could brag, or be exuberant...It was too deep and significant. It was the end and I was a little scared of regular living. I stayed on top of Springer for 3 1/2 hours. I chatted with some, drank some beers, took pictures, napped and thought of my journey. I threw my walking stick off Springer Mountain. I thanked it and I cried, my maple-wood companion. Before too long, I was alone and retracing my steps. I was picked up around 4 by Hiker Hostel. I knew I could sleep, shower, drink and eat well, but what does it matter?