Flash Flood, June 16th

My mom and I are doing trail magic again today. We made lunch meat sandwiches with a ton of meat in them, doughnuts, chips, oranges, beer, Gatorade, OJ, and cherries.

A section I hiked with Blue in the morning 

My mom hiked a small section with me during the day and got a ride back with a guy named Tim who was also doing trail magic for his son. She set up trail magic farther up the trail and I ran into Duck, Scout, and Sun. I hiked the rest of the day with them slack packing via my mom until a thunder storm came around and dumped a flash flood on us. Our phones were buzzing with the sounds of emergency alerts over the flood. The trails were much more like rivers. We just got absolutely soaked. Blue was pulling so hard and we were hiking downhill. I slipped a few times from that. I ended up having to hold his leash tight and next to me to prevent him from pulling me down. He really didn't enjoy hiking in a thunder storm with us.

We all piled into my mom's car when we got to the next gap all having to squeeze in. We drove back down the road to a park wayside. It was a little cafe and gift shop. I finally got to try the blackberry ice cream here that I've been hearing so much about. It was the only flavor they offered. I hear that it's blackberry everything in this area this time of year and blackberry is my favorite! It was so delicious. We all tried to dry off. I spent some time in the bathroom drying my clothes under the hand dryer. I ended up wringing out my socks in the cafeteria without thinking about it. I guess I really am hiker trash now because it didn't even occur to me that that wasn't something acceptable. I took some paper towels to clean it up after shocking my mom at my horrible manners and finished getting all the water out in the bathroom. I also got some gifts for Father's day in the gift shop and my mom and I got some fudge.

We all decided to drive back to Waynesboro, VA together after that. They all thought that they'd never come back to Waynesboro in their lives but here they are again! We got into some dry cloths at the hotel then headed over to panera bread for a quick dinner before going to see Wonder Woman in theaters. It was a good movie. On the way back we stopped by a place called Kline's Dairy Bar which offers house made ice cream. I got this delicious scoop of banana pudding ice cream in a waffle cone. It was a great way to end the day.

All of us crammed into the car. Blue is by my feet.

Today I got to mile 894.2 with 1295.6 left to go.

Hot Dogs, June 15th

My toe looks pretty angry from where I itched the skin off of it a few days back.

My mom hiked a much shorter section today and went back to the hotel while I hiked on with Blue. Before  she went back we did trail magic! We had made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, an array of other snacks, and mimosas (on request from Sun, we made her trail magic dreams come true!).

We encountered a bear, a young bear. It was pretty close in a dense forrest section, it scared me so bad. I was screamed at it trying to scare it away. Blue never even noticed the thing, he just looked at me like I'm a crazy person.

My mom was suppose to pick me up at a certain time I tried letting her know that I had arrived really early and was going to hike on to the next gap. I never heard back, it turns out she really did destroy her phone and that it no longer works at all. We waited around for a long time and eventually hiked back to the original meeting spot on the road. It was starting to get dusk and I was worried since I had no way to contact her. Blue was just spread out in the grass cooling off. It was another really hot day out and he felt it. I ended up getting Dungeon Master to knock on our hotel door to see if she was there, she wasn't. She did however make it, it was a longer drive than she was expecting, but I had also hiked a lot farther into the park.

We ended up driving to the nearby theater to watch the new Mummy movie which was actually pretty decent until the very end where they just went overboard and destroyed the thing. We stopped at Walmart to pick up things to do trail magic for tomorrow.

Today I made it to mile 882.1 with 1307.7 left to go.

Shenandoah National Park, June 14th

I couldn't sleep much at all last night. I got 5 hours at most and got going early in the morning. Maybe I was just excited to have my mom here with me. We had to switch hotel rooms and run errands before heading back off to the trail. We drove a bunch of hikers around to get from place to place faster. It was nice getting to help my friends out. Everyone was taking a zero in town but my mom, Blue, and I headed back to the trail to do a small section.

Dirty Duck had the awesome idea of bringing a bike out to place at the end of where my mom will be hiking. She's nowhere near as in shape as I am so only a few miles a day is much more reasonable for her. The AT runs along Skyline Drive in the Shenandoahs and crossing it frequently which makes this plan work out great. We lock up the bike at a crossing with Skyline Drive the number of miles that my mom feels like doing for the day. Then she will ride the bike on the road back to where we parked the car as I hike on to get more miles done for the day. We planned on just doing 4.5 miles for the day together. Although I found the terrain to be quite easy and flat it was a much different story for my mom who struggled with the mild rocks and inclines. It didn't help that a huge thunderstorm came in and drenched us. My moms phone got soaked and ruined.

She ended up waiting at the first intersection with Skyline Drive at 2.7 miles while I hiked on to get the bike with Blue. The weather did clear up, it was only a short storm. It was a nice break from the steaming hot weather we had been having. Blue was very excited to be out hiking but I can tell that the heat was taking a toll on him. He was just panting most the hike and I know that it wasn't from the hiking itself. I'm just glad that we will be being back to air conditioning at the end of each day so he can cool off better. On the section I did with Blue we passed some communication towers and tractor seats installed into the ground, they were pretty silly and I couldn't resist sitting on one.

The bike ride back was great, it was mostly downhill and Blue just loves to run fast on bike rides. My knees were having a rough time with the uphills we encountered, it's been so long since I've been on a bike and all this hiking has taken a toll on my knees. We were almost back to my mom and going fast when Blue decides to squat to take a dump mid-run. It was so sudden that it pulled me down off my bike. A car was coming up from the other direction and wanted to know if I was okay. It was pretty embarrassing. I'm usually pretty good at dropping the leash on the rare occasion that he does something like that.

My mom biked the rest of the way back to the car and came back for us, we got back to the hotel and cleaned up. Sun wanted me to dye her hair so I went over to do so. There was some extra dye so I dyed a strand of my own hair too! It didn't stick out much at all. I think I got it in there too late.

Down the street a carnival was going on, we saw it yesterday so my mom drove us over to enjoy it. I usually love rides but I, actually I think many of us, felt that motion sickness. I don't normally have it but I think that since i've only been going at walking speed for so long that my body just wasn't handling it so well. I skipped the last few rides afraid that i'd throw up.

Today on the trail we made it to mile 867.4 with 1322.4 left to go.

Mom & Blue, June 13th

This morning I went for a walk around a small woods loop by the tenting area. The Devils Backbone Brewpub does breakfast and has a $5 hiker breakfast. I also split a malt waffle breakfast with Scout, then I got a smoothie and chocolate cresant. I was just so hungry I kept ordering food. Everyone else was doing the same. They also had a bin of free stuff for the thru hikers, we all got hats that say Devils Backbone Brewpub.

Scouts hair poking through his hat 

My mom and my dog, Blue, are currently driving out to visit me. Dirty Duck, Sun, Scout,    Uncle Puck, and I left our packs at the Brewery to slack pack the 19 miles into Waynesboro. My mom is picking up our packs on the way for us.

It's another rediculously hot day. I'm so glad that we are slackpacking today! It was actually a pretty nice day. Most of the trail was in the shade so the heat wasn't a major problem and the rash on my back wasn't much of a problem. We all hiked as a group for the most part of the day. There were some good views too. Overall the elevation is really nice, nothing too extreme.

We saw a timber rattle snake on the trail.

We got to The Paul C. Wolfe shelter, 5 miles from town. There's a mini waterfall here with some small swim pools of water. We had been pushing hard to get to the shelter because of the frequent thunder as a storm approached. We did make it. It would be great to go lay in the water if it wasn't about to dump water on us. Everyone else left quickly wanting to push on to Waynesboro before the rain possibly. I wasn't ready to leave still needing to filter water and eat. I was ready to go 10 min after they had left and it just started pouring rain. The appeal to leave this shelter is not here. I ended up scratching a bug bite on my toe until I scratched the skin off. It was quite painful, a guy at the shelter gave me a bandaid to put on it before leaving.

I had been hoping that my boyfriend, Ken, would be able to come out to visit me the next couple weeks now that I'm finally the closest on the trail to his base, just a 3 hour drive. I just got word that he has sudden orders to go overseas right away. It really makes me sad.

The rain died down in an hour and I headed off. I forgot my Devils Backbone hat at the shelter and realized it 3 switch backs up the mountain so I turned around to go get it. It didn't rain the rest of the way to Waynesboro. The trail was really nice and I ended up walk jogging the way there. It took me an hour and a half to make the last 5 miles. I think that that's the fastest I've gone out here so far.

I got a last phone call from Ken. I walked while on the phone. I also got a message that my mom got lost while trying to pick up our packs. It took awhile but I was able to get ahold of her. She thought that she was lost but she was actually going the right way. She had asked for directions which were the same as what her gps was telling her.

I made it to the road and there was this lovely sign with a long list of volunteer divers to shuttle hikers to and from town. The road was actually quite confusing here. Weaving around with multiple roads. I asked for directions twice then tried hitch hiking. It was a really fast road and a bad location so I ended up calling 2 numbers and the second guy,  Bob, was able to come and pick me up! It took about 10 minutes for him to arrive. I had in drop me off at Mings Garden which is a Chinese buffet that is famous on the trail. I've been hearing rumors about it since back in Franklin! The buffet was great. The place was fancy and overall just really awesome. They had a magnificent koi pond with a bridge that goes over it with so many beautiful fish.

My mom arrived right as I got there. It was amazing to finally see her and my dog again! We stayed 30 min past closing until they kicked us out. I was trying so hard to finish the food on my plates but it was time to go. I ate so much.

Tonight in Waynesboro, VA I'm at mile 861.9 with 1327.9 left to go.

Devils Backbone, June 12th

The flies were active so early. I tried to wake up and get going early in the morning to avoid them. I was the first to leave camp. I was told that the out house was disgustingly filled with flies. So I decided to dig myself a cat hole somewhere up the trail on top of the Priest where there was more wind. The flies didn't seem all that bad until I filled that hole up. Then I dropped my roll of toilet paper on top of my turd on the edge so all of the layers had a bit of brown on them. I had to take time peeling all of the edge off and in the meantime a swarm of probably 100 large black flies were all over my poop. It was so disgusting. Particularly when I mixed and burried it because they all flew up and around me.

The morning was all downhill but I was still getting sweaty. It's going to be a rediculously hot day. As soon as I got to the first shelter halfway there was a small waterfall with a pool about waist deep and I went right in. It was really cold but desperately needed. It was really nice at that shelter. We played music and relaxed. Wunderbar, Bankeds trail name, and Car Jack were here jar packing up camp. I haven't seen them in awhile.

The swimspot

The next section of trail was all uphill for miles and it got pretty steep. It was Three peaks mountain and it a extremely hot. I felt like I was just melting. I was soaked with sweat, just dripping from everywhere. The rash on my back got really bad today. Putting on body glide, an anti-chafing stick helped but it was still bad. That climb was just miserable. I stopped for awhile in one place my body in the shade and my legs and feet in the sun and felt like my legs were cooking so I quickly pulled back then even quicker I took my shoes off when I realized my shoes were cooking my toes. My feet were so hot but my shoes were on fire. It felt like a pan on the stove hot, it burned to touch the front rubber on them. I never expected that.

On the way down Dirty Duck and I found some interesting wild life. Everyone else in our group is thinner and faster so we were the slow pokes, the heat took a lot out of us. Uncle Puck took a wrong turn out of the shelter and went a mile southbound on the trail before realizing his mistake.

We found 2 really awesome salamanders.

And this interesting caterpillar.

This butterfly really liked me.

We saw a black rat snake then a rattlesnake.

We stopped in at another shelter for a break and a deer paid us a visit. She never got too close but want afraid of us either. It was nice getting to watch her graze while I sat down resting.

On the last mile of the sat day we passed a topless couple that we day hiking since they didn't have any packs. The girl in her early 20's wasn't just topless. She was only wearing underwear. That was a first for me, seeing something like that out here.

When we hit the road there was trail magic. A Boy Scout Troup was putting it on. I got a bunch of snacks and water. We were shortly followed by Uncle Puck. We had been warned that it took Scout and Sun an hour to catch a ride over to the Devils Backbone Brewpub, where we will be staying the night. So we started hitching early and it only took us 10 min to find a ride, not only that but a lot of people pulled over to offer rides not going as far or the right direction or apologize that they were full.

The Devils Backbone Brewpub is awesome. I love this place. They have a large property and let hikers camp in the field. They are set up for concerts and all the building are large, spacious, and fancy. The main building has a ton of awesome taxidermy. I ate pork belly, mac n' cheese, and banana pudding. It was delicious!

It was really hot out so I slept with my vestibule open for the first night out here. The stars were out and there were a lot of fireflies around. It was such a great evening.

Tonight at the Devils Backbone Brewpub I'm at mile 842.8 with 1347 left to go.

The Priest, June 11th

The views were spectacular at Cole Mountain. I'm so glad that I stayed. The sun rise happened from behind some trees so it wasn't quite what we were expecting but it was such a nice night. At some point my head was close to the end of the tent and it got really windy suddenly causing it to flap in my face. I had to get up to pee during the night too and the moonlight was just so bright that I didn't even need my headlamp for anything, I could see clear as day.

It's another hot day again. Dirty Duck and I were quite desperate for water so got an early start down the mountain to the campsite where everyone else stayed last night. Dungeon Master still hasn't caught up with us. Not sure where he is.

Today was going by rather smoothly. It didn't get too hot until later in the day. I saw a rat snake on the trail.

I stopped in at a shelter along the way for lunch and there was a mouse in a little nest. It was so cute. Dirty Duck checked it out and disturbed the little one so it was ruining around the rafters but I got to see it pretty good. It was quite entertaining.

I passed Spy Rock. I thought that it was just another look out that looks kinda the same. I want to kick myself for it because Scout and Dirty Duck told me that the views were great and there were ponds with freshwater shrimp and tadpoles.

I got pretty sick towards the end of the day, I'm not really sure why, I think it has to do with the heat but my stomach was doing flip flops because of it. It felt awful. I stopped to go gardening in the woods expecting a brown  waterfall but was disappointed to find that whatever was in my stomach was not ready to come out. I did however plant a much more solid piece of fertilizer in the ground. When packing my roll of toilet paper into its zipblock bag I accidentally dropped it into my full cathole. I had a spare bag in my pack thankfully. I can't believe I did that!

The flies were like slave drivers today forcing me along the trail. They are the worst I've experienced out here and I'm being driven mad my them. I am being so heavily bitten up. I didn't get ant relief until I set my tent up in camp and got inside. Once I got to the camp and sat down my stomach finally started to calm down. I had passed a girl on the way up who was day hiking. She offered my snacks and I declined. I feel crazy for declining trail magic but I didn't even want to think about food. She did leave grapes on the picnic table here for everyone to snack on, those were amazing!

The Priest Shelter is on the top of Priest Mountain. It is a trail tradition to confess your trail sins by writing them down in the log book here at this shelter.  Some were hilarious to read. My trail sins were peeing in the water a little bit when I went swimming because it was so shockingly cold, not digging every cathole deep enough when there's a lot of rocks in the ground, and staying at the NOC hostel a night without paying.

Tonight at The Priest Shelter I'm at mile 827.3 with 1362.5 left to go.

Cole Mountain Bald, June 10th

The children camped here woke up really early making so much noise for the morning.  They started to build a fire right outside my tent. I feel cranky. I'm so tired.

We crossed mile 800 today.

It's even hotter today in the 90s. We had some mild climbs today but I had to keep taking heat breaks. At 10 miles in to the next shelter there's a river and I went right in. There was some confusion on where the swimming hole was suppose to be since each guide book had something different to say about it. I'm pretty sure that we passed it a half mile back and I was not going to go back. It was barely knee deep in the deepest spot but it was just too hot not to lay in it. Dirty Duck and I submerged ourselves to cool off. The water was actually quite cold. It was a great way to spend the afternoon.

Everyone else besides Dirty Duck and myself headed out around 2 in the heat. We stayed behind to nap and rest wanting to wait until later in the day to finish the hike we all planned since it's a steep uphill next and it was just too hot. I'm not sure why but most of my toes lost feeling. I was rubbing them and it didn't quite come back.

My shoes are starting to fall apart.

The bugs are getting quite miserable and biting like crazy. They are the tiniest little flies and they bite so bad. I have bug bites all over my legs and hands.

Dirty Duck and I left at 5pm to head back out on the trail. It was really rough. Some sections were so rediculously steep it was so unnecessary. They should have had switch backs through this section. It was still miserably hot but as the day went on it cooled off. At this rate we would have arrived in camp right at dark. We were actually planning on staying at the last shelter but it was .6 mile off the trail and no one wanted to walk it so we decided to push on to the next campsite 2.5 miles beyond that. On the last peak of the day it turned out to be a bald. We got there right at sunset. It was just so pretty, none of the pictures that I took did it justice. Towards the end of the bald I decided that it was the perfect place to camp. There were views to the east and west meaning we would also see the sunrise in the morning. It was a bit windy but so worth it. We are camped on this plush layer of soft grass and got to see the sun fade away. We were also able to see all the lights turn on to the east. We could see a ferris wheel off in the distance blinking. Then the moon came out. It was full and bright orange. I couldn't get a good photo but it was just so large and bright. Such an amazing way to end the night. I'm sure everyone else we are hiking with camped a mile or 2 up the trail will be jealous. But they have water, we are concerningly low on water.

Tonight at Cole Mountain I'm camped at mile 811.7 with 1378.1